TORONTO 鈥� Jess Moskaluke鈥檚 accolades suggest she鈥檚 a darling of Canadian country music. But even in the midst of her widespread success, the singer is baffled by the hurdles she faces as
a woman.
Consider FM radio, she uses as an example, where archaic standards established decades ago in sa国际传媒 still favour male country stars.
鈥淐ertain stations feel you should not play two women back-to-back,鈥� the Rocanville, Sask., native says.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 crazy, because they鈥檒l play men [for several songs in succession]. It leaves even fewer spots for women.鈥�
Once American superstars such as Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood are given a spin, there鈥檚 even less airtime for homegrown female talent.
Heading into tonight鈥檚 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, which air on CBC at 8, the 27-year-old performer knows the value of exposure for
a musician.
Moskaluke has taken home the CCMA award for best female artist every year since 2014 and she鈥檚 nominated again this year.
She鈥檒l also perform one of her songs, as will Canadian country favourites Brett Kissel and Gord Bamford, who will be joined by Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy.
While those TV appearances certainly paid off, Moskaluke says country radio stations remain 鈥渁 solid part of the foundation鈥� of breaking through in sa国际传媒.
She felt the impact earlier this year after Kiss Me Quiet won the Juno for best country album. The win boosted her spins on Canadian radio and helped the single Drive Me Away crack the top three of the Billboard Canadian country music airplay chart.
It was the first time a Canadian woman reached those heights since 2008, when Terri Clark reached No. 1 with In My Next Life. Moskaluke carries that claim to fame knowing it鈥檚 emblematic of the uphill battle female country stars still face in the pursuit of mainstream success.
The topic was broached in the pop industry more than 20 years ago, when Sarah McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour in response to her frustrations with how she felt radio stations were downplaying talented women.
Despite a lack of progress, Moskaluke looks at her fellow nominees in the female artist category with optimism.
Among the group is Alee, whose track Moonshine gave the Edmonton-based artist a notable breakthrough. Calgary鈥檚 Lindsay Ell is in the running after her major-label debut The Project grabbed attention following previous work alongside mentor Randy Bachman. Madeline Merlo, from Maple Ridge, is nominated on the heels of 2016鈥檚 Free Soul and a tour with Dean Brody and Paul Brant, while Meghan Patrick, who hails from Bowmanville, Ont., recently toured with Tom Cochrane for her album Grace & Grit.
鈥淓ven just looking at the female category in the CCMA awards 鈥� it鈥檚 a strong one,鈥� Moskaluke says.
鈥淎ll of those women have put out amazing albums or singles and have really done something impactful in the Canadian country music scene. So it鈥檚 getting better.
鈥淏ut that doesn鈥檛 mean that it鈥檚 over.鈥�
Moskaluke takes her cues from the iconic women of country who came before her, including Faith Hill and Timmins, Ont.-raised trailblazer Shania Twain, who proved that the genre could hold its own on the Top 40 charts.
鈥淚 just thought this girl was so cool,鈥� she says, giving Twain credit for bridging the gap between country and pop music, which has become a popular trend in recent years.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e introducing a whole new set of fans into our genre.
I just say: 鈥榃elcome, come on in.鈥� 鈥�
