“I've looked back and realised how much of what I [went through] was due to a lack of awareness and education,” Spanish-American singer-songwriter Victoria Canal says, reflecting on her early experiences in the music industry. “It really matters to me to raise awareness and be vocal about the fact that young people in particular are vulnerable. It’s pretty easy to bite your tongue and not complain, to feel lucky to be an artist… but if you grin and bear it, a lot of people will take advantage of that.”
Canal, 27, spoke with The Independent in the wake of findings published in December last year by Youth Music, the UK’s leading charity supporting young people in the industry, which exposed widespread unsafe environments, low or zero pay, and a culture of discrimination and silencing – particularly of women, LGBTQ+ people, disabled and working-class creatives.
