By Gabriella Steffenberg

The two-time Grammy nominee and recording artist Mindi Abair has worked on a widely-successful platform, American Idol, and has performed with legends such as Aerosmith and Duran Duran. But the ride hasn’t always been smooth sailing – she has faced a great deal of gender discrimination.

Photo by Reisig Taylor
Photo by Reisig & Taylor

While speaking to MI Pro for an upcoming feature, Abair recalled her first memory of flat-out sexism. During her last year in high school, Abair was asked to audition for The University of Miami Music School, only to be told that, “Girls don’t make it at this school. I won’t let you into the jazz department. I might let you into the education department.”

Although that let down only fueled her drive and motivation, Abair believes that today, the opportunities for women in the music industry are slowly getting better.

Head to MI Pro for the full article, and keep an eye out for their upcoming feature with Abair regarding gender discrimination.