Fairytales and Feminism: Redefining the Witch through music
What comes to mind when you hear the word witch? A frightening, evil figure? A twisted villainess? Now, think of a princess. You likely picture beauty, grace, and the ideal woman – just as many fairy tales have shaped our perceptions.
But what if we redefined the witch entirely? What if being a witch meant challenging stereotypes and questioning reality? And what if feminism and music came together to convey this message?
Such a completely different perspective will be presented at an event called Witches, Wild, and Free, taking place this Saturday (March 8th) at Brouwerij Martinus around 8 PM. As the event coincides with International Women’s Day, it will combine music with talks about feminism, freedom and authenticity.
What inspired the organisers?
I had the opportunity to interview two of the event’s organisers; musicians and students at the Prince Claus Conservatoire Marina Mihaylova and Maria Suciu, who shared what inspired them to bring the event to life, as well as their thoughts on what it means to be a witch in today’s society.
One of their main inspirations was a classical music conference they attended, focused on female classical and jazz music composers. After the conference, Marina and Maria realised that so many women’s names have been forgotten; it is a duty for current artists to to bring these names back to the world. Another source of motivation was their shared reading of the books We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Feminist Manifesto by Mina Loney, which deepened their perspective on feminism.
Both musicians also highlighted their Eastern European backgrounds, where stereotypes towards women are still deeply ingrained in society. Influenced by these experiences, they decided to combine art, in this case music, with societal problems like gender stereotypes, challenging these norms and encouraging conversation.
“We artists have the privilege to do so, because we have the stage,” said Marina. Indeed, I believe that art – especially music – has the power to challenge people’s attitudes not just through words, but through emotion. It reaches people in ways that rationality alone cannot, making the impact much stronger.
Why witches?
Witches, Wild, and Free is focused mostly on the intersection between music and feminism-related ideas, connecting live performances with thought provoking discussions. The audience can expect diverse genres of music such as jazz, fusion, rock, modern music – a bit of everything. It will be open to everyone (regardless of gender or age), lasts a total of two hours, and is followed by a jam session.
“There is this idea of a princess being socially accepted, polite, doing what she is told, then we have a witch who is living her life on her own terms,” said Marina.
The organisers emphasized how we, as a society, still have an image of a princess as a pretty, elegant, and perfect woman who exists to be admired by a man. Indeed, for me a princess has always been a symbol of grace and beauty. Even unconsciously I associate princesses with qualities like kindness and pursuit of romantic love. On the other hand, a witch is portrayed as some dark, evil figure, like the evil queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, who terrified me as a child.
In history, however, witches were women who embodied knowledge, independence, and strength – qualities that threatened societal norms. Because of questioning patriarchy, they were persecuted and burned. This event thus presents a witch from a different light, encouraging to be brave, and to live authentically – free from societal expectations.
To Marina and Maria, being a witch in today’s world means having the courage to question yourself and the beliefs you’ve been taught. It is about wisdom – the power to shape your own path rather than letting society dictate it. Being a witch is also the courage to stop seeking validation from men and embracing your own truth.
Does it mean, then, that women should choose between being a princess or a witch? Or should they be both at the same time? According to Maria, there is no necessity to choose a side, the main idea is not to be afraid of rebellion against societal stereotypes. Marina answered this question by emphasizing that we shouldn’t see witches and princesses as two completely different sides. They are both within us. Women can choose to be one of them or to be both. What matters is that a woman should be an authentic version of herself.
The main message of the event therefore is: Don’t be afraid to speak up, because your voice is important. Even if it hurts, even if it is scary, that’s the only way we can fight for the truth.
History may have silenced witches, but today, we are louder than ever.