The Latitude Festival line-up is packed with inspiring women from all walks of life including musicians, comedians, artists, writers, activists and performers. Today they spoke out to show their support for International Women’s Day.
• Jessie Ware said: “I’m so excited about festival season this year, being able to sing and catch so many other women performing in their element and inspiring me. I learn so much every year.”
• French-Cuban twin-sister duo Ibeyi, whose single Deathless was written for everybody who feels they are nothing, who feels small, who feels not cared about and want them to listen to the song and for three minutes and feel large, powerful, deathless, said: “We hope to see you at Latitude to experience the love and empowerment of singing ‘we are Deathless’ as one, all together.”
• Æ MAK, the first act chosen for the Festival Republic and PRS Foundation’s ReBalance, an initiative to address gender imbalance in the music industry make their Latitude debut. Front-woman Aoife McCann said: “Myself and the boys are really looking forward to introducing the world of Æ MAK to the crowds at this year’s Latitude; 100% captivated and inspired by the creative and empowering energies of the rising female writers and performers of today and proud to be among them. Happy, happy women’s day.”
• Bridget Christie, one of the most critically acclaimed British stand-up comedians of this decade, headlines the comedy arena alongside a huge range of inspiration female comedians including Shappi Khorsandi, Abigoliah Schamaun, Aisling Bea, Fern Brady, Gráinne Maguire, Jayde Adams, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Lauren Pattison, Lolly Adefope, Lou Sanders, Phoebe Walsh and more. Where’s The F In News, BBC RADIO 4’s energetic, intelligent female-anchored show will also feature live at the festival. Bridget added: “Time’s Up indeed. I’ve found the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements incredibly inspiring and emboldening, but while I’m obviously delighted loads of men are now examining their own conduct and behaviour, it has taken 200,000 years to get to this point... anyway, softly softly catchee monkey. We’re getting there.”
• Mind-blowing, multi-platform live artist Bryony Kimmings brings her first solo show in 10 years, I’m A Phoenix, Bitch to Latitude. She said: “I don’t mean to be rude and believe me I love boys... I have a son. But women should be running the world. The dudes have screwed it. Give us a go. Even the gods are blokes. Time to reframe the way it all happens.”
•One of Britain’s most inspirational documentary presenters Stacey Dooley headlines the Speakeasy tent. In her first book, On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back, she draws on her encounters with brave and wonderful women from all over the world. Stacey said “I’m delighted to be attending Latitude alongside a number of remarkable artists. It’s incredibly exciting. Brilliant, fierce women are at the core of almost everything and in my book I focus specifically on remarkable females. From survivors of domestic violence in Honduras to the Yazidi women in Iraq on the frontline fighting back... there are important conversations to be had right across the board and I hope both Latitude and the book spark much needed debate.”
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