Abigail Morris, Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland, Aurora Nishevci, and Emily Roberts, the driving forces behind the hit single ‘Nothing Matters,’ are adamant that their presence in the music industry should not be viewed as an anomaly but rather as part of a continuum of powerful female and non-binary artists.

Morris highlighted the irony of their situation, remarking, “The revealing thing is… people seem to be implying we’re doing something really new and groundbreaking just by being, you know, five non-male musicians when in fact, we come from a very long line and community of very powerful female and non-binary artists.”

“It’s just a shame that culture at large seems to be constantly blinkered to like, the fact that like, every few years, there’s a new study being like Breaking News! Misogyny in music! and it’s like yes, we know,” Morris added.

Georgia Davies echoed the sentiment, emphasising the need for structural changes in the music industry to facilitate the advancement of female and non-binary bands, stating, “In order for female and non-binary bands to progress up into that status, they need to be given the highest slots on festival lineups. To be given the chance to perform to a big crowd because without giving those slots to people who deserve it, we’re just going to keep seeing the same kind of legacy historically,”

In a subsequent part of the interview, the band was dubbed “the new queens of feminist pop” by the interviewer, prompting a discussion among the band members about the highly gendered language surrounding their success. They admitted it’s a “huge” burden to carry.

The Last Dinner Party, alongside fellow female musicians like Wet Leg and Clairo, has faced the recurring criticism of being dubbed “industry plants,” an accusation disproportionately directed at female musicians in contrast to their male counterparts within the music industry.

In a recent interview with Variety, Abigail Morris responded to the accusations by highlighting the organic connections the band had within the London music scene, explaining, “We all had friends who were in bands in that scene in London – I feel like that’s the only connections we had…. it is kind of old-fashioned, which is why I think people were like, ‘Something must be going on!’ No, that’s literally how the music industry works.”

The Last Dinner Party’s steadfast refusal to conform to industry stereotypes and their unwavering commitment to authenticity underscore the ongoing struggle for gender equality within the music industry. As they embark on their journey following the release of their debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy,’ The Last Dinner Party stands ready to amplify their message through an upcoming tour across the UK and Ireland later this year.

The expansion of the movement into Ireland was announced during a panel this week. The initiative announced James Foley as a Keychange Ambassador. Foley is the Lead, Editorial at Spotify UK and Ireland. Ireland Music Week are the Keychange partner coordinating and supporting activities in Ireland, alongside sponsors IMRO. Ireland Music Week is also the festival partner for Keychange in Ireland so will host 6 international Keychange participants, as well as the Irish participants in 2021.

Seven Irish organisations have signed the Keychange gender pledge including Choice Music Prize, Foggy Notions, The Folly @ Cullohill, Ireland Music Week, HearOne Music, Minding Creative Minds and Róisín Dubh. Ireland’s Keychange participants for 2020/21 include acts Pillow Queens, Elaine Mai, Mona-Lisa Das and SYLK, as well as Rubyworks’ Shauna Watson and artist manager/video producer Lia Liegho.

This Thursday, the 26th of February The Keychange Movement will be hosting a panel moderated by UK Keychange Project Manager, Maxie Gedge on ‘Community and Management.’ The panel will focus on the Benefits and importance of collaboration and creating your network. Maxie will be joined by Lia Liegho (artist manager and Keychange participant), Ceri Dixon (artist manager) and Ismay Bourke (music PR), will be broadcast on the Keychange Facebook page.

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Speaking about the movement, James Foley said; “Even though the statistics on gender equality in music continue to make for bleak reading, I am ever-hopeful for change when I see the impact Keychange is having and the potential we all have to do more. In my day to day role in the UK + Ireland music team at Spotify, I’m focused on how we can create a more equal platform, give under-represented voices a stage and open up our listener’s ears to different viewpoints.”

“I’m also keenly aware that gender equality in music is intersectional and can positively address other systemic inequalities. I take seriously the commitment to affecting change and connecting people who can unlock the challenges we face in making the industry a more equal place to exist. I’m really looking forward to working with everyone involved in Keychange as an Irish ambassador and I am excited about what’s to come.”

The Keychange Movement’s current list spans 40 countries and 400 organisations. Over in the UK, artists Violet Skies, Suzi Wu, Chagall, Tawiah, Poppy Ajudha, Anaïs, Islet and Machine Woman are already members of the movement. You can see the full list here.