Alanis Morissette, Corinne Bailey Rae, Caroline Polachek, Catherine Marks, Laura Sisk and Jennifer Decilveo will be honored at the inaugural Resonator Awards on Jan. 30 at Beauty & Essex in Hollywood. The invite-only event is presented by We Are Moving the Needle, a non-profit organization that is working to advance gender equity for producers and engineers.
Resonator Impact Awards will also be presented to music executives Michael Goldstone of Mom+Pop Music and Christine Thomas of Dolby Labs for their commitment to advancing gender equity across the music industry. SiriusXM on-air personality and music journalist Jenny Eliscu will host the Resonator Awards, which are empowered by EqualizeHer.
The awards dinner will also recognize the first inductees to the Resonator Hall of Fame, which honors legendary producers and engineers who “paved the way.” Six of the honorees have won a combined total of 34 Grammys – Alicia Keys, Leslie Ann Jones, Darcy Proper, Trina Shoemaker, Ann Mincieli and Claudia Brant.
Other Hall of Fame inductees include Linda Perry, the most recent woman to receive a Grammy nomination for producer of the year, non-classical (five years ago) and Sylvia Robinson, the late singer, record producer and label executive who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in the non-performer category) in 2022.
More Hall of Fame inductees are Marcella Araica, Lenise Bent, Lynne Earls, Angela Piva, Susan Rogers, Trina Shoemaker, Pat Sullivan and Terri Winston.
“This inaugural Resonator Awards invites the music community to come together and connect in a profound commitment to advancing gender inclusivity in the studio,” said Emily Lazar, a Grammy-winning mastering engineer and founder of We Are Moving the Needle. “This is more than a celebration, this is an historic moment where we will shine a light on a set of phenomenal creators—not because they are women, but because they are powerful producers, engineers, and artists whose work from behind the console has inspired us all. Actions speak louder than words, and this moment not only increases visibility, access, and representation, it inspires the next generation of talent to break barriers and reinvent the future of the industry.”
Lazar made history in 2019 as the first female mastering engineer to win the Grammy for best engineered album, non-classical for Beck’s Colors. She founded We Are Moving the Needle in 2021 to help close the gender gap in the recording studio.
Since it was established, We Are Moving the Needle has awarded more than $425,000 in scholarships to women and non-binary talent to attend audio education programs globally. In addition to scholarships, recipients receive support from a WAMTN soundBoard mentor to further guide them in advancing their careers. More information at wearemovingtheneedle.org.
Here’s a quick recap of the recipients of the 2024 Resonator Awards, with presenter information where available, as well as a brief description of the award, drawn from a press statement.
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Alanis Morissette: Luminary of the Year Award
Morisette has won seven Grammys, including album of the year for her 1995 classic, Jagged Little Pill. That album topped the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks. Morissette returned to the top spot with her next two studio albums, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie and Under Rug Swept.
Morissette made the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Ironic” and the double-sided hit “You Learn”/“You Oughta Know.”
“This award is presented to a person or group whose career contributions to the music industry light the way for others.”
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Catherine Marks: Powerhouse of the Year Award
Presenter: boygenius
Marks received three Grammy nominations this year for her work with Boygenius – record of the year as a producer and engineer/mixer of “Not Strong Enough,” album of the year as a producer and engineer/mixer of the record, and best engineered album, non-classical for the record.
Marks’ credits also include Alanis Morissette, The Killers and Wolf Alice.
“This award is presented to a leading producer for a project that has made a significant, lasting impact on the music industry this year.”
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Laura Sisk: Exceptional Ears Award
Presenter: Jack Antonoff
Sisk has four Grammy nominations this year, including a remarkable three album of the year nods – as an engineer/mixer on Taylor Swift’s Midnights, Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd and Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio. Sisk is also nominated for record of the year as an engineer/mixer on Swift’s “Anti-Hero.”
Sisk is a three-time Grammy winner for her work on Swift’s 1989 and folklore (both album of the year winners) and St. Vincent’s Daddy’s Home (best alternative music album).
“This award recognizes a leading engineer—who specializes in either recording, mixing or mastering—whose technical artistry has made a noteworthy mark on the field this year.”
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Caroline Polachek: The Golden Trifecta Award
Presenter: Ariel Rechtshaid
Polacheck is a Grammy nominee this year for best engineered album, non-classical for her own album Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. She was nominated for album of the year nine years ago as a producer and engineer/mixer of Beyoncé’s Beyoncé.
“This award honors a top creator who is reinventing the rules: an innovator who … exerts prowess across multiple disciplines: they are a producer, an engineer, an artist & composer.”
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Corinne Bailey Rae: Harmonizer Award
Bailey Rae has won two Grammys – album of the year as a featured artist on Herbie Hancock’s River: the Joni Letters and best R&B performance for her own “Is This Love,” a track from The Love EP.
Bailey Rae’s eponymous debut album reached the top five on the Billboard 200 and spawned a pair of Hot 100 hits, “Put Your Records On” and “Like a Star.” Her follow-up album, The Sea, also made the top 10 on the Billboard 200.
“This award honors a creator who uses music to leverage social change.”
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Jennifer Decilveo: The All-Star Award
Presenter: FLETCHER
Decilveo has worked as a record producer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter for such varied artists as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Andra Day, FLETCHER and Galantis. She co-wrote and produced Andra Day’s “Rise Up” from her Grammy-nominated 2015 album Cheers to the Fall. Day performed the song on the Grammy telecast in 2016.
“This award is presented to an unstoppable force: a top-tier producer whose commitment to excellence and skillset knows no bounds.”
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Michael Goldstone: The Transformer Award
Presenter: Emily Lazar
Goldstone is the founder/owner of Mom+Pop Music, which he launched in 2008 after stints at Epic Records, where he signed Pearl Jam and Rage Against the Machine; DreamWorks, where he built the label’s A&R and marketing departments; and Sire Records, where he was president for five years. Early in his career, Goldstone worked for PolyGram, MCA Records and Chrysalis Records.
“This award celebrates an individual who is a true changemaker. This champion uplifts equity across their work through direct action such as hiring, and inspires the music community to lead by doing.”
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Christine Thomas: The Equalizer Award
Presenter: Emily Lazar
Thomas is head of music industry relations at Dolby Labs in Los Angeles. Before joining Dolby in 2014, she worked for Technicolor Creative Studios for eight years.
“This award is presented to a company or group that is at the forefront of innovation in the recording industry. This award acknowledges an industry leader who pioneers change through their commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging.”
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