Who Can Be A Producer? – The Organization Pioneering Gender Equity in the Swedish Music Scene

Vem Kan Bli Producent — which translates to “Who Can Be A Producer” — is an organization that is spearheading gender equity and women’s empowerment in the Swedish music scene. They aim to encourage women to pursue passions for music production by giving them a supportive platform for skill development, exploration, and community.

Vem Kan Bli Producent is run by Popkollos, a national organization for girls and transgender people in music. Each summer, Popkollos hosts dozens of music camps around Sweden aimed at creating a safe and supportive environment for girls and transgender children to explore their love for music and hone their musical skills.

Vem Kan Bli Producent takes Popkollos’ mission and applies it to an older age group, with a more specific focus on the technical and production side of music — an area in which this community are particularly underrepresented. As stated on their website, the goal of the program is “to make technology available for an underrepresented group in the studio and producer world, where few women and transgender people are found in technical roles.”

With this in mind, Vem Kan Bli Producent organizes workshops, festivals, community meet-ups, collaboration sessions, and mentorship opportunities  for women and transgender producers around Sweden. They also host an intensive Producer Program for members of this group over the age of 20 who want to expand and develop their music production skills. The program spans 7 months and accepts 15-18 applicants each year. It is in its third year at their Stockholm site, and is opening new Malmö and Gothenburg locations in fall 2018.

In a world where gendered subcultures such as this one are continually glossed over in the music industry, it is crucial to lift up communities like that created by Vem Kan Bli Producent. “We are looking for a structural change,” the organization writes. “By challenging the norms in music and technology, we will create a new stage.”

Keep up with Vem Kan Bli Producent on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Soundcloud, and with Popkollos on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Soundcloud.