The Tamesis
As she says, the problem has never been a lack of talent. It’s about access: who is trusted in key meetings, who is invited into the room, and who continues to be excluded from the conversation. This belief led Lazar to found We Are Moving the Needle, an organization with four purposes: educate, equip, inspire and equity. Since 2021, the nonprofit has awarded $875,000 in scholarships and grants, providing recipients with one-on-one mentoring from its consulting SoundBoard — a group Lazar affectionately calls the organization’s fairy godmothers. “We know that a fairy godmother can change someone’s life in an instant,” she said.
The work now extends beyond the confines of professional studios. With 22 college chapters and the Amplitude Youth program, which reaches middle school students, the goal is long-term normalization. Girls grow up seeing women in positions of creative authority, while boys grow up seeing women’s presence as standard rather than surprising. “If you can see it, you can be it,” Lazar said. “That idea drives everything we do.”
Halfway through the ceremony, the focus shifted dramatically as the live auction took over the room. The auctioneer held a microphone and the volume kept rising as the bidding moved quickly around the floor, ranging from music memorabilia related to HAIM, boygenius and Remi Wolf, to one-of-a-kind experiences, such as a trip to Mykonos that culminated in Doechii.
Award categories highlight visible and invisible creative labor. Chappell Roan received the Harmonizer Award from Heart’s Nancy Wilson for using music as a tool for social change. St. Vincent accepted the Golden Trifecta Award from Olivia Rodrigo in recognition of her work in art, production and engineering. The HAIM sisters received the Disruptor Award, while Geena Johnson received the Momentum Award for her lasting impact as a producer.
Excellence behind the scenes also comes to light. Bella Blasko and Jayda Love each received the Distinguished Ear Award, while Amy Allen received the Calliope Songwriting Award. Alissia received the All-Star Award, Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser received the Stereo Award, and Emily Lazar herself presented the Breakthrough Award to Roselilah. The ceremony was also paused to honor the Resonator Hall of Fame in memory of Ellie Willis and Sophie, as well as Elaine Martone, Jamie Sikora, Judith Sherman, Mary Mazurek and Michelle Sabolczyk.
Chaka Khan, Emily Lazar, Joni MitchellPhotography: Shelvin Lynez
The evening ended on a high note with Chaka Khan receiving the Outstanding Person Award from Joni Mitchell. The room’s attention then turned to an all-star musical tribute in her honor. Sia started tell me something good, Drummer Danielle Haim is also on board. Maggie Rogers follows no one, Lala Hathaway before performance through fire, Eventually Khan himself joined.
When asked what she hopes the Resonator Awards will represent in five or ten years, Lazar didn’t hesitate: “I want them to become unnecessary. I want true equality to feel normal. When we get there, we’ll celebrate and then move on to the next problem.” Until then, the work continues. Last year alone, We Are Moving the Needle received more than 1,000 scholarship applications, but only funded 5 percent of them. “The hunger is there,” Lazar said. “The talent is there – the support needs to keep up.”
