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Today, 501(c)(3) non-profit Gender Amplified announces a first of its kind EP, In Bloom, a dreamy, buoyant collaboration between up-and-coming artists and producers. The three track project, out March 7 and available for pre-save now via Warner Music Group's independent distribution arm, ADA, is the result of community-driven songwriting and production camps, CTRL Room Series, that aim to get women and non-binary people involved in music production. Through these camps, community events, live events, recording initiatives, and A&R, Gender Amplified's dynamic work boosts visibility and creates accessible opportunities in music for all, redefining the industry from the ground up.
Gender Amplified was founded in 2007 by celebrated producer, engineer and singer-songwriter Ebonie Smith as a student at Barnard College in New York City. In addition to leading Gender Amplified, Smith is the senior audio engineer and producer at Atlantic Records, whose credits include the Broadway cast album of Hamilton, Janelle Monae's trailblazing Dirty Computer, and Cardi B's record-breaking Invasion Of Privacy. With today's announcement, Gender Amplified continues to elevate underrepresented voices and expand their work into releasing music that allows rising producers to get their music heard and build community. Smith and Gender Amplified have been praised by several leading publications including Forbes, The FADER, The Recording Academy and in 2019, Essence named Smith one of 13 Black women in music shaping the decade.
In Bloom, the organization's first project, is proof of their efforts to platform and boost young talent and marginalized voices within the music industry. The EP spotlights eight artists who are pushing boundaries and creating space for themselves like never before. Each track was written and recorded throughout various CTRL Room Series events, a testament to the impact and merit of the one-of-a-kind program. Gender Amplified's Head of Community, Natalie Sears, says the project, "captures the vibrant energy that emerges when women and gender-expansive artists come together to create in spaces built by and for each other." In these spaces, artists can experiment, share and celebrate their diverse experiences and nurture each other's growth.
Sears adds, "'In Bloom' is the product of that spirit—a mix of joy, vulnerability, reflection, and nostalgia. It’s an honest reckoning with the struggle, growth, and transformation our community experiences as artists and as people navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for us. Powerful and raw, sensitive and playful, the EP reflects the complexities of our lives as women and gender-expansive folks in the music industry."
The previously released smooth, sweet blend of alt-pop and R&B, "Future Number" captures the quiet power of growth. With airy, soulful vocals by Lyd Marie, virgogabrielle, and Olivia Reid, the track unfolds like a letter to one's younger self as it ponders the passage of time and looks to relish in–not rush–the journey towards a better life.
In Bloom, the forthcoming ethereal EP by Gender Amplified is due out March 7 and available for pre-save now. The organization is committed to celebrating and empowering women and gender-expansive music producers, paving a path towards a more equitable music industry. Stay up-to-date with all things Gender Amplified via Instagram and genderamplified.org.
Listen: "Future Number" (ft. Lyd Marie, virgogabrielle, Olivia Reid)
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