Let’s face it, society can be pretty cruel to teenage girls. They’re characterised as silly, narcissistic and immature. If lots of teenage girls like something, chances are the rest of the world hates it. Bands are known to bemoan their female fans, and teenage girls are the butts of so many mocking jokes.
But teenage girls deserve so much more credit than we give them. They’re talented, creative and full of smart, intelligent ideas. If we stopped characterising them as silly fans and empowered them to write their own music, what would they write about? Well, based on Girls Rock! camp this week, songs about bullying, political empowerment and finding a home in space might just top the list.
For the past week, Wick Studios in Brunswick has been home to some of the newest talent on the Melbourne music scene — 10 all-new bands made up of 12 to 17-year-old girls and gender diverse kids. It’s all part of a new-to-Melbourne initiative called Girls Rock!.