Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL August 2014 Female Bassist Issue | Page 66
I had this overwhelming and empowering
feeling that I wanted to do the same, to
entertain with crazy and powerful music.
I also love to listen to Prince, Michael
Jackson, Lenny Kravitz and all the
Motown Tunes. Richie Hawtin, Faithless,
Lady Gaga’s Performances and countless
others; James Jamerson, Marcus Miller,
Larry Graham and Esperanza Spalding are
some of my bass heroes.
In an industry dominated by male
musicians, do you find that this
hinders or helps your opportunities?
For me, it helps. Good female bassists are
hard to come by, which makes us exotic; a
good selling point.
What, if anything, would you do
to change the industry for female
bassists?
If anything needs changing, then it is the
way males and females perceive each
other. As long as we do not see each other
as true equals, any changes in the music
industry would be superficial. This is not
a male or female only problem.
What specific challenges do you
face as a female bassist?
The main challenge as a female artist
is always having to be a bit better than
my male counterparts. On stage you are
constantly being scrutinized. You have to
be at least as good as a male base player
and deliver exceptional performances to
be musically respected, without being
reduced to female charms.
Do you feel, as a female bassist,
Photo Johan Visbeek