Last week, my family rang in the Jewish New Year, a great excuse to eat lots and make a second set of New Year’s resolutions. Mine is to be more concise. I was reminded of that writing for the Chronicle ACL fest music supplement. Since I couldn’t print my whole interview with Metric’s Emily Haines, here’s a few tidbits that won’t make the print edition.
Haines remains an amazing role model for women in the music industry. She’s a stone cold rock & roller, and as such, is never afraid to be angry. The singer’s been in the public eye for over a decade now, yet Haines never let the industry co-opt her or turn her into an over sexualized pop fantasy.
“I don’t feel it’s my place to speak for anyone else on this topic,“ she maintains. “All I know is that for myself, I have dedicated my life to being the best. I’ve faced obstacles, but I feel that I’ve been able to make the life that I wanted to make.
“And if anybody wants to stand in my way because of my gender, they aren’t going to get very far.”
If Metric’s latest release, June’s Synthetica, is any indication, the Toronto quartet will continue to grow in popularity, yet Haines has other projects too. Besides her collaborationa with fellow Canadians Broken Social Scene, she’s put out solo work under the name Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton. That’s more than enough to keep her busy
“I live my life and I do the work I want to do,” she maintains. “I think when you do what you love, you find the energy to keep going.”
It’s a powerful message for young people facing career indecision in the music industry. Whether you’re business or creative, the ongoing changes in the way we buy and share live and recorded music can be daunting. Fortunately, Metric shows us a new hope.
The popularity of the group’s self-released albums (more on that in the ACL supplement) allows their art and music to speak louder than their personalities. Haines should be a role model for everyone. No matter what happens to the music industry, we can do this.
This article appears in September 21 • 2012.