The country's new super group 'The Highwomen' unite to give way to unknown female artists

Country music has a gender problem. Women represent only 16% of national artists and even fewer songwriters.

When women mingle with the general public, like Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves, they are often young. The average age of the best female artists of the genre is 29 years old.

So when American stars, Brandi Carlile and Amanda Shires, asked singer-songwriter Natalie Hemby if she wanted to join their band, she was surprised: "I mean, I'm not stupid", did not I? she said in an interview with NPR All things Considered. "I'm 42 and I thought," What does that mean? ""

Together, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby form "The Highwomen", a new super-group released with an eponymous debut album.

Initially, Hemby, whose writing credits include the A star is born soundtrack, was brought to write for the group. But the quartet did not take long to hear.

It's a link you hear in their hit single titled "Redesigning Women".

"It's a very sung song and we all sing the lead role," said Hemby. "It was not intentionally written that way, but it ended intentionally that way."

Hemby says she's been sitting on the song's title for some time, but that she's never found the right voice to keep writing until the Highwomen gathers. Speaking of the lyrics of the song, Hemby said, "Buy 11 pairs of shoes and try to make everyone feel special, it's like we're trying to manage our world and clean the kitchen "she said. "I never feel able to catch up with myself because I also have a family of mine – it's like,"Hey, we can not do everything but we can& # 39; "

"Women from all walks of life are like," you just wrote my song, "you know, from all walks of life."

This reaction goes against the two-standard message that the country music industry sends to female artists to explain why they do not go on the air.

"We still talk about the genre" Well, we already have a girl like her, "Hemby said." And it's like, well, you have 10 boys who all look alike and who call Luke . "

Brandi Carlile called the group "movement".

Shires says it means, "It's more than just country music … we try to celebrate women in all areas."

"We are trying to make a statement and bring more women to the center of concern," added Hemby. "As Brandy has repeatedly said: open the door and keep it open for other female artists."

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