THE SHE ROCKS AWARDS CONCLUDES THEIR
13TH YEAR OF HONORING WOMEN IN MUSIC AND AUDIO
Sponsored by NAMM
Left to Right: AIJIA, Amanda Palmer, Laura Whitmore, Jennifer Batten, Lindsey Stirling, Shantaia, Paula Cole, Alecia “Mixi” Demner of Stitched Up Heart, Samantha Fish, Theresa Hoffman, Rozanna Weinberger, Nurit Siegel Smith, Katie Daryl, Chris Schyvinck, Beth Heidt,
Download photos here.
ANAHEIM, CA January 27, 2023 – The She Rocks Awards concludes another incredible year of honoring groundbreaking women and innovators from across the music and audio industries with NAMM as the presenting partner.
The night started with an incredible performance by PRS Guitars artist Shantaia, followed by opening remarks from Women’s International Music Network and She Rocks Awards founder Laura Whitmore, which included acknowledging those affected by the recent Los Angeles fires. The show teamed up with NAMM’s Wildfire Relief Fund to collect donations at the event. The show also featured an exceptional performance of former honoree Starr Parodi and her daughter Isolde Maria Parodi Fair, who had just lost their family home in the fires in Pacific Palisades. Parodi was presented with a new She Rocks award to replace the one lost in the fires, and the two performed a mash-up of Fair’s song “Time Traveller” and Mama’s and Papa’s “California Dreaming.”
The She Rocks Awards have built a reputation for honoring women from all corners of the industry and genres, recognizing legends and up-and-comers. Honoree Alecia “Mixi” Demner of Stitched up Heart commented that this award was the first the band had received in their 15 years together, leading to a fiery performance where she was seen singing on tables in the crowd.
Grammy winner and 2025 She Rocks Award Icon honoree Paula Cole moved the crowd with a stripped-down piano version of the multi-platinum-selling “I Don’t Wanna Wait.” In her profound acceptance speech, she spoke about the challenges of living the life of an artist and how, after seeing what she called an epidemic of low self-confidence in young women in the years she spent as a professor, she has now dedicated her life to empowering her girls and young women. She challenged the crowd to envision a world where girls are “shooting their hands up to ask the questions, express large opinions and taking their seat at the proverbial table, rocking boats and confidently ascending into leadership.”
Honoree Amanda Palmer gave a stunning speech about the power of volume in female voices, both loud and soft and the “freedom to be heard at any volume.” She also went to thank the female executives in the room who made gear and instruments that helped to amplify female voices. Her acceptance speech was followed by a moving performance of her powerful song “Voicemail for Jill.” Honorees from the C-Suite, such as Gibson Guitars CEO Beth Heidt and Chairman, President, and CEO of Shure Inc., Chris Schyvinck, spoke on the importance of mentorship and giving access to women in their speeches.
The night was rounded out by incredible performances by AIJIA, who performed with her husband, multi-platinum-selling artist Andy Grammer, and Lindsey Stirling, who was joined by up-and-coming violinist Christa. The night concluded with a bombastic performance by honorees Samantha Fish to close the night.
The full show can be viewed on the Women’s International Music Network YouTube channel.
Samantha Fish cr: Scott Mitchell
Full list of honorees:
AIJIA – Artist, songwriter, and vocal producer who has worked with Selena Gomez and Anderson .Paak and is an advocate for women’s equality.
Paula Cole – GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter known for "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?" and "I Don't Want to Wait." Her latest album Lo is her first collection of original songs in nearly a decade.
Katie Daryl – Rock journalist and former Vice President of Programming at AXS TV, known for developing shows like The Top Ten Revealed and Sounds Delicious.
Alecia “Mixi” Demner – Lead vocalist and founder of hard rock band Stitched Up Heart. Mixi has released three albums with the band, toured with legends like Godsmack and Halestorm, and is a passionate advocate for animal rescue.
Hosted by Monster.
Samantha Fish – GRAMMY-nominated guitarist and songwriter known for her unique blend of blues, rock, and soul. Fish’s recent successes include performing at Eric Clapton's Crossroads LA Festival, gracing the cover of Guitar World with Slash, and touring with both Slash and The Rolling Stones. Her latest album, Death Wish Blues, topped the Billboard Blues Chart.
Beth Heidt – Chief Marketing Officer at Gibson Brands, leading global marketing, artist relations, and partnerships while driving philanthropic efforts through Gibson Gives.
Theresa Hoffman – Director of Custom Shop Sales at C.F. Martin Guitar & Co., she brings her extensive experience in sales, engineering, and leadership to drive growth and innovation. Known for her professionalism and dedication, Theresa holds two patents and has led significant projects in custom machinery development and international sales.
Amanda Palmer – A pioneering performance artist and musician, Palmer gained fame with The Dresden Dolls. Her solo career includes the fan-funded Theatre Is Evil, which debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and remains the top-funded music project on Kickstarter.
Chris Schyvinck – Chairman, President, and CEO of Shure Inc., leading the company to global growth and celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Nurit Siegel Smith – Executive Director of Music Forward Foundation, a charitable partner of Live Nation Entertainment, dedicated to fostering a more inclusive music industry.
Rozanna Weinberger - NAMM Female Entrepreneur of the Year + founder of Rozanna’s Violins
Co Hosts:Lyndsey Stirling - Ground-breaking electronic violinist, dancer, and artist and former honoree
Jennifer Batten - renowned for her groundbreaking guitar work, having toured the world as part of Michael Jackson’s solo tours for 10 years and with Jeff Beck for three years.
Opening ActShantaia, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter, was named the 2023 SCMA Female Artist of the Year. Shantaia has toured with The Washboard Union and opened for artists like Kane Brown and Chris Lane, with millions of streams for her singles such as "Had a Good Weekend" and "Broke to Brand New." Her performance is sponsored by PRS Guitars.
The She Rocks Awards is proudly supported by our incredible sponsors,
including our presenting sponsor NAMM, along with PRS Guitars, Freeman, Monster Energy, Positive Grid, Shure, M.A.C Cosmetics, Roland, dw, Boss, Seymour Duncan, Fishman, Berklee Online, Gibson, Sennheiser, Ernie Ball, Exploration.io, D'Angelico, Taylor Guitars, Reverb, 108 Rock Star Guitars, Venus Guitars, Ableton, Sweetwater, Rafter Marsh, Hudson Audio Works, Martin Guitar,The Hollywood Times, Guitar Girl Magazine, Music Connection, Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar, and AXS TV.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.sherocksawards.com.
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About The Women’s International Music Network (WiMN)
Founded in 2012, the Women’s International Music Network unites women working in all facets of the music and audio industries. With theWiMN.com as its hub, the WiMN provides a community for women within the industry while enriching their careers and musical experiences through networking and sharing. Founded by music industry veteran Laura B. Whitmore, the Women’s International Music Network produces and hosts events such as, the WiMN She Rocks Showcase series, the She Rocks Awards, and a variety of workshops and panels throughout the year. For more information, visit www.TheWiMN.com.
