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Heather Lowery was working as VP of Expertise and Touring at Reside Nation City when a single query altered the course of her life.
“I used to be doing a panel, and somebody requested what I used to be doing to help ladies in reside music — and I did not have a solution,” Lowery recollects. “That query haunted me for months.”
Decided to make a distinction, Lowery based Femme It Ahead, a female-led music and leisure firm targeted on celebrating, educating and empowering ladies, whereas offering them with a platform to share their voices each on and off stage.
Femme It Ahead’s debut was a “multi-format collection” of all-female concert events and occasions, that includes A-list headliners like Brandy, Monica, Teyana Taylor and Cardi B.
“I rapidly realized this was greater than only a collection,” Lowery says. “It was the beginning of a motion.”
Femme It Ahead rapidly developed from a collection to a full-fledged enterprise, however the whole lot modified when the pandemic hit. The nationwide lockdown spelled catastrophe for any reside occasions firm. However for Lowery, it was a blessing in disguise.
“Now I can do the whole lot I’ve at all times needed to however by no means had time for,” she says.
First on her agenda was becoming a member of the wildly fashionable Verzuz collection, created by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. Verzuz, a digital showdown between main hip-hop artists, grew to become a defining second of early COVID-19 tradition.
Lowery, a fan of the battles, observed a obvious hole: “They weren’t doing any ladies’s battles.”
Decided to vary that, she reached out to Swizz’s supervisor and ultimately received on a name with the music mogul himself.
His response? “Present me what you bought.”
Lowery rapidly secured a Verzuz battle between Jill Scott and Erykah Badu. Quickly after, followers have been handled to iconic face-offs like Brandy vs. Monica and Keyshia Cole vs. Ashanti — among the most-watched episodes of the collection.
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Flip setbacks into springboards
Whereas Verzuz was successful, Femme It Ahead confronted the problem of a halted reside programming business. Adaptation grew to become important for survival.
“I used to be considering, what can I do proper now, after we cannot do reside occasions?” Lowery shares.
She launched the Subsequent Gem Femme Mentorship program, pairing business leaders with aspiring expertise targeted on the enterprise aspect of the music business. Later, she launched the MUSE mentorship program, supporting the inventive group, from songwriters to producers to artists.
“I began Subsequent Gem Femme as a result of I wanted I had a mentor once I was arising,” Lowery says. “As ladies rise within the business, it is necessary to carry up these following behind us.”
Femme It Ahead is constructed on three core pillars: mentorship, schooling and empowerment. These values are mirrored in initiatives like Subsequent Gem Femme and MUSE, the Give Her FlowHERS awards gala, and the Femme It Ahead Femmeland at Sea Cruise.
Picture credit score: Femme It Ahead
As if that weren’t sufficient, FIF produces music albums, manages reside occasions, and is dipping their toes into short-form documentaries and podcasts.
Regardless of the numerous initiatives, Lowery explains how every a part of Femme It Ahead is interconnected, supporting each other to embody these core ideas. The Give Her FlowHERS awards gala, for instance, serves as a platform to showcase rising artists like Doechii, connects ladies within the business, and raises funds for initiatives like mentorship packages.
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Be the change you wish to sea
Femme It Ahead’s newest initiative, the Femmeland at Sea Cruise, is considered one of its most bold initiatives. Curated for girls, the cruise gives reside performances from FIF artists Monica and Coco Jones, together with business panels, wine tastings, and salon journeys.
Although the dimensions might sound daunting, Lowery had a clear imaginative and prescient from the beginning.
“I knew what I needed to see on the cruise already,” she says, describing her course of as inverted — beginning with the ultimate idea and dealing backward. “The best half for me is visualizing, strategizing, creating, and executing,” she explains. “I typically see all of it earlier than it exists, then work to deliver that imaginative and prescient to life.”
Lowery continues to be early in her journey with Femme It Ahead, however the optimistic suggestions from her group is overwhelming.
“As a result of I give a lot and help ladies in so some ways, I am now seeing that love return to me,” she says. “It feels wonderful.”
Regardless of the early success, Lowery stays grounded, specializing in her final aim: constructing a powerful, supportive group for girls within the music business. “One of the best recommendation I give myself is an affirmation I repeat typically,” she shares. “Bear in mind who you might be and why you began.”
