.jpg)
.jpg)
JFAC wants to empower women in the Jordanian music industry
By Aisha Ahmed, Jordan News
- +
- -
AMMAN — Mais Sahli founded the Jordanian Female Artist Collective (JFAC) after she noticed a lack women in the music industry in Jordan. So, she began contacting female artists that she knew and told them about her project. In September 2019, JFAC became a reality, and now hosts a diverse and powerful group of women who want to make their mark on the music industry.اضافة اعلان
“This project is locally based and it happened through our efforts; it is not funded from anywhere else, and it is the first of its kind in Jordan,” Sahli, said in an Interview with Jordan News.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
JFAC now counts 18 members among its ranks, with artists belonging to different musical backgrounds.
Each musician had a story to tell when they first joined, Sahli said. But one common theme coming from most artists was a lack of support.
The goal of JFAC is to have an open space where female artists can feel empowered, which helps the music industry produce original content through a women’s perspective, Sahli said. “It is noticeable, especially in the indie scene, that the majority of artists are guys which is amazing, but we need female voices and touches because the music industry in Jordan is growing,” she added.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
JFAC essentially provides musicians with support and sheds light on female artists and the collective as a whole. When COVID-19 forced the country to impose lockdowns, the collective held Zoom meetings, and even established an online platform called LiveMusic Jo.
The platform allows artists from Jordan and around the world to conduct performances to help people at a time when social distancing is putting a hamper on concerts.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
Towards the end of 2020, the collective had a chance to play together for the first time since JFAC was established at the Jazz Festival which streamed live. During the festival, they performed a 14-minute jazz medley, Sahli said.
JFAC also holds master classes that its members have joined to share knowledge and tips on songwriting and how to use social media to their advantage. However, Sahli stressed that “We are not a training institution that brings artists to train them. JFAC’s main goal is to produce music.”
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
Moreover, young artists can join the collective, practice, and produce music, depending on their talent level, which instruments they play, and their musical knowledge.
At the moment the collective does not have a specific location or office and meets in different places to practice based on what they plan to do. Sahli said that finding funding that allows them to keep their independence and remain a Jordanian project is another challenge.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
“The overall experience is interesting and I won’t lose hope as I can find my way around the challenges,” Sahli said. The collective is currently preparing new tracks to be released at the beginning of next year. “Meanwhile, JFAC is working on the process of writing original songs together,” Sahli said.
Read more Music
“This project is locally based and it happened through our efforts; it is not funded from anywhere else, and it is the first of its kind in Jordan,” Sahli, said in an Interview with Jordan News.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
JFAC now counts 18 members among its ranks, with artists belonging to different musical backgrounds.
Each musician had a story to tell when they first joined, Sahli said. But one common theme coming from most artists was a lack of support.
The goal of JFAC is to have an open space where female artists can feel empowered, which helps the music industry produce original content through a women’s perspective, Sahli said. “It is noticeable, especially in the indie scene, that the majority of artists are guys which is amazing, but we need female voices and touches because the music industry in Jordan is growing,” she added.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
JFAC essentially provides musicians with support and sheds light on female artists and the collective as a whole. When COVID-19 forced the country to impose lockdowns, the collective held Zoom meetings, and even established an online platform called LiveMusic Jo.
The platform allows artists from Jordan and around the world to conduct performances to help people at a time when social distancing is putting a hamper on concerts.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
Towards the end of 2020, the collective had a chance to play together for the first time since JFAC was established at the Jazz Festival which streamed live. During the festival, they performed a 14-minute jazz medley, Sahli said.
JFAC also holds master classes that its members have joined to share knowledge and tips on songwriting and how to use social media to their advantage. However, Sahli stressed that “We are not a training institution that brings artists to train them. JFAC’s main goal is to produce music.”
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
Moreover, young artists can join the collective, practice, and produce music, depending on their talent level, which instruments they play, and their musical knowledge.
At the moment the collective does not have a specific location or office and meets in different places to practice based on what they plan to do. Sahli said that finding funding that allows them to keep their independence and remain a Jordanian project is another challenge.
Jordanian Female Artist Collective (Photos: Handout from Mais Sahli)
“The overall experience is interesting and I won’t lose hope as I can find my way around the challenges,” Sahli said. The collective is currently preparing new tracks to be released at the beginning of next year. “Meanwhile, JFAC is working on the process of writing original songs together,” Sahli said.
Read more Music
