Burned out, broke, and unseen — Canada’s women gig workers speak out through song

Zakisha Brown, Dallas Rodin, Rachelle Show and Haviah Mighty

A new research-based music initiative turns economic pain into policy-shifting art

TORONTO, ON, CANADA, September 19, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Canada’s economy may be cooling, but women in precarious jobs are still expected to grind. Now, those on the frontlines of gig work are breaking their silence in a way that blends music, research, and reform.

HeARTwork: Advancing Women in the Gig Economy is a national movement that transforms lived experience into culture and change. At its core is “Hear Me Out” (OUT TODAY) — a bold new single written and performed by Zakisha Brown, Dallas Rodin, and Rachelle Show, and produced by Polaris Prize and Juno Award–winner Haviah Mighty. More than a track, it’s the first Canadian song to emerge directly from national research and listening sessions with more than 1,000 women and gender-diverse gig workers. Listen to the track HERE, and download the track HERE.

For Rachelle Show, the process of writing “Hear Me Out” was just as meaningful as the message itself: “I’m so grateful for such a beautiful experience, surrounded by equally beautiful and talented people. It was truly a special collaboration.” Dallas Rodin echoed that sentiment, adding, “It was a privilege to listen deeply to the experiences of these women and tell their stories through music. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to create with, and I’m extremely grateful to the HeARTwork program for bringing us together.” Zakisha Brown describes the collaboration as something bigger than a recording session: “Co-creating this song with such dope, talented souls while speaking our truth felt like an empowering movement. It really feels like the time is now for change — and how powerful that we captured it in song.”

The statistics behind the single are stark. Research conducted by Conscious Economics with support from the Ministry of Women & Gender Equality found that 68% of women gig workers reported severe financial instability, and an equal 68% cited chronic burnout and stress. 62% said they felt isolated, with little access to networks or mentorship, while another 62% reported sexism or gender bias on the job. Their stories are deeply personal: “I feel helpless because of outside variables I can’t control, like inflation.” “Sometimes I have panic attacks from stress, but I can’t afford therapy.” “It’s a tug of war between the financial comfort of a regular job and the passion of gig work.”

But HeARTwork doesn’t stop at the single. The initiative also includes:

A short documentary (launching later this year) that follows the stories behind the music.

A policy zine that lays out ten recommendations for equity, childcare, pay transparency, and mental health supports.

National advocacy events that bring policymakers, industry leaders, and gig workers together.

Partnerships with organizations including GreenShield Canada, Music Canada, Women in Music Canada, Indigenomics Institute, and the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

“HeARTwork puts real stories at the centre of economic reform,” says Rhiannon Rosalind, CEO of Conscious Economics. “Hear Me Out isn’t just a song — it’s a call to action, asking Canadians to pause and really listen to the women holding up this country’s gig economy.”

This is about more than music. It’s about women’s economic survival at a moment of widespread burnout. It’s about Canada’s creative industries, where freelance work is the backbone yet support is scarce. And it’s about innovation — blending art, advocacy, and policy to ignite systemic change.

“Hear Me Out” will be released via ADA Canada, with the documentary and zine to follow. Together, they launch a new national conversation that insists on better outcomes for Canada’s most vulnerable workers — and ensures their voices are finally heard.

Mavis Harris
Nice Marmot PR
+1 2505059253
email us here

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