Christian Drummer Slams Scantily Clad Pop Stars; Talks Making a Difference With Bandmate Prince
3RDEYEGIRL drummer Hannah "Ford" Welton recently slammed modern pop stars for the increasing objectification of women in music.
The Chicago based artist, who prides herself on serving God "through my music," openly criticized the hypersexualization of female artists without specifically naming names. Ford has been a member of iconic singer Prince's four-piece rock band since 2012 and they recently dropped their new album "PlectrumElectrum."
"At the moment in the industry there's so much vulgarity coming from men and women," Ford told the Guardian UK. "It is what it is. You don't want to bash fellow artists. But at the same time you wouldn't catch me walking out on a stage and spending my five minutes of performance time doing that."
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Without getting too specific, Ford alluded to the rise in scantily clad female artists such as popular rapper Nicki Minaj who shows a lot of skin in the music video for her latest single "Anaconda." Rapper Iggy Azalea and singers JLO and Rihanna are also amongst a growing list of women in music who seem to be embracing a "less is more" ideology.
"Talking about things that little girls or little boys shouldn't necessarily be singing about when they're sitting on the school bus. Women aren't dressing so ladylike," Ford said. "I'm all for women being beautiful and bold and powerful and sexy. But at the same time there's a line between classy and sexy and then trashy and out-there."
Ford, who was previously a member of a Christian music band, was discovered by Prince on YouTube. She is joined by Canadian guitarist Donna Grantis and Danish bassist Ida Nielsen in the rock band 3RDEYEGIRL.
"I'm all about encouraging people and motivating people and uplifting them in a positive light," Ford said of her own style. "Spreading joy and peace and happiness. I hear music that doesn't necessarily do that, and I see artists that carry themselves in a way I wouldn't like my future children to look up to."
Ford went on to discuss artists who send out mixed messages through their music and who continue to push boundaries.
"We have way too many young kids looking up to artists that are putting out music with terrible, vulgar messages and also walking around with next to nothing on," she said. "There are misogynists everywhere in the music industry. But if women are getting sick and tired of men talking about them in their music like they're a piece of meat, they can't then walk around treating their body like it's a piece of meat. Cover up, carry yourself like a woman ... But women first have to stand up for themselves and stop degrading themselves, stop compromising. We talk about these things with Prince a lot."
In addition to discussing music, Ford said she also often talks to Prince about faith and spirituality.
"Prince is a very spiritual man," she said of the legendary artist. "We have conversations all the time about God and the deeper meaning to what we do, about making an impact on the world. Bringing light into peoples' lives. This world is so dark, if I can be blunt. It's up to the people that are inhabiting the world right now to bring the light. That's our goal."
