As the co-lead vocalist of the alt-pop band Fitz and the Tantrums since 2008, Noelle Scaggs was used to seeing huge crowds through her years of live performance and touring. Their songs “Out of My League” and “The Walker,” both of which Noelle co-wrote, were certified Platinum and hit the number one spot on the Alternative Airplay chart, and in 2016 their song “HandClap” became a bona fide sensation, a triple-platinum international hit that the casual listener could hear anywhere from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to FOX’s Superbowl preshow. What Noelle wasn’t used to seeing while on tour, however, were Black women like her in any of the myriad behind-the-scenes positions that make tours possible.

When the pandemic hit and tours were canceled, Noelle gathered her thoughts and then decided to speak up. She wrote an open letter to the music industry that Billboard published in September 2020. In the letter, she states, “As an artist and a Black woman of color, I can and will no longer accept being the only person like me in any room or any stage,” and then goes on to announce the creation of Diversify the Stage. Diversify the Stage is a two-prong initiative to ensure that ethnic and sexual minorities as well as people with disabilities are not only trained for technical and production positions in the touring industry but also have access to job opportunities in those fields.

In this interview with Pier Carlo Talenti, Noelle describes what she’s discovered about her industry and herself as she’s developed Diversify the Stage and imagines a future when the organization’s mission has been accomplished.

https://www.diversifythestage.org/