EIPMA Presents: Women in Music — Four Journeys, One Evolving Industry
The Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance (EIPMA) has always focused on one thing: making the invisible pathways into entertainment visible. Their events and mentorship programs bridge the gap between aspiring creatives and the working pros who keep film, TV, music, and live events running every day.
In their webinar “Women in Music,” EIPMA brought together four women whose careers reflect very different corners of the industry—Ainjel Emme, Ariel Beasley (Tender Misfit), Suzy Shinn, and Karrie Keyes—for a candid, often vulnerable conversation about identity, craft, and finding your place in a field that rarely hands anyone a roadmap.
This wasn’t a highlight reel or a panel of tidy anecdotes. It was four women telling the truth about how they got here, what they had to learn the hard way, and what they want the next generation to know.
Growing Up Musical—and Figuring Out How to Make It a Life
For all four, music wasn’t just an interest—it was the thing that shaped who they were long before they understood what a “career in music” could even look like.
Ainjel Emme grew up assuming she’d be an artist. But the more time she spent in the studio, the more she realized her instincts were pulling her toward vocal production and engineering—the behind-the-scenes work of coaxing out the honesty in someone else’s performance.
Ariel Beasley’s path clicked into place early: musical theater at five, songwriting at twelve, and then a Taylor Swift concert at thirteen that felt like a lightning bolt. From that moment, she knew exactly what she wanted to do—and she’s been building toward it ever since.
For Suzy Shinn, music was the constant. She wrote songs in her bedroom long before she ever thought of herself as a producer. That emotional rawness—those imperfect, honest beginnings—still guide her work today.
Karrie Keyes, unlike many young women today, didn’t grow up seeing audio as an option at all. “Working in music wasn’t presented as a real job,” she said. That changed only when she met Dave Rat and stepped—almost accidentally—into live sound.
Different stories, yes, but woven together by the same thing: music wasn’t something they chose. It was something they followed.
Early Lessons They Wish They’d Known
Every career starts with a learning curve—some gentle, some not.
Suzy Shinn shared the lesson that changed everything for her: emotion beats perfection. The recordings that shaped her weren’t flawless—they were intimate, messy, human. That’s what she tries to preserve in her work now.
Others talked about the sudden realization that the job they wanted actually involved far more than they imagined. And in many cases, that reality was far more rewarding.
Clearing Up What Their Jobs Actually Are
Even within the industry, people often misunderstand the work.
Ainjel Emme talked about vocal production as an art of intentional imperfection—sometimes literally detuning John Legend to bring back humanity when a performance becomes too polished. Her job is to keep the soul intact.
Ariel Beasley broke down the myth of overnight success. Her career is built “brick by brick”—writing, discipline, consistency, and the unglamorous grind no one posts about.
Creating Spaces Where Artists Can Be Vulnerable
True artistry lives in vulnerability—and that means creating conditions where people feel safe.
Ainjel Emme often clears the studio so a vocalist can sit alone with their emotions. That’s when the real performance shows up.
For Ariel, songwriting is therapy, and choosing the right collaborator is everything. “You’re opening yourself up,” she said. “You want to do that with someone who gets you.”
And for Karrie Keyes, who works in live sound, building trust has to happen fast. Sometimes she has five minutes before soundcheck to make an artist feel grounded. They need to feel right away that I’m in their corner, that I’m there to support them.”
Where Music Is Headed: A Return to the Human
All four women sense a shift happening. Listeners are reaching for recordings that feel alive—room sound, breath, feel—after years of hyper-digital polish.
- Ainjel is hopeful for an “AI burnout” that brings people back to musicians playing together in a room.
- Ariel loves the mash-up of electronic textures with a wave of renewed guitar-driven energy.
- Karrie hopes the live scene finds its way back to intimate clubs, where artist and audience share the same air and energy.
Defining Moments That Shaped Their Careers
These weren’t résumé highlights—they were turning points.
- Ariel Beasley is stepping into a new emotional era with her upcoming EP, and she can’t wait to bring those songs to the stage.
- Suzy Shinn spoke about producing a Weezer album—an opportunity she thought she wasn’t ready for until she realized she absolutely was.
- Ainjel Emme lit up talking about a new record from a young woman artist—something she believes could help spark a rock renaissance.
- Karrie Keyes reflected on a career-changing Woodstock set and the recent redesign of Eddie Vedder’s stage sound that transformed his experience on tour.
Each story was a reminder that growth often happens in the moments we don’t feel “ready.”
How Men Can Actually Be Allies
When the panel was asked how men can meaningfully support women and marginalized genders in the industry, the answers were refreshingly direct:
- Treat women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC people as full humans—not exceptions, not tokens.
- Listen first. Not to debate or respond—just listen.
- Don’t assume ability or inexperience based on gender.
- Use your access to open doors. Recommend women. Hire them. Credit them accurately.
- Check how much space you take up. Step back when needed; lift others when you can.
- Call out harmful behavior. Silence is participation.
- Trust women’s authority. Especially engineers and techs who are too often second-guessed.
Real allyship isn’t a slogan—it’s how you move through a room.
Balancing Work, Family, and Real Life
Karrie spoke honestly about motherhood—particularly touring while raising twins. There was no “superwoman” narrative here. It took a community of caretakers, clear communication with her co-parent, and a village she could trust.
“No one does this alone,” she said. “And no one should have to.”
EIPMA’s Role: Keeping These Doors Open
This webinar embodied what EIPMA does best: take real stories from real professionals and make the industry feel navigable for the next generation.
It wasn’t just a conversation about women in music. It was a reminder of why mentorship matters, why community matters, and why telling the truth about our paths helps the whole industry grow stronger. Because when more stories are shared, more people can see themselves in this work—and more doors start to open.