Cat's Mother of the Month - Gemma Fox
This month we interviewed one of the first female voices in Grime… Gemma Fox! We asked CM and singer songwriter Gemma about her route into the music industry, what she most enjoys about being an artist and how she has overcome obstacles in her career over the past two decades.
How did you break into the music industry?
I was a very avid raver. From Garage to Jungle music, I loved the rawness of the sound. At the time I started Grime was emerging…. there weren’t many females in the scene at the time. It was probably just myself and talents like Ms Dynamite amongst a few others in a very male-dominated industry. I knew I had to stand out and stand up to be counted, which saw me adopt “male-associated” characteristics. At the clubs, the Grime MC's would all huddle the mic, women, and certainly singers weren’t present and were hardly seen or heard about. I decided that I’d have to start MC'ing to be able to "grab the mic", and then I would sing once I had hold of that mic. I did this for a while until I met Midldlerow Records, who decided to take me to the studio. We recorded day after day non-stop and off the back of that we created a track called So Messy and pressed up vinyls. In this era, streaming and websites like Youtube weren’t really a thing, so we had to go out there and do things physically. We would sell our records to the record shops, go on pirate radio and jump on the mic at clubs. A buzz soon built up around the track and we started to gain interest, particularly from record labels. Luckily, by that point we had recorded many tracks which would soon to develop into my debut album. Being dedicated, relentless, fearless, consistent and almost boisterous at times were the strengths that saw me break into the industry.
You wear many different hats, what does this mean for your day to day schedule? What do you typically get up to?
Being a mother, a grandmother, a university student in my final year, a record label, a singer/songwriter, a director and a youth manager can be pretty tough at times. But I am dedicated to my development as I originally come from a low-income family of mixed heritage and had a difficult time in my teens and in my early years at school. I soon realised that if I wanted more, I would have to be more and give more, not just for the benefit of myself but also for my family who heavily rely on me. I believe that education is key and certainly in my later life, have developed a dedication and passion for life-long learning and changing the narrative of my life and for my children and grandchildren. I am extremely passionate about the younger generation and their development and have financially invested to provide programmes and events for young people in the past. This means I have to organise every inch of my life… everything is a to-do list, with alarms, many sacrifices and of course setbacks. I guess a skill that I have learnt not only through the industry but also through life is resilience, to keep on going no matter what happens. My life journey and what I do is bigger than me.
A typical day looks like this:
I wake up at 5am
Check emails/messages
Wake my son, prepare breakfast and get him and myself ready for school/work
He is in for 8am and I go to the gym for 8.10am
After the gym I get to the office and finish for 6pm
I collect my son and go home to bathe him, cook dinner and settle him for the night
Once he is asleep, I then start my other work, which will be making content for socials, writing songs, personal admin for my business, work emails and my university studies
My only day off is Saturday, but it’s not really time off! I use this day to catch up with other work. My life is a constant schedule of commitment to the cause.
What do you most enjoy about being an artist?
What I enjoy most about being an artist is the ability to create and to get my emotions out onto a piece of audio. To create scenarios and often visuals for the listener is the most amazing part for me, it’s when the music connects with others. I have had many women reach out to me over the years, especially with my track Girlfriends Story which was about domestic violence, which I have suffered. This track was released as part of my album signed to Polydor. I became a patron on Women's Aid and I visited many women's refuges. I still have women and survivors of DV reaching out to me to this very day, telling me how much my song helped them in their situation. For me music is about bringing people together.
Can you tell us about a few of your proudest achievements over the years?
I would say my proudest achievements would easily be my children and my grandchildren. After that, winning my award with the European Social fund for my work on the ex-offender programmes for Nacro, Serco and Catch 22, helping thousands of young people achieve positive outcomes. It’s incredible watching the young people I have worked with turn their lives around. Also my MOBO award nominations in 2005 and winning my UMA award. Last but not least, taking up and nearly finishing my degree with additional learning needs.
What obstacles have you had to face in your career and how did you overcome them?
Being a woman meant that I either had to adopt a “male-like attitude” or be sexualised. At the beginning, certainly being low-income made things harder to achieve. People in power/decision-making positions who just simply wouldn’t let me through, working out how to get around those people… the naysayers, the non-believers. Just having to push on and keep on going!!! Having a strong support network made all the difference. This included a trusted friendship group. Being able to reflect and also having the ability to be almost "chameleon-like" to fit in to any circle worked in my favour. Childcare has been an obstacle but I’ve found my own way of working around it.
If you could say anything to your younger self what would it be? A word of advice…
Education is key and all the better at a younger age whilst you have little to no responsibilities. Those friends that your parents said to stay away from and didn’t like, LISTEN to them! Haha. Invest and save - invest any money you get from music and make sure your credit is good. Love yourself and have healthy boundaries. Be nice!
What do you think we need to see more of in the music industry to make sure women feel empowered?
I think we need to cancel cancel culture. All women should support all women, not just those who are in their circle or their friendship group. Stop comparing female artists to other female artists. Music is universal, we can all shine. Support one another fully.
