The music industry has long been sexist – but Este Haim has pointed out another way in which women in music are singled out. Este, who is a singer and bassist in the band she formed with her sisters, Haim, has had enough of people commenting on her appearance when she performs live.
Este, who has had Twitter accounts and memes inspired by her ‘bass face’, has told NME why it’s so annoying when people make remarks on her facial expressions - when the same is usually never said to male musicians.
Explaining what people say to her after shows, she said, ‘I get, “I love that you don’t care what you look like when you play. I love that you don’t care what your face looks like when you play. I love that about you.”’
Este continued, ‘That’s like a veiled way of saying you’re ugly or something. They wouldn’t say it to a dude, who’s feeling the music when he’s playing. Like, “You look ugly when you play.” You’d never say it to John Mayer when he’s like “bleugh” when he’s playing, you know what I mean?’
In the interview, the musician also expressed how annoying it is when she is asked in interviews if she plans on starting a family, when the same is rarely asked of her male counterparts.
She said, ‘People always ask us when we’re going to have kids,' says Este. '"When are you going to have kids and settle down?" For men it’s the opposite.’
Previously, the band told Grazia that they had fired their agent over failing to secure equal pay for them with male festival headlines.
READ MORE: ‘We Have Enough Fun Without Boyfriends,’ We Meet Este, Alana And Danielle From Hai