8 Positive Female Role Models in Music
Sex has been used to sell music almost since music became a commercial enterprise. From the shaking of Elvis’s hips, to Madonna’s “Sex” book, to Miley Cyrus doing all manner of gratuitous things with a foam finger on MTV’s Video Music Awards.
What seems especially sinister about the recent descent of artists like Miley Cyrus, Brittney Spears, and so many others is that they started out as child stars and young female role models, marketed towards children and young teenagers. Even when the artists become adults themselves, many times their fan bases continue to predominately hover around ages where being exposed to certain behavior is inappropriate, especially for impressionable young girls who look up to big music stars as role models. Miley Cyrus’s recent stage antics on MTV’s Video Music Awards included teddy bears as a primary part of the presentation, representing the blurring lines between age and the marketing of music to children and adults.
Maybe the ugliest part about Miley Cyrus’s turn for the worse is how predictable the whole scenario is. Cyrus was purposely being sensational to get people talking to eventually sell more music. By decrying her actions, we in turn are fulfilling her wish.
It’s hard not to fall for the idea that depravity and raunch is what rules the day in the modern popular music culture because that is what gets the lion’s share of attention. But in truth there’s plenty of positive female role models in music, from huge, internationally-known pop stars, to promising up-and-coming artists. Here is 8 of them from a cross section of well-known and up-and-coming talent. You are encouraged to share other examples in the comments section below.
Sarah Jarosz
Mandolin wizard and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz signed with Sugar Hill Records as a senior in high school, releasing her first album in 2009. Her song “Mansinneedof” was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Country Instrumental Performance, and despite having her career path well set in music, she decided to enroll in the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music after high school, recently graduating with honors. Her third album Build Me Up From Bones is set to be released on September 24th.
Hayley Williams (Paramore)
I just made half a thousand hardcore punk fans throw up into their keyboards, but the simple fact is Hayley Williams is one of the few artists heading a popular rock band that remains unrefined, original, and authentic, and this is even more phenomenal because she is a young woman facing the pressures to sell herself as product. Unlike other pop punk princesses such as Gwen Stephani or Avril Lavigne, Hayley has never sold out for widespread appeal, and remains in her original band despite the big payday that would probably await her with a solo career. Beyond all that, Hayley Williams is a role model because she is fiercely herself. She never sold herself as a sex symbol, and when the suits wanted her to go pop early in her career, she refused. Hayley shows young women that they can be themselves, even if that means being quirky, boyish, or downright strange. There’s a lot of character in this girl, and she also happens to be able to belt out some great Loretta Lynn….
Ruby Jane
A fiddle prodigy that became the youngest invited fiddle player to ever play the Grand Ole Opry stage, Ruby Jane went on to tour with Willie Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel at age 14. Ruby has been doing her part to set a positive example for younger female musicians for years, despite just graduating high school herself. She received the Daniel Pearl Memorial Violin in 2007, named after the famous journalist killed in Pakistan in 2002—given to artists who display both world-class musicianship, and world-class character. A recent talk she gave to students as part of the TED project is another example of Ruby Jane’s leadership.
Kelly Clarkson
You may not think of the inaugural winner of American Idol to be your typical role model, but despite residing firmly in the pop world, Kelly Clarkson has been a champion of being yourself and not being obsessed with image for the entirety of her career. Kelly capped off possibly the most popular quip after Miley Cyrus’s VMA performance on Twitter, calling the VMA performers “pitchy strippers.” In an interview with NPR, Clarkson once said, “I am not normal. Usually, people don’t weigh what I weigh. Usually people don’t go against the grain as a far as, ‘No, I don’t want this song from the most popular writer ever’ and it’s not because I don’t like the song. It’s because I would rather work with people that I want to work with.”
Paige Anderson
Paige Anderson is a flat-picking guitar maestro and the leader of her family band Anderson Family Bluegrass, as well as her new project, Paige Anderson & The Fearless Kin. A budding songwriter whose harmony singing and guitar skills rival any other female performer, Paige has proven to be a positive example for young women, and has proven her leadership skills as the Teen Ambassador for the California Bluegrass Association from 2007 to 2010. Look for this girl to be big in music in the coming years.
First Aid Kit
Sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg from Sweden are becoming international stars by crossing borders and language barriers, and by simply being themselves and sharing their bold, original songs with such confidence and grace. No Swedish bikini team antics are needed here, they simply lend their voices to song, and the sweetest harmonies heard on any shore come crying out to hungry ears.
The Church Sisters
The reason so many popular female artists feel the need to sensationalize themselves is many times to make up for a fundamental lack of talent and skill. True talent nurtured through hard work and dedication needs no window dressing, no bells and whistles for attention, and twin sisters Sarah and Savannah exemplify this with their sensational harmonies. From traditional country, to bluegrass and gospel, The Church Sisters display the type of wholesome talent that gives you hope for the future of music.
