Women in music are frequently praised for their honesty, intensity, and authenticity until those qualities become inconvenient. When women assert creative control, speak politically, or refuse to soften their anger, they are often labelled “difficult.”
This week’s episode of the Last Mixed Tape explores the history and meaning of that label, drawing on feminist theory and music history to examine how gendered expectations have shaped the careers and legacies of artists such as Nina Simone, Sinéad O’Connor, Courtney Love, and their contemporary counterparts. What emerges is not a series of isolated controversies, but a recurring cultural pattern one that continues to define who is allowed to speak, and at what cost.
The Last Mixed Tape is hosted by Stephen White, and is also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The Last Mixed Tape 
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