Women in music

Music is very influential to people. It is a form of expression. It’s everywhere we go and involved in almost everything in the media. Whether it’s in the background of something or highlighting the artist making it there is no escape. Almost everybody listens to music and there are many different genres of it. The existence of music has been traced back to the beginning of civilization. There are many talented women who have made an impact with music and that have had an influence over music as its been reshaped over time. From behind the scenes to in the spotlight there are many women that have contributed to the success of the music industry we know today.

When I think back to the roots of mainstream music and seek to find an example of a strong woman involved with the industry Aretha Franklin is one of the artists who stand out to me. Her songs like “Respect”, “I Never Loved a Man” and “I Say a Little Prayer” hit the airwaves in 1966. She was a civil rights activist. Aretha had degrees from both Harvard University and New York University. She recorded 112 singles that charted on the billboards and received a star on the Hollywood walk of fame in 1979. She passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76. Aretha Franklin will always be remembered as a role model and a gifted recording artist.

Another musician who inspires me is Tracey Chapman. Her first major stage debut took place in 1985 as an opening act for Linda Tillery. After her debut Chapman was offered a record contract and her career started to take off. Over the years she has remained hard working and she’s continued to set a good example for others. She has been politically and socially active. Tracey is very involved in communities and with charitable organizations. She has won four grammy’s and has gone multi-platinum over the course of her music career. Her song “Fast car” is one of my favourite hits that she wrote. Tracey promotes feminism and is an empowering role model for women.

Linda Tillery is a musician, producer and arranger. She started getting recognized in the late 1960’s as the lead singer of a group called The Loading Zone. She was also a solo recording artist. Linda recorded a lot of work by herself during the 1970’s. Linda Tillery is a pioneer of woman’s music. What inspired me most about her was reading how hard she works bringing to light the struggles within communities.

Those are a few of the women who inspired me the most and that have made contributions to music before my time. There are many other woman who made an impact on music during the late 1960’s until the 1990’s. Some of them include Tina Turner, Etta James, Donna Summer and Betty Davis.

The 1990’s was one of my favourite decades for music. The hiphop scene started to dominate music culture and it left an impact that still influences the course of it today. Lauryn Hill was one of my favourites from the decade. She had a huge influence on music. Many artists are able to learn from her words. So many people were inspired by and looked up to her. She helped to change the shape of music and will always be remembered as a legend. She brought people together and spread a message. She was a voice when nobody else had one and saved lives. Lauryn Hill made a significant impact with music.

Janet Jackson is another woman that is very inspirational. She is a producer, singer, dancer, actress and icon. Janets career started at a young age and she was successful from the start. She has carried a career since the late 1970’s and still has a successful one today. Many look up to her and she has made big changes in the world. She is very hardworking and has contributed to countless charitable organizations.

Lil Kim showed up on the music scene later in the 1990’s and continued highlighting in the media into the early 2000’s. She isn’t just a rapper, she was also a TV personality and is a fashion icon. She had a rough upbringing and she sets the perfect example that no matter what your background is you can be successful. Her music left an imprint on hiphop culture and she paved the way for many other female artists in a male dominated environment. She promotes woman’s rights and equality.

More successful women involved with music around the 1990’s and into the early 2000’s include Missy Elliott, Salt n Peps, Suga-T, and Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barnett and Mazzie Williams from the group Boney M. that made my favourite Christmas album.

By the 2000’s more talented musicians started to appear under the spotlight of the media. Beyoncé is one of the most influential woman I could think of who appeared in the spotlight around this time. She worked alongside of Destiny’s child in the early 2000’s making big changes in the industry. The group Destinys child opened a lot of doors for many other women. Beyoncé eventually become a solo artist and has continued her career, reaching headlines and staring as the main event at Coachella. She has reached billionaire status and has climbed mountains paving a way for ones behind her. Her impact on music is unquestionable and she continues to succeed. She has built a strong, supportive and loyal fanbase. Beyoncé uses her platform to encourage and empower women.

Rihanna is a musician and a superstar. She is a designer, model, entrepreneur, business owner and so much more. Her hit songs like “pon de replay” and “SOS” helped to jumpstart her career in the right direction during the early 2000’s. Over time she has continued to work on music. She uses her platform to bring awareness and to promote equality. She helps to provide opportunities and has built her own make up company Fenti Beauty from the ground up. Rihanna has remained to be successful in more then one competitive industry.

More woman who I thought of that have made powerful impacts with their music include; Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Doja cat, Ciara, Tinashe, Megan thee Stallion, SZA, and Cardi B.

There are many more very talented women in music. Women who work in the spotlight and behind the scenes. That have worked tirelessly to make the world a better place. These women shape the music industry and they all have contributed something to the world. The names I mentioned above are the names of women who inspired me, but there are countless other names that remained unmentioned. They are all equally as important and each should be recognized. These are some of the women in music who have inspired me. Who inspires you?