Adele
When we talk about the reduction of culture and the void of positive young female role models in music, it’s almost easy to forget that the biggest, best-selling pop star for the last two years running has been the bold and beautiful Adele. The flashy pop stars and their ever-present scandal may get all the tabloid attention, but when you look to the very top, Adele outlasts all the gimmicks, sex, and hype. If you need any more proof that substance can sell, and you don’t need sex or shock to get attention, there has never been a better example.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:00 am
Let’s not forget the Dixie Chicks
August 27, 2013 @ 9:14 am
Man, not saying they aren’t role models, but if I had included them here, that is what the entirety of the focus of the article would be, with the comments section filling up with political hatred and indolent back and forths, with the end result being not one person changing their hardline position.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:33 am
Yeah, you’re right. Good list above. I hadn’t heard of half of them.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:50 am
Their video for “Without You” had all three of them completey nude and used careful camera work. This was the whole video long.
August 27, 2013 @ 10:20 am
And then there’s that, and Natalie’s recent propensity to attack anyone and everyone that just makes them somewhat untouchable when it comes to role model talk. Tough I’d still say at once they did show a lot of role model qualities by recording their own music and fighting the music machine, etc.
June 18, 2014 @ 4:54 pm
But I bet the Dixie Chicks would be a positive role model if they were republicans who outright hated Obama, correct? Like Hank Williams, Jr?
August 27, 2013 @ 9:20 am
And the Quebe Sisters, from Ft Worth. Those gals are so good, they make me want to scream.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:46 am
Quebe Sisters are another excellent example.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:34 am
Kellie Pickler’s life story is inspiring and she seems to be a very classy and charitible lady as well (in addition to being very talented, of course).
August 27, 2013 @ 9:48 am
I think Kellie Pickler is a great role model, and I’ve been a champion of her as much as anyone. The only reason I didn’t include her here is out of fear someone would bring up her beauty pageant past and boob job as examples of why she isn’t a role model. My contention would be she still is, but I wanted my examples to be bulletproof.
August 27, 2013 @ 10:27 am
and your post of her telling Kanye to “fuck off”. Not that it bothers me, but I’m sure that would be a setback.
August 28, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
Giving Kanye the finger to defend country music made her a bigger role model, maybe a hero. She also does many overseas USO tours to support our troops and be an international ambassador for country music. She did just 1 or 2 beauty pageants for the singing part, hoping to get discovered.
August 29, 2013 @ 4:44 am
Yes, a role model to folks like us who jumped up and yelled, “Hell Yeah” when she did it. But you know what I mean. Flipping the bird might not be something you want your 8 year old daughter to do at school! 😉
August 31, 2013 @ 6:55 pm
Kellie telling Kanye “fuck you” is both a “teachable moment” and a “good example” at the same time.
She stood up to a misogynist pig, defended other women, and her livelihood, and that’s never wrong.
The language used could’ve been less crude, that’s the teachable moment.
Everyone’s human, including Kellie, even if she does have the beauty and the voice of an angel.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:39 am
I don’t think female singers should all be sex symbols, but I don’t think that Clarkson attacking Cyrus as a “stripper” to justify her recent weight gain. Given the obesity problem (and I’m not saying she’s obese) in America, especially in the south, the last thing people need in this country is people telling them not to care about being overweight.
August 27, 2013 @ 9:51 am
I think Clarkson attacking Cyrus because of her recent weight gain is an assumption. Maybe Kelly feels threatened, but I think as a pop star, she has every right to attack Miley for perpetuating a negative stereotype about female performers.
September 1, 2013 @ 7:28 am
I’m not a fan of Clarkson’s music and definitely not a fan of sad little Miley, but I don’t think she made the comments because of herself weighing more than Cyrus. Miley looks anorexic and probably is on the road to hell considering she felt the need for attention so badly that she chose to porn herself on national TV. Frankly, what I saw of it online wasn’t much worse than what Beyonce does and gets lauded for, but I digress, the whole of pop culture has gone to hell so role models definitely should be found in science, math, law, medicine, classical music, teaching………..just about anywhere else.
August 27, 2013 @ 10:13 am
Interesting use of Hailey from Paramore. Though she remains unchanged,
she kind of us following the path of the pop princess. Just a little more under the radar. She is (if I remember) correctly the only original member of that band that’s left. She had a nasty breakup with one of her band mates and that’s when it started to fall apart, which if I’m not mistaken is the same path Gwen Stefani took. Though Haileys ex didn’t see the big picture and left the band unlike the guy in No Doubt who laughed all the way to the bank, making that easy money as Brad Paisley so eloquently wrote about once.
August 27, 2013 @ 10:25 am
The thing is, every single time there is a breakup or loss of band members, there is bad blood, the need for vindication by the jilted parties, etc. etc., and it all should be taken with a more objective understanding. I just spent too much time reading a statement by two previous members who seemed mostly obsessed about trying to portray themselves as better Christians than Hayley Williams, which seems in itself against one of the principles of Christianity to not judge people. Nobody is saying that any of the young women above are perfect. But just because Paramore went through some band drama doesn’t mean Hayley isn’t still an example of a positive role model for her other actions.
