Just the Way It Is? is a new report published by Youth Music, the UK’s leading charity helping marginalised young people make and monetise music. The report exposes widespread unsafe environments, low or no pay, discrimination and silencing across the music industries, particularly impacting women, LGBTQ+, disabled, global majority and working-class creatives.
“When I was 19, I had no awareness of the normalised harm young people face in the music industry,” said artist Victoria Canal, whose early-career experiences included harassment, exploitation, disability discrimination and being groomed by a much older artist while on tour. “Though everyone else on the tour knew exactly the position I was in - management, crew, band included - they’d signed NDAs and were afraid of losing their jobs. The message was clear - don’t speak up, or your career is over before it’s begun.”
Carol Reid, programme director at Youth Music, said that Canal’s experience mirrors what the organisation is hearing from young people nationwide: “Too often, exploitation and inequality are commonplace for young people trying to break into music, and marginalised young people are suffering the biggest impact. We’re seeing what we’re calling ‘The Raye Effect’, where an increasing number of young people and artists alike are speaking out following in the footsteps of established artists like Raye.
“It's vital that the industry listens to this. While the new Employment Rights Bill is welcome, laws alone cannot reshape culture. Real change will come from the whole music community working together and moving from a place of quiet acceptance toward a culture of shared responsibility. We hope this report gives people the confidence, clarity and practical steps they need to help create safer, fairer working environments for young creatives.”
Artist GIRLI added her support: “I have spoken openly before about my experience of misogyny in the music industry. This report gives the stark reality of how it is for so many young people and, importantly, guidance on what we can do to make it better.”
Produced in partnership with the Musicians’ Union and Music Guardians, the research draws on 19 testimonies from in-depth focus groups, alongside additional data from 50 respondents gathered through a social media snapshot poll.