I feel like every year I read headlines about it being a year for women in music, but nothing really changes. While that’s a depressing though, at least this year Lizzo broke into the mainstream, Billie Eilish became the voice of Gen Z and Taylor Swift brought to light one of the biggest music industry problems.
However, I still hear people saying “Lizzo is a fad” or “Billie Eilish’s brother does all her writing,” and those people can suck it, because why can’t we praise women? It always has to be a fluke. Well, here’t o letting these amazing women have this year and a bajillion more
Lizzo
While Lizzo blew the fuck up this year, she’s not an overnight sensation at all. She’s been out there hustling and playing SXSW for YEARS now. Her recent success is a true testament to her determination. Asides from the undeniable catchiness of her songs, the underlying theme, of self-love, is something we all needed this year.
Billie Eilish
What can we even say about Billie that we haven’t already said before? That she’s changing music? That she’s the voice of a generation? That pop will never be the same? Yes, duh, we can say all of those things and they’re all true. The young artist and her incredible brother FINNEAS are the duo brought a layer of darkness and angst to a genre that has always been overly contrived and machine-manufactered.
Doja Cat
There was a year when Doja Cat opened for Lizzo and none of my friends wanted to go to that show with me, and I will never let them live it down now. Doja became a viral sensation after her “MOO” video came out and her album Hot Pink has been on repeat. She has so much diversity and her songs seem to encompass every genre and it all revolves around her electric wit and personality.
Angel
God dammit Angel Olsen’s album is a masterpiece. She completely reworked her sound and made a cinematic, orchestral journey into levels of her psyche. I am haunted by this album daily. You're going into a whole other dimension and getting lost in your sadness. When I had to take the bus to work this was my saving grace.
Maggie Rogers
From viral sensation to leader of a coven, Maggie Rogers is the success story we all need to hear. She’s a renaissance woman that studied music and writing and her album is a triumph. She’s also done amazing things to bring awareness to how women are treated as artists even at their own shows. Maggie is always bringing us magic wherever she goes.
Taylor Swift
Aight, I’ll give in, I was proud of Swift for bringing up an issue that plagues a lot of women in the industry: ownership. Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta just truly seem like the worst d-bags in the industry and they’re being total babies about the whole situation. Props to Swift for being a huge success and using her podium to bring this issue to light.