Lacuna Coil frontwoman Cristina Scabbia is somewhat pessimistic about future of the metal scene for women, saying that she doesn't think females will "ever (be) seen equally." In this new interview, Scabbia also talks about her biggest beef with being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
In the Jan. 2 edition of Jonathan Montenegro's (yes, the former member of boy-band powerhouse Menudo) Sobre La Docis podcast, Scabbia answers questions about how gender views may have changed within metal since she began with Lacuna Coil, close to 30 years ago. She does say that women are more accepted now than then.
As transcribed by Blabbermouth, Scabbia states, "Do I feel that things changed? Absolutely, yes. When I started, there were not so many bands with a female in the lineup. Metal was still a no-no for females, because it was a very male-dominated scene. Which it still is, but of course there are many more bands with a female in the lineup, which makes me happy even though we are still seen differently."
Scabbia, however, doesn't think getting on the same playing field is ever really possible. She says, "I don't think that it will ever happen that we are going to be seen equally, and partially it is okay like this because we're different. I think that we are sort of a different world."
That might be because of what Scabbia thinks is major hurdle for women being in the man-heavy metal scene: That females are judged on their appearance. "What I don't like about being a female in a male-dominated world is the fact that very often we are judged by our looks, which I get it; many guys get the same... but for women, it's kind of like… Let's say for the guys, if they have the look, it's a plus. For women, if they have the look, it's a plus in terms of media attention; it's a plus in terms of — I don't know — people drooling with you; but it doesn't necessarily add up to the potential you already have. And that is a shame."
Scabbia wishes everyone could just be judged for their music, and not how hot they are in leather pants. "I understand that the look is first thing that you see, but it will be cool if it will be possible to go beyond that, especially in music, where the instrument you play, the voice you're pushing out of your body and the feelings you're trying to convey with your music are the most important things."
You can watch to Scabbia answer questions in the new Sobre La Dosis interview while she drinks her morning coffee, below.
The Italy-based Lacuna Coil was recently featured in our 25 Heavy Holiday Songs list for their enduring ballad of Krampus (he-that-which-taketh-away-your-bad-children) called "Naughty Christmas." Lacuna Coil's latest recorded work which came out last October, Comalies XX, is a reimagining of their breakthrough third album from 2002, Comalies.
Lacuna Coil's Christina Scabbia on Sobre La Dosis' My 3 Questions
