It's International Women's Day and today we celebrate all of the impactful women who raised us, who we are surrounded with, and the amazing women we will raise! Finding new music everyday leads to finding countless artists who are beyond talented and deserve their spotlight! So many of those being women.
Women are often held to a higher standard and may be looked over if not deemed as "perfect." I wanted to highlight some movers and shakers paving their own way not by the common mold, coming up in music that are truly representative, I feel, of Women in Music in 2024.
I'm excited to watch these artists grow... In no particular order (except alphabetical), here are my favorites! I hope you check out this list beginning to end, because there's loads of talent. Enjoy!
Ayra Starr
Ayra Starr is just 21, born and raised in Nigeria. She is one of the artists currently lauching the "Afrobeats" genre into the mainstream and doing it with such grace and beauty. Her unique voice and musical style sets her apart, nominating her for a Grammy last month with "Rush," for Best African Music Performance. She's going on tour this year with Chris Brown and Muni Long. I can't wait to see what else she does!
Jessie Murph
Raye
I know I said I wasn't going to choose favorites... but I'd be lying if I said that Raye hasn't quickly become one of my all-time FAVORITE artists. Her story will absolutely blow you away... for many years, she was overlooked and simply paired with DJs to be the voice behind their song. Raye always knew she was more than just dance. She had so many ideas that weren't able to be recognized at that time. From being held down for so so long, to never accepting less she felt than she deserved, all paid off with one song that caught fire globally called "Escapism."
Ever since, she has risen to the top, won the hearts of millions, and is making music and navigating her career on HER terms. As of just very recently, she has won the most awards than any artist in Brit's history. I got the privilege to see her perform live at Webster Hall in 2023 for a matinee performance (was crazy to be at a concert while the sun was still out) and she surpassed all expectations I had for what I had hoped her show would bring. She is someone who I believe Amy Winehouse would love to pieces. She is very reminiscent of her in the very best of ways. She's real, loves her music, loves her fans, and yes, her card games. She loves card games. Bucketlist goal is to interview her one day while playing a crazy round of Go Fish.
Standout tracks I recommend: Escapism (Of course), Ice Cream Man, Flip A Switch, Thrill Is Gone, Worth It, Buss It Down, Prada.
Remi Wolf
Remi Wolf hailing from Cali, carving out her own sound with massive streaming success. When I start listening to her music, I can never stop. It's reminiscent of sunny days and beaches. She's about to embark on the European Leg of Olivia Rodrigo's GUTS World tour. I have a feeling that the exposure of the GUTS tour will only continue her already MASSIVE success!
Renee Rapp
Many are calling Renee Rapp a rising star this year, but really, it's been a work in progress 10+ years before that. I mean, I guess you can say that about all of these stories, right? But the fact that Renee Rapp went viral years and years ago on VINE and we never put it together?
Additionally, playing Regina George in the Broadway version of Mean Girls, and of course, reprising the role for the recently released movie. She has also appeared in The Sex Lives Of College Girls. As of recent, her fans have been increasingly drawn to her super down-to-earth interviews. Rapp possesses a magnetic personality that is easy to love. She seldom holds back on how she's feeling, and it's most definitely a part of her charm.
All of this aside, the girl can SING. Like, SING sing. I suppose to be on Broadway, it's kind of a requirement.. but I wasn't expecting to hear her on a pop-blend R&B song like "Tummy Hurts" and fitting so well. Her take-no-s#!+ personality SHINES in Poison Poison. I truly cannot wait to see how Renee's career evolves from here and I believe she's on her way to becoming a household name!
Sabrina Carpenter
I mean...... what is there to say!! 2023 and 2024 have been her YEARS. It's been fun to watch her success and see the fruits of her labor finally paying off! Sabrina's career started off early in the Disney Channel days when she was on Girl Meets World back in 2014. Ever since, she has put out music and has even been open on feeling impatient when all of the hard work would start to pay off.
At a Variety Hitmakers event, Carpenter explained, “Something that my mom always said to me as a little girl that really annoyed me was that I am the tortoise, and if you guys know the tortoise and the hare thing, that pissed me off a lot because, you know, throughout my life, [I was] being told, ‘Sabrina, you’re the tortoise, just chill,’ like ‘it’s okay, you’re the tortoise, just slow down, it’s going to be okay.’”
Things are certainly going okay for her now as she is living out her dreams on the Eras tour getting to sing with Taylor onstage! Her album, "emails i can't send," has been the gift that keeps on giving. Scoring her a huge debut single with "Nonsense," and keeping that going with "Feather." Only the start for Sabrina too, and I'm so excited to see it!
Sexyy Red
Of course, there had to be one artist to inspire this all, and it was absolutely Sexyy Red. She is a woman who absolutely lives her life and her career on her OWN TERMS and has such a strong, unique, CAPTIVATING persona to me!!
She wears her hair partly red (but of course...), complimented by a kitty ear headband, glasses, gym shorts and a baby bump. Well not recently the baby bump, since she recently gave birth. Congrats, Sexyy Red!
I love that Sexyy Red worked and made music throughout her pregnancy. No hiding baby bumps... So often, we hear that starting a family and having kids can be considered a hinderance, or even a death sentence in a woman's career. Sexyy Red rather EMBRACED it, making one of her biggest songs to date with Drake, Rich Baby Daddy as she was basically full term!
She is completely unapologetic and does her. No matter what stage of life she's in she has her eye on the grind and makes some seriously fun music. Some of my faves below.
If you made it this far, I genuinely appreciate you - I hope you found a new favorite artist somewhere in this list of the greatest ladies. Happy Int'l Women's Day! Till next time...
Onwards and Upwards,
Kiana
No comments