The daunting reality many women face navigating the music industry is one of concern. Prevalent issues such as misogyny, harassment, and sexual violence are some of the evils preventing women from thriving in the industry.
It was to Selena B. Hunter’s dismay when she realized her musically inclined daughter, Nia Hunter, desired to have a career in the very industry that was dysfunctional. Rather than dismiss the idea and shield her daughter from entertainment, she decided to create a safe space for all women.
“I had to figure out a way that her father and I could be comfortable with her being in this industry,” Selena told AfroTech. “The only way was with me stepping up and supporting her by building an infrastructure around her where I felt comfortable as a parent first because she’s a woman as well.”
In a pursuit to not only keep her daughter’s vision alive, and even beyond that, Hathor Entertainment was born in Los Angeles, CA. The mother-daughter duo debuted the record label on Sept. 1, and it already has a featured project on the way from solo R&B artist Nia, titled “Night & Day.”
The co-founder and first artist signed to the label, grew up knowing the crevices of the industry. As she grew older and ventured into more independent projects, she felt disheartened as she recognized how certain industry professionals operated. Having acquired industry knowledge, Nia recognized the need for a new space for women in the industry to be protected.
“It was very needed in the industry for us to have an outlet where we felt protected, have a voice, and be creatively free in every sense of the word,” Nia stated.
The woman-focused label will provide a safe environment for women who want to pursue a career in the music industry. Having heard various stories of women who shared their traumas from working in the industry, Selena wanted to create a home for their physical and mental safety. She recognized their well-being was “one of the biggest problems that I felt needed to be solved.”
Despite strides in the industry with the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movement, Selena recognized the work was far from over.
“I see the Me Too and Black Lives Matter movement has reached over to the entertainment industry, but I knew that was not enough,” Selena said. “For me to be a catalyst for women’s equality around the world, I thought ‘Let me do it with one thing we can all relate on and that’s music.’”
With their new label, the mother-daughter duo aims to build partnerships with new onboarding artists. However, one of their main priorities is to empower women financially by allowing them to own their masters. Having attended various meetings in the industry, Selena quickly learned content creators are deprived when it comes to owning their content and stripped from adequate financial compensation.
“I don’t have to own their content to maximize it and to make money. I do not have to control their music,” Selena told AfroTech. “I think our voice is our power and for artists, it’s a form of expression. I definitely don’t want to take that away. I’m wanting to amplify.”
Hathor Entertainment’s future plans include signing over 100 artists and establishing a global empire. The company also aims to partner with The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation in the near future due to their shared commitment toward Black mental health.
