It should come as no surprise that the world is growing more accepting of women in the workforce. Over the years, women’s rights and freedoms have been on the rise in all areas and walks of life, but one particular industry where you can really see a notable change is in the world of music. Major female recording artists seemingly pop-up overnight these days, and it has never been a better time to be a woman in the world of music. With this in mind, here are five women in the music scene who seem to have everyone talking at this particular time:
Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Ray | Image courtesy of Billboard
Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, better known as smash-hit recording artist Lana Del Rey, has been making music for quite some time now. Recently, however, she’s been making impressive strides towards being one of the most impactful artists of the day. Her style is unlike any other; she has an old-school, 1950’s type of vibe, paired with deep and heartfelt lyrics about money, drugs, and older men in her life that she has fallen for. Her most recent album, Norman Fucking Rockwell, has taken the world by storm, with Del Ray even calling it her favorite album she has written to-date. The album’s release led to a tour across the continental U.S., with countless sold-out shows. This tour has featured songs off of her new album as well as some of her older, more popular stuff. If you get a chance to see her in your city, it is an experience that is highly recommended. Lana Del Ray is something special.
H.E.R
H.E.R. | Image courtesy of Elite Daily
Gabriella Wilson, better known as H.E.R., which stands for Having Everything Revealed, started making her own music at the tender age of fourteen. Initially releasing her songs under her birth name, it wasn’t until 2016 that she rebranded and began to go by the name of H.E.R. In 2017, Wilson started making waves when Rhianna shared a video clip on Instagram with the H.E.R. original song “Focus” playing in the background. The soul and passion that you hear in Wilson’s songs are certainly what draws her listeners in. Within the past year, she has been nominated for countless awards, winning two Grammys and a BET Award. Wilson also has shown a propensity for international success, having recently sold-out shows all over Europe. H.E.R.’s fame and notoriety are steadily rising, and she is without question the next big name to watch for in the R&B scene.
Summer Walker
Summer Walker | Image courtesy of Complex
Summer Walker is one of the newest and hottest acts in R&B. Her voice just has the ability to draw you in; it honestly evokes a sense of classic, R&B ‘90s nostalgia. When you see her live, singing appears to come effortlessly to her. Another aspect of Walker that has helped endear her to fans has been her openness regarding struggles with social anxiety. This down-to-earth, relatable nature of hers has contributed to people quickly falling in love with her. Recently, it has been rumored that Walker may cut her music career short, following a post on Instagram that hinted at how she feels incapable of conforming to the person she feels society wants her to be. However, she will be (at the very least) completing the mostly sold-out tour she is currently on, so if you are in a position to get the opportunity to see her, be sure to get to a set while you still can!
Lizzo
Lizzo | Image courtesy of CNBC
Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known to most as Lizzo, is easily one of the most viral singers/songwriters to explode onto the music scene this year, and quite possibly ever. Lizzo is an artist who shares so much power and positivity through her lyrics and performances that is it is easy to understand the social phenomenon behind her. Once, notably, in 2018 at a music festival, playing to a crowd of approximately 50 people at 2:00 in the afternoon, Lizzo broke from her set to have a genuine, heartfelt, honest moment, where she decided to talk to the crowd about body positivity and her plans to affect change in the industry through exposure. Fast-forward two years and Lizzo is selling out shows all over the globe and spreading her message of body positivity to absolutely everyone. With all her recent success, it is hard to fathom that she almost quit the industry altogether a little while back, shortly releasing Truth Hurts and having it not receive the critical acclaim she had hoped for. But at this point, Lizzo is absolutely entrenched in the popular music scene, and, with her recent successes, she is now in a position to laugh about the critics and haters all the way to the bank.
Tash Sultana
Tash Sultana | Image courtesy of The Austin Chronicle
Tash Sultana is an incredibly unique artist. Known as a “one-person band” due to the fact that she not only sings but also writes her own lyrics and plays multiple instruments during her shows, Sultana was discovered on YouTube when her videos picked up traction and started seeing millions of views from people across the globe. It is hard to pinpoint the exact type of genre that Sultana falls in, considering she truly incorporates a little bit of everything into her sound. But what is undeniable is that her star is clearly on the rise, with more plans to tour in 2020 and placement on some top festival line-ups. If you have the chance to see her this year, take advantage, as she is a truly unique artist to be able to see perform live.
