Pittsburgh Musicians Speak Out on Sexism, From Rusted Root to Underground Labs

On September 10, 2026, WESA launched an eight‑part series that puts a spotlight on the women who make Pittsburgh’s music scene pulse. Titled Taking the Mic, the series blends a podcast with on‑air segments and is designed to give voice to the experiences that often go unheard behind the lights.

The inaugural episode opens with an interview with series creator Laura Fidalgo, followed by a studio conversation with former Rusted Root percussionist Liz Berlin. Berlin recalls a 1996 meeting with the band’s label and management, where she was told to keep her newborn child out of promotional discussions. “Fans have no problem fantasizing about stealing you away from a partner or a husband, but they could not fantasize about stealing you away from your child,” she said. The comment left her feeling invisible, and she eventually left the band a few years later.

Berlin’s story is emblematic of a broader pattern of sexism that has long shadowed Pittsburgh’s music industry. Rusted Root, a world‑beat group formed in 1990 and best known for the 1994 hit “Send Me On My Way,” sold more than three million albums. Yet behind the commercial success, many women in the band—Berlin among them—were pressured to conceal motherhood, sexuality, or other aspects of their identities. The industry’s expectation that artists present a single, marketable persona has driven several talented women to exit mainstream acts.

Fast forward to today, and Pittsburgh R&B artist INEZ—named the city’s Music Artist of the Year in 2020—continues to confront sexist remarks. In 2024, she recalled a sound‑technician asking her, “Do you know how to hold a mic?” The question was not a joke. A Berklee‑educated producer, INEZ also reports experiencing colorism that limits access to venues such as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Thunderbird Café, and Music Hall. “There are so many people that look like me that should have access to the same things I have access to,” she said.

The online realm is not immune either. Hannah RB, who performs as Millie Dread, described a 2026 incident on Reddit that underscored the low representation of women producers. A study from the University of Southern California‑Annenberg found that only about 4 % of producers on 1,000 chart‑topper songs were women. RB posted the study in a musician subreddit and was removed within hours for being “off‑topic.” After appealing, she was permanently banned, a move she says confirms that sexism remains active in digital spaces.

In contrast, the underground scene offers alternative venues where women can perform without traditional gatekeepers. Sound artist May Wilcher attends the Open Improvisation Lab at Pittsburgh Sound Preserve’s Bantha Tea Bar, a space that invites musicians of any genre to improvise with household objects or laptops. Wilcher says the environment is “free” and has helped her transition from a homebody to a public performer.

Multidisciplinary artist Clara Kent, a DJ for 91.3 WYEP, launched the monthly feature “Elevate the Underground” to spotlight Black femme, women, and LGBTQ artists. Kent says she has felt infantilized by male producers in Pittsburgh and believes that honest conversations are needed to address these “fixable” problems. She encourages artists to use the internet to reach audiences beyond the city.

Taking the Mic is sponsored in part by the University of Pittsburgh’s Dietrich School and the Mellon‑Foundation‑backed Humanities Engage program. The series aims to document these experiences and highlight pathways for women in music. The first episode is available on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and the NPR app.

In sum, the stories presented in Taking the Mic illustrate that while Pittsburgh’s music community has produced successful acts, women continue to face sexism in both mainstream and underground contexts. The series will move forward with subsequent episodes, offering a platform for further discussion and, ultimately, a push toward industry change.