Cam Calls Out Country Weekly’s “Country’s Hottest Bachelorette” Survey
The artist simply known as “Cam” is one of country music’s fastest-rising new female stars, and she’s received a big boost from her rising hit, the understated “Burning House,” helped along by iHeatMedia’s “On The Verge” program. Whenever you hear about female artist who may be good candidates to bust through country music’s incredibly low ceiling for female singers these days, Cam tends to make the short list.
The attention she’s received must be nice and welcomed by the young singer, but one piece of publicity had her speaking up about pitting female country singers against each other based on physical appearance.
NASH Country Weekly—recently re-branded to include Cumulus Media’s wide-encompassing “NASH” brand—has posted a survey on their website asking readers “Who Is Country’s Hottest Bachelorette?” Interesting that the authors decided to include multiple women who are known to be in committed relationships in the survey, yet failed to include any women who weren’t signed or affiliated with major labels. I guess if you’re an independent country star, you must be a root. Is this NASH Country Weekly‘s way of giving women equal time?
Cam, who was included in the survey, said through social media:
“HEY GIRLS!! (Especially young musicians) I know @Nashcountryweekly is just having some fun, but I want to make sure that YOU know: getting judged on your appearance literally doesn’t matter. Be good at what you do and be good to other people. That’s what you can be proud of, that’s what people want to support, that’s what makes a difference. We NEED you to be great, to work hard, to make something no one’s ever heard before! So go change our radio, our world, and just look like YOU while you do it #justthewayyouare”
Along with the discrepancy between radio spins and sales for female country stars compared to males in the mainstream, the objectification and sexualization of women in country music seems to have never been greater, by the men, by the media, and sometimes by the women themselves. However the whole SaladGate controversy has made female artists in mainstream country more aware, and more empowered to speak out about when they see other women being treated with inferiority or faced with issues more centered around image instead of creative output.
In fairness, men have been facing more media coverage based on image lately as well.
August 16, 2015 @ 6:51 pm
Your last sentence would be my point. Yes. women are struggling to get airplay in country music right now but I don’t think this really plays a role in that. These magazines have been doing this kind of thing for years with both men and women.
It is a fact of the game that appearance matters and to pretend that it doesn’t is very naïve.
And of course no woman (or man) should be objectified based purely on looks but I’m not sure I think that this is that.
August 16, 2015 @ 7:04 pm
Her song, “Burning House” is… intriguing. And her vocals are… exquisite.
August 17, 2015 @ 9:40 pm
That one came on one of my local ClearChannel/whatever stations when I was working late a few weeks ago. Definitely struck a chord with me, something that hasn’t happened with a radio song since maybe 2009 or 2010.
August 16, 2015 @ 7:32 pm
I really like Cam. Her voice just hits the spot on Burning House. Hope
Cam does get more music out there. Even if “country radio” doesn’t
Give her music much time.
August 16, 2015 @ 7:38 pm
Wow it feels crazy to just see half this women! I barely remember what some of them sound like becuase radio has ignored most of them for years. Radio is only maybe interested in Maddie & Tae at the most. It’d been nice if the article had their latest single or album under their picture…
August 16, 2015 @ 7:48 pm
To me, “Burning House” is that song that I wonder why I don’t like more. Where it’s a good song, but something prevents me from thinking it’s great. Those situations can be kind of her confusing. Other than that, I like her quote, yet looks will ALWAYS be the primary selling point for mainstream musicians of any genre. Why? Because a large chunk of the public doesn’t think about the actual music first. To me, looks are one of the last things that I think about.
August 16, 2015 @ 8:06 pm
I’m surprised these surveys haven’t taken more heat over the years to be honest, as CW has been doing them for quite some time.
August 17, 2015 @ 6:31 am
Well, we are living in a time where political correctness is at or near an all-time high. Not discounting Cam’s point, I actually agree with her, but combine the current social climate along with the fact more attention is being paid to the handling and marketing of female artists on Music Row and I’m not surprised this survey has irritated some people.
August 16, 2015 @ 9:24 pm
Lindi Ortega
August 16, 2015 @ 10:04 pm
Good for her for drawing attention to this, even though what Country Weekly is doing here is essentially par for the course along with Taste of Country most notably obsessing with shirtless male A and B-list country/”country” superstars.
I still recall several months ago where Tim McGraw was impacting countless headlines because………………..surprise surprise……………….he was doing CrossFit in public, SHIRTLESS! Kenny Chesney and Billy Currington have also made similar waves among the “country” tabloid circuit.
August 17, 2015 @ 6:19 am
Cam’s voice has a very Kelly (Willis) Robison sound to it in my opinion. I have liked her from the first minute I heard her and hope she gets more success, especially if she hold the same course musically.
August 17, 2015 @ 9:33 am
“….the objectification and sexualization of women in country music seems to have never been greater, by the men, by the media, and sometimes by the women themselves….”
Its always been thus but as you say Trigger ..perhaps never greater . And not just in country music . The media ( TV , Movies , Internet , print ) has never exploited sex more openly , more often or to as young a demographic and to the exclusion of nearly every other aspect of the ” entertainment ” or product being peddled ( character developments, plot lines , song lyrics , books, music , fashion , etc..) . As a society , we’ve condoned this by our silence and love of money .Consequently , we reap what we sow – a pop culture becoming progressively more devoid of substance, knowledge, respect for tradition and the moral fiber integral to sustaining a civilized society .
I applaud what Cam is saying , of course .
August 17, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
Or people have “condoned” it because they either like it or have no problem with it, generally speaking.
August 17, 2015 @ 1:51 pm
I felt guilty because after hearing Burning House, I thought she sounded too much like Amanda Shires, and if someone’s going to be popular for sounding like Amanda Shires, it should be Amanda Shires. But the rest of her EP was really good (by today’s country standards), and nothing like Amanda Shires, so I definitely came around.
August 17, 2015 @ 4:45 pm
“Video killed the radio star”