The Women Redefining New Orleans Music - And Why It Matters For Live Events

by Brittany Mondrinos, Lunascend at Loyola University

New Orleans has always been shaped by women—creatively, culturally, and historically. But across the broader music ecosystem, women remain underrepresented in executive leadership, production, and many of the behind-the-scenes roles where budgets, access, and long-term career momentum are decided.

That’s why Loyola University New Orleans’ 4th Annual International Women’s Day Celebration mattered so much this year—because it didn’t just celebrate women’s achievements. It asked a bigger question:

How do we build pathways that consistently elevate more women into leadership across music, culture, education, civic engagement, and community-building?

At the heart of the event was the panel: Women Leading the Beat: Give To Gain

A reflective conversation centered on how “giving” (time, mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, and community-building) shapes leadership journeys—and how we can turn that giving into real access for the next generation.

I was honored to join the panel as Brittany Mondrinos, founder and Chief Activator of Lunascend, alongside an incredible group of New Orleans women leading the way in the music industry—and I was especially grateful to Amy Landry, the Director of the Loyola Women's Leadership Academy and Colleen Haley, who stepped in as moderator and guided the conversation with care, clarity, and purpose.

Panelists featured:

• Eugenie “EJ” Encalarde, COO, Festival Productions (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival)

• Alison Fensterstock, music writer & author of “How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music”

• Kate Duncan, Director, Loyola University New Orleans School of Music Industry

• Brittany Mondrinos, Founder, Lunascend LLC

  

  
  

The celebration also spotlighted powerful community leaders and speakers, including:

• Michelle Clarke Payne, Chief Strategy & Resiliency Officer at the Southeast Louisiana United Way Chapter

• New Orleans Councilmember Lesli Harris

  
  

And we closed the event with live performances from two Lunascend artists—Jenn Howard and Beach Angel—who brought the room to life and reminded everyone why this work matters: because New Orleans music is not just an industry… it’s a living culture.

“Give To Gain” Isn’t Just a Theme — It’s a Leadership Strategy

The “Give To Gain” theme resonated because it reflects something New Orleans understands deeply: giving is how culture survives here. But the panel pushed the idea further—into the professional realities of music careers and leadership.

Giving can look like:

• mentoring emerging talent

• opening doors through introductions

• sharing resources (rates, contacts, tools, stages, studio access)

• creating paid opportunities (not just “exposure”)

• advocating for women in rooms where decisions are made

  
  

When giving is paired with structure, it becomes a ladder—one that can change the shape of leadership in our city.

Mentorship vs. Sponsorship: What Actually Changes Careers

A key takeaway from the “Women Leading the Beat” conversation is something I return to often through my work at Lunascend: Mentorship is guidance. Sponsorship and advocacy is access.

A mentor offers advice and insight. A sponsor uses influence to create real opportunities:

• “Put her on the bill.”

• “Hire her for the session.”

• “Give her the budget.”

• “She’s ready—let’s bring her in.”

  
  

In New Orleans, so many opportunities are built through informal networks—so sponsorship matters because it bridges the gap between talent and access.

Women Have Long Led New Orleans Music — But Not Always in “Titled” Roles

Leadership in New Orleans doesn’t always come with a formal title. It shows up through:

• bandleading and music direction

• contracting and talent curation

• education and mentorship

• community-building and advocacy

• producing, engineering, and creating behind the scenes

  
  

But when leadership isn’t “official,” it can be easier to overlook, underpay, or exclude from larger pipelines into executive and production roles.

If we want more women leading the music industry, we have to value leadership where it already exists—and fund it.

The Real Power Shift: From Visibility to Decision-Making

It’s not enough to celebrate women on stage (though that celebration matters). The deeper shift happens when women are consistently present in roles that control:

• budgets

• credits

• programming (festivals, venues, series)

• production decisions (studio, engineering, creative direction)

• career continuity (repeat bookings, retained relationships, long-term partnerships)

This is where lasting equity is built: in the systems that create repeat opportunity.

What We Can Do Next: Practical Moves That Create Momentum

Great conversations don’t end at applause—they end in action. Here are tangible “Give To Gain” strategies that venues, festivals, studios, brands, universities, and community leaders can implement immediately:

1) Create repeatable opportunities

One gig is great. A return gig builds a career.

• rotating residencies

• recurring series slots

• quarterly bookings and repeat partnerships

2) Standardize pay + credits

Ambiguity is where inequity grows.

• confirm pay ranges

• define roles clearly (MD, contractor, producer, engineer, bandleader)

• credit consistently and publicly

3) Fund “first credits” in production and leadership

The hardest credit to get is the first one.

• paid assistant roles in studios

• paid shadowing on sessions, festivals, and corporate events

• apprenticeships tied to real budgets and real deliverables

4) Build stronger bridges between education and industry

This is where Loyola’s leadership pipeline matters. When universities create structured mentorship and professional development, they’re not adding extras—they’re building the future of the ecosystem.

Closing Performances: Jenn Howard + Beach Angel

One of the most meaningful parts of the celebration was ending the day with live music—because leadership and culture are inseparable in New Orleans.

Jenn Howard and Beach Angel closed the event with performances that reminded everyone: women are not only shaping the future of New Orleans music. They are the now.

If you’re an event planner, venue, festival, or brand looking for unforgettable New Orleans talent—both artists are available for bookings through https://www.lunascend.com/

How Lunascend Supports Women Across the Music Ecosystem

At Lunascend, we’re committed to building careers and opportunities that honor New Orleans culture while expanding access to leadership and sustainable growth.

What Lunascend does:

• talent booking + curation for corporate events, luxury events, festivals, and private clients

• artist management + strategy focused on longevity (not just one-off moments)

• advocacy-driven representation that prioritizes fair pay, clear roles, and repeat opportunities

• relationship-based bookings that strengthen community while elevating new leaders

When buyers book with intention—booking women-led and women-forward talent—they’re not just creating better lineups. They’re building a better ecosystem.

Final Thought: If You Want to Move Music, Move Access

Celebration matters. Visibility matters. But the real shift happens when we move access:

• access to budgets

• access to credits

• access to decision-making roles

• access to networks and repeat opportunities

  
  

That’s how we build the next era of New Orleans music leadership—together.

Interested in booking New Orleans talent for your next event? Lunascend curates unforgettable entertainment rooted in culture, excellence, and experience.

Book Spotlight: How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music

One of the highlights of the Women Leading the Beat: Give To Gain panel was hearing from Alison Fensterstock—New Orleans music writer and author of How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music. Drawn from NPR Music’s acclaimed Turning the Tables series, the book celebrates the vital role women have played in shaping music history through archival interviews, essays, photographs, and illustrations.

For anyone building a career in music—artist, producer, writer, educator, or industry leader—this is the kind of resource that doesn’t just inspire. It connects you to lineage, perspective, and the leadership stories that help you see what’s possible.

Recommended if you’re:

• an artist shaping your voice and brand

• a student entering the music industry

• a music professional building teams and culture

• an ally looking to program, hire, and credit with intention

  
  

Bonus: purchasing through Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores, making your “Give To Gain” support tangible.

Buy Alison's Book - How Women Made Music