Carrie Underwood thinks women are underrepresented on the radio.
Carrie Underwood
The 35-year-old country star has suggested it could be more difficult than ever for young, hopeful girls to chase their dreams and get "the same opportunities" the male artists are presented with.
Speaking on the Women Want to Hear Women podcast, she said: "Even when I was growing up, I wished there was more women on the radio, and I had a lot more than there are today," Underwood said. "I think about all the little girls that are sitting at home saying, 'I want to be a country music singer.'
"What do you tell them, you know? What do you do? How do you look at them and say, 'Well, just work hard, sweetie, and you can do it' when that's probably not the case right now? I see so many girls out there busting their rear ends and so many guys out there where some new guy has a No. 1 and I'm like, 'Well, good for you, that's great, but who are you? What's happening?'
"And then these strong women who are super talented that totally deserve it are not getting the same opportunities. But how to change it? I don't know. How do we change it?"
Carrie - who makes sure to support other female artists by taking the most talented performers on tour with her to give them a deserved platform - also hit out at the way women are placed against each other in the industry.
She explained: "None of us feel that way towards each other," she said. "Any time I hear some lady -- some strong, awesome, talented woman on the radio with a great song -- I'm like, 'Heck yeah!' I don't ever think like 'Aw man!' It never enters my mind.
"And I feel like the more we can talk about that and be like 'Please don't put me on your Top Whatever list... just don't do it,' the more people will be like 'Oh.' Maybe they don't think anything of it. Maybe they don't realise it's offensive. That's why we've gotta tell 'em."
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