PinkPantheress Addresses Bias Toward Black Women In Electronic Music

Key Takeaways:

• PinkPantheress says people are “less willing to listen” to electronic music made by Black women.
• She highlights how genre expectations and industry norms often sideline artists who don’t fit traditional molds.
• Her latest single, “Illegal,” is gaining traction, marking a breakthrough moment in her career.

PinkPantheress knows it’s not easy being a Black woman in electronic music, or really, any genre outside of rap or R&B. On Tuesday (July 29), the British singer spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about how people are “less willing to listen” simply because she doesn’t fit the mold they expect.

“That’s just fact,” she shared with the publication. “There’s some considerations I would like to get as an artist, which I might not be getting right now, since maybe it’s harder to put me into a genre.” By “considerations,” she’s likely referring to playlist placements, festival bookings, and other opportunities that would help amplify her presence in electronic music.

Although PinkPantheress may be a rarity in that specific genre, she’s far from alone when it comes to feeling boxed in. In 2024, Chlöe Bailey opened up about being pigeonholed as an R&B artist because of her race. That same year, Beyoncé detailed how her unwelcoming experience in country music helped shape COWBOY CARTER.

Unfortunately, it seems like kicking down doors is still the only way to bring more diversity into these spaces, many of which are built on sounds originally pioneered by Black people. “I always feel like I’m cutting through and I’m in a very privileged position musically,” PinkPantheress added in her conversation with THR.

“Occasionally, what I enjoy doing is [saying], ‘Well, actually, I’m gonna prove you wrong, and I’m gonna do this; you are gonna like it.’ And then once you like it, you’re gonna realize: ‘Wait, I don’t know why I never gave her a chance in the first place,’” she went on to explain.

Much of the discourse around PinkPantheress and electronic music has been fueled by her latest hit, “Illegal,” which first appeared on May’s Fancy That. She’ll be bringing both the single and project across North America on her “An Evening With PinkPantheress Tour” starting in October.