Gritty In Pink Partners with Melissa Etheridge with INPINK Marketplace

Gritty In Pink is ending Women’s History Month with a bang, announcing that groundbreaking artist and activist Melissa Etheridge is joining the women-run company as strategic advisor. In addition, Gritty In Pink is sharing their new platform to empower women in music, INPINK, a marketplace to connect industry pros to a diverse community of women creators.

Melissa Etheridge is a multi-Grammy Award winner and one of the first openly gay rock icons, known for her advocacy for the LGBTQ community and the Etheridge Foundation, which supports new scientific research into the causes and effects of opioid addiction. Gritty In Pink notes in a press release that it “could not imagine a better partner” to represent its mission and marketplace, INPINK.

The new marketplace network aims to hire women for talent and professional roles, like a women-powered Upwork for the music industry, which is often dominated by men.

“I’m proud to announce that I’m joining forces with Gritty In Pink as a strategic advisor,” Etheridge says. “I believe the INPINK marketplace is going to change the landscape for hiring diverse women in music, making it more accessible, and I fully support what they are building. The future of music is female!”

Gritty In Pink Founder, and singer in the all-women band Shiragirl, Shira Yevin also shouts out to Etheridge and her impact:

“I grew up listening to Melissa Etheridge and was influenced by her voice, but only now do I understand her place in music history, as a pioneer for women and queer rights. She came out years before Gaga, Glee, or even Ellen. As Gritty In Pink also aims to carve a new path to advance women in entertainment, this partnership is a perfect fit,” Yevin says.

Gritty In Pink began as a monthly event in LA in January 2020, rocking for three months, creating a tight-knit community, and filling a void in the LA music scene largely dominated by men. As the pandemic hit, Gritty In Pink expanded digitally, launching an IG Live fundraiser series, raising thousands of dollars for charity, and creating an exclusive online network (which ultimately led to the INPINK marketplace).

The Gritty collective is back to doing live shows, most recently a Women’s History Month music and art show in Long Beach.

INPINK is now live, and women working in all aspects of the music industry can sign up and submit listings, advertising their portfolios and services. Industry pros and partners can also use the marketplace to diversify their teams and higher women freelancers on the site. Customers are able to browse and use diversity tags to filter providers by groups, including POC, queer, and more.

Follow @melissa_etheridge and @grittyinpinklife on Instagram for further updates.

Photo courtesy of So Finch Photography