Jinjer’s Tatiana Shmayluk Pushes Back Against ‘Female-Fronted Band’ Label

Jinjer vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk has spoken out against the ongoing label of her band as “female-fronted,” a description she says she has faced countless times throughout the progressive metalcore group’s career — and one she’s had enough of.

In an interview with Metal Hammer, Shmayluk expressed frustration with the comparisons she continues to receive:

“We are still going through this bullshit today. We are still getting compared to artists that have nothing to do with us. And not always good or talented artists, and I feel very, very fucking offended by that. Because some people, they cannot sing, they don’t hit the notes! Then I get people saying, ‘Oh, she’s doing better than you, she does it better than you, she has this personality, she has…’ Oh my god! Leave me alone! That kind of stuff really pisses me off.”

Shmayluk explained that while she took early inspiration from Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe, the comparisons to other female vocalists have persisted, often frustratingly:

“I get a lot of comparisons and comments comparing me with [former Arch Enemy vocalist] Angela Gossow. I never wanted to sound like her. Some people told me, ‘Why don’t you colour your hair? Why don’t you dye your hair blue like Alissa [White-Gluz, former Arch Enemy vocalist]?’ But why would I? I don’t get it.”

The singer’s comments highlight a recurring challenge for women in heavy music — being labeled by gender rather than artistry, and facing expectations shaped by other female performers instead of the music itself.

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