Carrie Underwood Address Gender Discrimination on Women Want to Hear Women Podcast
This is a real issue.
Carrie Underwood has always been an outspoken supporter of her fellow women in country music. Whether it’s working with Miranda Lambert on the song “Somethin’ Bad” or inviting Lindsay Ell and Runaway June onstage at the 2016 CMA Awards, the Oklahoma native is always preaching for her sisters in country.
Her sentiment was echoed during a conversation with Elaina Smith of the Women Want to Hear Women podcast when she opened up about the lack of women at country radio.
“Even when I was growing up, I wished there was more women on the radio, and I had a lot more than there are today,” said the ‘Love Wins’ singer. “I think about all the little girls that are sitting at home saying, ‘I want to be a country music singer.’ What do you tell them, you know? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, ‘Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it’ when that’s probably not the case right now? I see so many girls out there busting their rear ends and so many guys out there where some new guy has a No. 1 and I’m like, ‘Well, good for you, that’s great, but who are you? What’s happening?’ And then these strong women who are super talented that totally deserve it are not getting the same opportunities. But how to change it? I don’t know. How do we change it?”
And for the record, added Underwood, her “Cry Pretty Tour 360″ openers Runaway June and Maddie & Tae earned their spot on the tour not because they are women, but because they are hardworking and talented acts.
“First and foremost, they’ve earned it,” she shared. “I’m not throwing anybody a bone by taking them out on tour with me. They deserve to be there and they’re gonna put on a great show, and I’m already proud of all that they’ve done. I’m a fan, you know? But it’s good when women support women… And I feel like the more we do of that and the more normal it is, why would I not want to take women out on the road with me? Why would anybody feel like ‘Oh, well I’m a girl, so I better have a guy?’”
Underwood and Smith continued to talk about the gender disparity throughout the podcast, with the singer addressing the rumor of competition between the other women, saying she’s excited when she hears another woman on the radio.
“None of us feel that way towards each other. Any time I hear some lady — some strong, awesome, talented woman on the radio with a great song — I’m like, ‘Heck yeah!’ I don’t ever think like ‘Aw man!’ It never enters my mind,” said Underwood. “And I feel like the more we can talk about that and be like ‘Please don’t put me on your Top Whatever list… just don’t do it,’ the more people will be like ‘Oh.’ Maybe they don’t think anything of it. Maybe they don’t realize it’s offensive. That’s why we’ve gotta tell ‘em.”
Underwood will take her girl power ensemble out on the road next May, after enjoying time at home with her impending arrival. She announced she was pregnant alongside the news of her 55-city tour at the beginning of August. Tickets for the tour are on sale now.
