In a recent interview with Channel 4 News, The Last Dinner Party boldly addressed the pervasive misogyny within the music industry. Despite their success and critical acclaim, the band members expressed frustration at being labelled as “groundbreaking” simply because they are a collective of five non-male musicians.

Abigail Morris, Georgia Davies, Lizzie Mayland, Aurora Nishevci, and Emily Roberts, the driving forces behind the hit single ‘Nothing Matters,’ are adamant that their presence in the music industry should not be viewed as an anomaly but rather as part of a continuum of powerful female and non-binary artists.

Morris highlighted the irony of their situation, remarking, “The revealing thing is… people seem to be implying we’re doing something really new and groundbreaking just by being, you know, five non-male musicians when in fact, we come from a very long line and community of very powerful female and non-binary artists.”

“It’s just a shame that culture at large seems to be constantly blinkered to like, the fact that like, every few years, there’s a new study being like Breaking News! Misogyny in music! and it’s like yes, we know,” Morris added.

Georgia Davies echoed the sentiment, emphasising the need for structural changes in the music industry to facilitate the advancement of female and non-binary bands, stating, “In order for female and non-binary bands to progress up into that status, they need to be given the highest slots on festival lineups. To be given the chance to perform to a big crowd because without giving those slots to people who deserve it, we’re just going to keep seeing the same kind of legacy historically,”

In a subsequent part of the interview, the band was dubbed “the new queens of feminist pop” by the interviewer, prompting a discussion among the band members about the highly gendered language surrounding their success. They admitted it’s a “huge” burden to carry.

The Last Dinner Party, alongside fellow female musicians like Wet Leg and Clairo, has faced the recurring criticism of being dubbed “industry plants,” an accusation disproportionately directed at female musicians in contrast to their male counterparts within the music industry.

In a recent interview with Variety, Abigail Morris responded to the accusations by highlighting the organic connections the band had within the London music scene, explaining, “We all had friends who were in bands in that scene in London – I feel like that’s the only connections we had…. it is kind of old-fashioned, which is why I think people were like, ‘Something must be going on!’ No, that’s literally how the music industry works.”

The Last Dinner Party’s steadfast refusal to conform to industry stereotypes and their unwavering commitment to authenticity underscore the ongoing struggle for gender equality within the music industry. As they embark on their journey following the release of their debut album ‘Prelude To Ecstasy,’ The Last Dinner Party stands ready to amplify their message through an upcoming tour across the UK and Ireland later this year.