Shakira hails music platforms for emerging artists

Shakira speaks on the red carpet at the annual Ivor Novello Songwriting Awards at Grosvenor House in London. Shakira has hailed the importance of music platforms for today’s emerging talent as she feels it helps artists showcase their music and makes the process “more democratic”. The Colombian singer-songwriter, 45, recalled that when she was starting out in the music industry as a teenager that there were “gatekeepers” who would decide if a song was worth playing or not. Speaking on the red carpet at the Ivor Novello Awards, she told the PA news agency: “There’s so much talent out there and I’m glad that today there’s so many platforms that new songwriters and new creators are taking advantage of. “When I started my career as a songwriter and a producer and singer it was harder because I had to knock every door and it was hard to make sure that people knew about your work and get exposure. “But today, I think that technology has facilitated that in so many ways. And it’s more democratic, a lot of people can really showcase their talents and they don’t depend on the gatekeepers.”