It isn’t easy, but musicians build ‘portfolio careers’ by being adaptable, multiskilled and willing to learn, so they can pursue creative work that they believe in.
Two of South Africa’s finest musicians, Johnny Mekoa and Ray Phiri, died recently. The permeable terrain between genres their careers negotiated, is being replaced by rigid marketing categories.
Musicians protesting against government while holding instruments in Caracas, Venezuela.
AP/ Fernando Llano
Musicians who learned how to play through a state-funded program called El Sistema are taking their instruments to the streets to protest the government.
A cross stitch recreation of Nirvana’s classic album cover by Mr X Stitch.
Jamie Chalmers/flickr
Nirvana’s Nevermind was emblematic of the 1990s. But in today’s fragmented digital age, can anyone nominate an album that defines the first or second decade of the 21st century?
Is the system broken?
'Record Player' via www.shutterstock.com
In Australia, musicians’ total income actually went up last year. While the music industry still faces many challenges, there is now a world-wide push to boost artists’ royalties paid by streaming services such as Spotify.
Female popular musicians die younger – and from more unnatural causes like suicide, homicide and accidents – than women in the general population. What’s going wrong?
After the likes of Joan Jett, Janis Joplin and Debbie Harry, why are women in rock still marginalised?
Shutterstock
Why are women still marginalised in the rock industry? There are many reasons - from a male dominated music canon to belittling attitudes - but women are speaking up and lobbying for change.
The Congolese album ‘Nangadeef’ remains largely unexplored, despite its genius. As a rich repository of Afrofuturistic data, it deserves to be delved into by lovers of African art.
Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. She has been largely considered a bad influence on young women.
Reuters/Danny Moloshok