Frontwoman of internationally-celebrated South African electronic fusion band GoodLuck, Juliet Harding, talks to GLAMOUR about new music, what it’s like being a woman in the music industry, and her best-kept beauty secrets.
When preparing for an upcoming album or single, which people or things do you draw inspiration from?
We place a strong focus on creating IDM – Intelligent Dance Music – because, in the electronic world, there’s a lot of music without substance. If we’re not writing songs that are for the betterment of the world, then we’re not doing our job as musicians properly. We love real people, real issues, real stories, we also love nature so we write a lot about that. Our latest single, ‘Be Yourself” is inspired by women.
There’s been a lot of focus on women in the current climate, did you purposefully pen the song ‘Be Yourself’ for a time such as this?
I actually wrote the song a couple of years ago; it’s ironic that it’s coming out now. The song is really important because on one hand it highlights the pressure and influence which social media has on women’s lives, by constantly encouraging them to conform to a certain ideal. At the same time, the song seeks to motivate women to be themselves and shine their inner light.
What does feminism mean to you?
I believe women are the next leaders of the world, and we’ve had to play catchup with centuries of oppression. My side of feminism doesn’t put men down at all; it just uplifts women.
As a woman in a predominantly male genre, did you ever face harsh opposition?
The music industry is very harsh towards women. There is less focus on talent, and a lot more focus is put on how you look. That, for me, is tragic. I played a festival where there were 40 bands on the lineup; I was literally the only female musician at the event. Luckily, the men around me and my label have been very supportive and have never pressured me to be skinnier or get bigger boobs. My label has really allowed me to be me.
What are some key beauty secrets that you can share?
I love contouring. I do a lot of that when I go on stage. I also love the individual lashes that you buy from Clicks and put three – long, medium, short – in the outer corner of each eye; it just gives my lashes a bit of extra volume.
What do you do with your hair?
I have blue extensions in my hair. I tried to dye my hair blue, in the beginning, but it really messed up my hair. So extensions was the solution we came up with.
How would you describe your personal style?
I’m so bad with fashion. I hate shopping. I’m not really focused on fashion, I wear what I’m comfortable in. I’ve got good legs; I get them from my mom, so I like to show my legs and hide everything else. I like soft and comfortable fabrics and I love colour.
What advice do you have for women looking to get into the music industry?
If you’re interested in music production, Youtube is your best friend. You have no excuse, everything you need to learn is all on Youtube, and it’s free. If you want to sing, collaborate. Find producers and musicians you can work with and partner up with them and combine your skill sets.
Watch GoodLuck’s latest video, ‘ Be Yourself’, below.
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