She's Speaking creates platforms where women's voices and artistry can be heard by all people.
Oregon songwriters Beth Wood, Bre Gregg and Kristen Grainger are frustrated with the long-standing underrepresentation of women in key aspects of the music industry, as well as recent news that algorithms for major music streaming platforms favor male artists.
Despite a global pandemic and geographic challenges (Bre is from Portland, Kristen from Salem, and Beth from Sisters), the three began brainstorming ways to help women succeed in an industry not intended for them. Since the pandemic limited in-person events, they decided to start by creating a YouTube channel dedicated to elevating women’s songwriting, promoting “songs written by women, about women, for everyone.”
They dubbed the project – and the channel – She’s Speaking, a nod to Vice President Kamala Harris’ now-famous line, “I’m speaking!” from the 2020 vice presidential debate.
She’s Speaking’s YouTube channel curated songs from more than 60 women artists from all over the country, including Lady A (WA), Susan Gibson (TX), Natalie Jean (Washington, D.C.), Cosy Sheridan (UT), Anna Tivel (OR), and Gabrielle Louise (CO), to name a few. The artists were invited to contribute music videos – often created on smartphones due to pandemic constraints – of the songs they’d written about women who inspired them.
From blues to folk to jazz to indie rock, these songs celebrate grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and daughters as well as public figures such as Jane Goodall, Georgia O'Keefe, Bessie Smith, Amanda Gorman, Gov. Kate Brown, Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, Aretha Franklin, and Vice President Kamala Harris.