Nadja Benaissa
There is "a lot to do" for equality between men and women
Nadja Benaissa, Lucy Diakovska, Jessica Wahls and Sandy Mölling (from left) will release their new album in June.
© Ben Wolf
In an interview, No Angels singer Nadja Benaissa explains why "there is still a lot to be done" for equality in the music industry.
In February the No Angels made their brilliant comeback. Now it is also clear: The new version of their hit "Daylight in Your Eyes" and the appearance at Florian Silbereisen (39) were not all. The four women are also releasing a new album. "20" is scheduled to be released on June 4, 2021. The fact that the No Angels are an all women band makes singer Nadja Benaissa (38) "happy", as she said in an interview with the news agency spot on news. The music industry is "still very much dominated by men". On International Women's Day on March 8, the 38-year-old declared: "I am very much in favor of the women's quota."
To what extent are women still disadvantaged in the music industry today?
Nadja Benaissa: At meetings, video conferences, and many things related to the industry, I notice that music and business are still very much dominated by men. With the artists themselves – here in Germany too – you can see that there are definitely female stars, but overall they are inferior to the men. There is still a lot to be done to restore the gender balance in the music industry in Germany.
Have you ever experienced disadvantages because you are a woman? How did you deal with it?
Benaissa: I've experienced disadvantages. Especially as a working mother. Very often I had to justify myself that I was working, that I wanted to make a career or that I had a career. I was often asked hurtful questions whether I wanted to do this to my child. I see this as a sexist question because I assume that men who are often on the road for weeks at work don't have to defend themselves in this way. No matter what you do as a woman, you do it wrong. Whether you're a housewife or at work – it's an imbalance. Still.
How has the role of women in the music industry changed over the years?
Benaissa: I think women in the music industry keep changing. Nowadays – and stronger than ever – there is the visual component, mainly through social media. Photos and videos are posted and the woman and her image – the hair, the body, the look – are rated. This puts a lot of pressure on women in public. The perfectionism and body ideals, which are often manipulated and unnatural, have grown. But there are women who say: "I'm different, I'm just me. I don't care about these false ideals of beauty." It's about the attitude you have. The role of women always changes with society; she is a mirror of society.
What else needs to be done to ensure that women are on an equal footing?
Benaissa: I thought for a long time that the gender balance regulates itself. In the meantime I am disillusioned with that. Even if you look at history, you know that nothing has changed. Women only got their rights when they fought for them, when they took to the streets and because the laws were changed accordingly. I am therefore very much in favor of the women's quota. Otherwise nothing would change. The equality of women in reality can only be achieved through changes in the law. Women earn less, receive fewer pensions and have fewer opportunities for advancement. That is why I think it makes sense if this is regulated by law. It is important that women support, engage and support each other. That's why I'm happy to be in a women's band.