How To Complain
Tegan and Sara put on a clinic
One of humanity’s most precious art forms is the complaint. It can be good for our health, and we love it when people do it well. The asshole who yells, “THIS MACHINE’S DUMB!” at the ATM might not get a round of applause, but when someone shows some craftsmanship? Hoo! It really gets us going.
Which at least partially explains why a press release Tegan and Sara posted today is making such waves. After being honored with three Juno nominations for their music, the pair released a statement that effectively communicated, “Cool. Now while I have your ear…”
The sister duo would like Canada’s music industry to think a little more about gender, but what’s so satisfying about their stand specifically is that they anticipate every potential criticism they’ll receive and nip it in the bud. It’s the difference between listening to a roast from your best friend instead of someone you just met—the intimacy intensifies the burn.
Worried that by pointing out the lack of female nominees they’re detracting from the excitement surrounding the few other women who are being recognized? “We congratulate all the artists who were nominated today and commend the Junos for recognizing two Canadian legends, Sarah McLachlan and Buffy Sainte-Marie, for two of the night’s most prestigious awards…”
Think they’re on a high horse now that their careers have taken off? “We sincerely appreciate the support we have received from CARAS, our record label, our agents, managers, promoters, radio programmers, journalists and the countless other establishments and individuals who have supported us since we began our career.”
Worried they’re only looking out for singers like themselves and not the other women in the industry who support them? “Specifically in the areas of production and engineering, it is discouraging to not see a single woman represented.”
It is…….a perfectly filed complaint. Some PR person did it, and they did a good job. Everyone look at this complaint and then do more complaints this way from now on.
