‘You’re an athlete in both’: how music and women’s football share close ties in London | Music

Music

With scores of artists playing for local teams across the capital, it’s no wonder these squads double as nurturing creative hubs

Erin Cobby

Sat 19 Aug 2023 11.10 BST

By the early 2000s, MCs such as Akala, Kano, Tinchy Stryder and Terminator were showing the UK that both football and music were viable careers no matter what barriers you faced. Lyrics were littered with references to Premiership matches; in 2010, Skepta rapped about Thierry Henry’s decision to leave Arsenal in his track English Breakfast.

In 2014, former Everton player Yannick Bolasie and retired Man City striker Bradley Wright-Phillips even faced off in a rap battle on Lord of the Mics. More recently, a younger generation of rappers such as Headie One and Youngs Teflon have continued this special relationship, with the former further immortalising Zinedine Zidane’s 2006 head-butt in his track Back 2 Back.

The links between music and the men’s game are well established. But as the Lionesses move closer to a World Cup win, what do those ties look like for the women’s game? Unlike the 2022 Euros squad, Sarina Wiegman’s current team haven’t shared an official playlist this year, though they have their own bespoke song, Call Me a Lioness, sung by female-identifying musicians including Spice Girl Melanie C, Self-Esteem (AKA Rebecca Lucy Taylor) and Ellie Rowsell of Wolf Alice.

Spice Girl Mel C, Marika Hackman and Jasmine Jethwa recording Call Me A Lioness to raise money for charities supporting grassroots girls’ and women’s football. Photograph: Charlotte Croft/Artists’ Way/PA

At grassroots level, however, there are tight connections between music and football. Romy Madley-Croft of The xx plays for the Clapton-based Whippets FC. Lil C, a producer with the Prestige Pak collective who recently supported Sugababes at their Boiler Room debut, plays for She’s the Man United and hosted a football show for Nike. Mel Lewis, who is the Captain for Wonderkid FC, is an editor at Apple Music and recently spoke at Glastonbury on how women’s football and society have changed since the Euros, while teams such as Legends FC and my own squad, Brockwell Bullets, can count singer-songwriter Marika Hackman and neo-soul artist Meron T among their ranks.

Brockwell Bullets, home to singer-songwriter Marika Hackman and neo-soul artist Meron T. Photograph: Handout

Music and football can foster community and opportunity within one another, say many players. Baesianz is a London-based football team for women, trans and non-binary people of Asian heritage, as well as a creative hub that nurtures the artistic careers of their players. Prior to joining the team, synth-pop DJ Amirah Goodwin had only ever played at friend’s parties. Now she DJs at Baesianz’s events and with MP3 (More Pussy Empire), another collective born from the team. “Everything happens so fast when you’re around such cool people,” she says.

The team also curates mixtapes of the multinational team’s favourite songs, which they play at training sessions and matches. “It really improves focus,” she says, “and playing nostalgic music can really help new players integrate, as they’re natural talking points.” They’ve also exposed Goodwin to new genres which she plans to experiment with at future sets.

Lucy Alexander, also a member of football team Whippets, and coach of Deptford Ravens, has found hope in the fertile DIY potential of music and women’s football. As a student at Goldsmiths, she was frustrated that people expected her to sound like Laura Marling just because she was a woman with a guitar. In her final year, she founded a record label, a radio station, ran nights and became one half of Scrounge, a South London post-punk group. “The music industry is in tatters,” says Alexander, now 29. “The good thing about that is it leaves you space to go out and try things for yourself. It’s the same with football, this grassroots energy is what you need in both spaces.”

For Alexander, music and football intersect in so many ways. She reels them off, from how her increased confidence from performing helps her be a better coach, to designing football shirts for Scrounge fans with the view to create an international “band team”. Women’s football is notably inclusive of LGBTQ+ players and fans, too. “I’ve been going to so many more events for queer musicians,” says Alexander, “and I’ve heard about them all through footballers.”

However, not every link between women’s football and music is positive, she says. “As a woman, whether I’m lacing up my boots or setting up my amp, people will always assume I’m a beginner.”

Lil C, a producer with the Prestige Pak collective, plays with She’s The Man United. Photograph: Handout

There are other, more tangible barriers. While boys are encouraged to enjoy free and casual spaces to play in from childhood, some female players prefer the privacy and security of hiring a pitch, aware of the potential for being intimidated due to their perceived inexperience. I’ve experienced multiple instances of sexual harassment while training in the park with my team: booking a pitch isn’t a luxury, but sometimes a safety concern.

Two female musicians, Al Greenwood of Sports Team and DJ Monki, believe that music can help break down these barriers. Together they created In Motion, an organisation which aims to bolster the participation of all women and girls in physical activity. By first creating relatable access points through popular culture they try to encourage school pupils to continue to play sport. “I think it’s about increasing the visibility of role models in the broadest sense,” says Al, “and then ensuring that these are accessible through relevant channels to young girls.” She cites Romy Madley-Croft, and Call Me a Lioness, on which she sings. “I didn’t even know we had a women’s team growing up,” she says, “now it’s big enough that a Spice Girl wants to be associated with it. Imagine the effect that’s going to have.”

For Meron T of Brockwell Bullets, the link is simple. “It’s all about training”, she says. “You’re an athlete in both.” The bonds between the worlds of music and women’s football are strengthening. While no one is yet suggesting that Georgia Stanway is the secret footballer rumoured to be behind the mask of rapper Dide, just give us time.