What She Said - Women in Music

Join on Thursday, May 7th for What She Said, Women in Music– an evening for cocktails and conversation to inspire, connect, and learn from fearless leaders in the Music industry.

Originating at W San Francisco with its launch in 2016, What She Said is a W Hotels & Resorts branded series featuring conversations among women that celebrate individuality, inclusivity, and honesty, tackling the issues of today from work, love, play and everything in between. The platform, which has since been adopted by W hotels worldwide, offers a safe space to drive progress in the gender equality movement and cultivate community with open conversations that inspire, educate, and enlighten.

Your ticket includes entry to the panel discussion, a complimentary beverage, light bites, a curated gift bag, and an experience to connect and network.

MODERATOR

a music industry professional, educator, and co-founder of FEMME HOUSE, a nonprofit focused on creating more equitable opportunities for women and gender-expansive individuals in music. She began her career at Capitol Records and has worked across PR, artist development, and performance, including as a DJ and producer under the name HERMIXALOT. Spalding has also served as a lecturer at UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, helping shape the next generation of music creators. Through her work, she continues to champion inclusivity and access within the global music industry.

PANELISTS

is the epitome of a trailblazer and a catalyst for empowering women in a traditionally male-dominated industry. An accomplished record label executive, artist manager and entrepreneur, she’s held high positions in the industry for over three decades granting her a lasting legacy. As president of the leading independent label EMPIRE since 2018, Davis has played a pivotal role in influencing the artistic evolution of the label’s sound and strategy. She’s been named to Billboard’s Power 100 and Women in Music, Variety’s Dealmakers and Power of Women, and SF Business Times Influential Women. Before EMPIRE, Davis started at Def Jam where she discovered one of its first #1 R&B hits “This is How We Do It.” Over a decade, she made history as the first woman to lead the A&R department and went on to oversee the careers of newcomers and veterans like Scarface, DMX, Method Man, Red Man and LL Cool J. Davis carved out her own lane with her innate gift of finding, developing and breaking top hip-hop and R&B talent in which she created her own management firm, PhaseToo, and launched the career of Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Brown.

is the executive director and founder of Women's Audio Mission (WAM), a San Francisco-based nonprofit that trains over 3,000 underrepresented women and girls every year to become the next generation of music producers and recording engineers. Winston founded WAM in 2003 while she was a tenured professor and director of the Sound Recording Arts Program at City College of San Francisco from 2001 to 2011. Her career spans 35 years as a major-label recording artist, songwriter, producer and recording engineer. Winston has shared the stage with P.J. Harvey, Pixies, Flaming Lips, Fugazi, and Throwing Muses. She was a recording artist and producer for MainMan whose roster also included David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Iggy Pop. She has received an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Songwriting Award, Boston Music Award, Bay Area Music Award, Audio Engineering Fellowship award, and in 2025 received the inaugural Trailblazer Award from the Audio Engineering Society. She serves on the Recording Academy's (Grammys) National Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and The Academy of Country Music's Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.

is the Vice President of Global Partnerships at AEG Presents, the largest live events company in the world, home to festivals like Coachella, Stagecoach, Tyler the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw, Portola and more. Previously, she led a team as the vice president of style and culture at Complex Networks and spent 11 years building brand partnerships and consumer experiences that reached a worldwide and diverse youth audiences. Fox started her career as a sales and marketing manager for URB, an influential music and lifestyle magazine. Later she joined Condé Nast’s W Magazine and then went to MTV, where she managed media, content and event sponsorships while also moonlighting as a freelance writer for MTV News & MTV Clubland.

is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, as well as the marketing and promotions director at Audacy San Francisco, the parent company of Bay Area radio stations Alice 97.3, KCBS, 102 JAMS, 95.7 The Game, and the legendary LIVE 105. Beyond her work behind the radio desk, Labrana spends her time writing and recording music for her electro pop and dark wave synth project OVRGRWN. Over the last 15 years, she has built and fostered a beautiful community of musicians in the Bay Area, and has performed at some of San Francisco’s most iconic venues such as The Independent and The Regency Ballroom. Her career in radio puts her in the thick of the Bay Area live music scene. When she isn’t busy putting together campaigns promoting national-scale touring acts, she’s knee deep in event production, actively reaching out to organizations in the community to build strong relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships, and conceptualizing experiences at festivals to amplify awareness of her brands.

is a prolific vocalist, songwriter, DJ, producer, and entertainer who captivates audiences with her commanding stage presence, eclectic musicality, and powerhouse vocals inspired by legends like Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin, all layered over expansive electronic production. This year, Zanders released her long-awaited debut album and her first national headline run, the Anything Goes Tour, taking place across April and May. Fresh off three Coachella 2025 performances and ongoing live appearances alongside cultural electronic icon GRiZ, Zanders continues to take over stages nationwide and globally. Her growing festival résumé includes Outside Lands, EDC, Beyond Wonderland, SnowGlobe, Electric Forest, EDC Mexico, Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge, and more. Zanders has earned the respect of the dance world with breakout records like “V I B R A T I O N,” her collaboration with Shift K3Y, which reached number one on the Billboard and Mediabase Dance radio airplay charts in the United States. “Carry Us” with LP Giobbi was named one of Billboard’s 40 Best Dance Songs of 2021 and one of Forbes’ top songs of the year.

This year, a portionof proceeds will be donated to

San Francisco Community Music Center (SFCMC) is dedicated to expanding access to music education and creative expression for people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. Through inclusive programming, artist development, and community-centered learning, SFCMC champions equity in the arts while nurturing the next generation of musicians and cultural leaders. Their work amplifies diverse voices and supports women and underrepresented creatives shaping the future of music.

WHAT SHE SAID MEMORIES

Info: Your ticket includes a complimentary beverage, light bites, and an experience to connect and network. This networking hour will include local vendors and interactive stations through 6:30pm.

Info: Didn't get a chance to connect with someone new? No problem! Head down to the Living Room Bar for a special after party set featuring all female and gender expansive artists.

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