In the age of fourth wave feminism, VALLEY believes it is important to be conscious of the media we consume and open up our eyes and ears to new perspectives. Whether we are aware of it or not, the majority of music that most college students consume are from male artists, as well as often reinforces the male gaze and the support that views women as romantic or sexual objects. These four artists are providing a female voice in music that transcends the traditional, sexualized pop singer or anti-establishment ‘girl power’ feminist categories and delivers a feminine sound like we’ve never heard before.
Zella Day
Photo by @zelladay on Instagram
Zella’s music is distinct to her hometown in Arizona where desert vibes and summer energy inspired her sound. Her lyrics are honest, insightful and free-spirited. Her first major hit, “Hypnotic,” released in 2014, and since then, her following has grown and embraced her album “Kicker” and two recent successful singles “Man on the Moon” and “Hunnie Pie”.
Mallrat
Posted by @lilmallrat on Instagram
Grace Shaw, also known as ‘Mallrat’ is a 19-year-old Australian artist who gained popularity from her debut single “Suicide Blonde” on Soundcloud in 2016. Her sound is a mix of stoner rock, desert indie and a new lyrically heavy female pop. Since then she has released her album “Uninvited” as well as three singles; “For Real,” “Better” and “UFO” just dropping at the beginning of 2018.
Sampa the Great
Posted by @sampa_the_great on Instagram
Sampa Tembo is a singer, songwriter and poet. Born in Zambia, raised in Botswana and now based in Australia, it is a rare to watch an artist with this cultural depth hit the mainstream. Her complex experiences and amazing soul are apparent in her dynamic sound and groundbreaking lyrics. She began her career with “The Great Mixtape” released in 2015 and since then has exploded with singles like “Blue Boss” and her most recent album “Birds and the Bee9”.
Lily Allen
Posted by @lilyallen on Instagram
Lily Allen is a British artist who began her career in 2002 and has dabbled in many different musical genres while gaining fame and popularity. Her career as a musician, political activist and artist has not stopped to this day. Her hits “Smile” and “F*ck You” came out at the peak of her career in the late 2000’s and she is back in 2018 with her recent song release of “Higher” earlier this month.
Take A Listen
Here’s your perfect mix of these female (and some male) voices to have you feeling positive and purposeful throughout the day.