August 27, 2013 @ 10:42 am
Fair enough.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:26 am
hey, you forgot about hayley william’s, um…that provocative photo of her posing with her top off that she ‘accidentally’ leaked to all of twitter
August 27, 2013 @ 4:42 pm
She’s not running for Congress here. I didn’t “forget” about anything. I am not an expert on Hayley Williams or Paramore, nor am I asserting that any of the girls above are perfect. All I’m saying is that if I had a daughter, I would rather them look up to someone like Hayley Williams than most other pop rock stars, and not because she’s prim and perfect, but because she’s herself, and never settled for the big payday by compromising who she is.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:26 am
I would add Tift Merritt and Brandi Carlile.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:26 am
I’d elect Alicia Keys as a refreshing role model since the inception of her recording career about fifteen years ago. She’s heavily involved in altruistic causes and co-founded Keep A Child Alive, all while continuing to release music that blends well with Rhythmic and other contemporary sensibilities without pandering to the lowest common denominator of Urban, Rhythmic and Pop radio.
I feel like she has been trying too hard in more recent years to exude both sexuality and sensuality, but I’ll also say I grew up absolutely inspired by Shakira. I followed her along even before her crossover to English audiences with her Spanish releases “Pies Descalzos” and “Donde Estan Los Ladrones?”, and I LOVE the latter album especially for how intelligent her songwriting style is and also welds her various musical influences, including Arabic, merengue and cumbia flavors, into her hybridized regional pop-rock and roll sound. I also marvelled over how wise beyond her years she sounded in interviews and has worked hard as an ambassador for the United Nations in her home country of Colombia and founded a cause that delivers shoes to impoverished youth named after “Pies Descalzos”. I do feel, since then, she’s unfortunately been trying a bit too hard to grab people’s attention through selling sexuality (the videos for “La Tortura” and “She Wolf” come to mind) but at least even with the former video there is an artistic element and wit implied (“She Wolf” not so much). She just needs to reflect a bit and realize how millions came to fall in love with her in the first place, and back when she first emerged in the mid-to-late nineties she was becoming successful more off of her unique sound, intellectually stimulating interviews and quirky music videos.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:51 am
Man, I’m really glad you brought up Hayley Williams. She has been my dirty little secret since I accidentally watched a Paramore video a few years ago. I don’t even like (especially don’t like) “THAT” kind of music, but I really dig Paramore. Maybe she is my female emo version of Johnny Cash! I’m afraid that if this Brothers of the 4×4 album doesn’t deliver it might well be my third ranked album by a Williams this year.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:52 am
Sierra Hull is also a great example, at least in my opinion.
August 27, 2013 @ 12:09 pm
This is the article I am looking for. Glad someone said it.
August 27, 2013 @ 12:20 pm
Sunny Sweeny, does her thing regardless of weather it is accepted by Nashville or not.Positive upbeat rolemodel with great vocal chops to boot. No scandals that i’m aware of anyway.
August 27, 2013 @ 1:54 pm
Can’t think of any reason why Carrie Underwood shouldn’t be included on this list. She’s a practicing Christian who’s never had even a hint of scandal during her eight year career.
She recently donated $1 million to the Red Cross for relief efforts in response to the Oklahoma tornado and also give students in her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma a gift valued at more than $120,000 in new instruments for their music programs. Carrie also visited many children’s hospitals during her recent tour including Boston and Philadelphia.
August 27, 2013 @ 4:32 pm
I’ve got no issue with portraying Carrie Underwood as a role model.
August 27, 2013 @ 2:11 pm
Sarah Lou Richards
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.l.norvold?fref=ts
August 28, 2013 @ 12:01 pm
Oh yeah! Good one! Love her shows; she’s the bees knees!
August 28, 2013 @ 4:37 pm
Yes she is…. Great gal
August 27, 2013 @ 3:25 pm
I agree with the Alicia Keys suggestion. Norah Jones is another one that I have always admired. She’s always been very classy and sophisticated to me even though she is drop dead gorgeous and could easily sex up her image to sell records if she wanted to. She has never to that.
August 27, 2013 @ 4:01 pm
If you like Paramore, check out Dead Sara. I don’t know if they’re necessarily good role models, but they kick a serious amount of ass. The lead singer and lead guitarist are both female and are super talented.
August 27, 2013 @ 4:34 pm
Tift Merritt, Sunny Sweeny, Brandi Carlisle, Sierra Hull, Sarah Lou Richards, these are all great examples.
August 27, 2013 @ 5:55 pm
I’m definitely on board with Sierra Hull and sassy Sunny Sweeny, who signs my CD’s with “Rick, you can kiss my ass!” Now that’s what I call a role model! (lol)
A pair of young sisters (early 20’s) who are fine Christian role models and sing harmonies just this side of heaven are Kelsi and Charli Robertson who along with brother Buddy front the bluegrass band Flatt Lonesome. Their self titled debut album contains harmony singing from those two gals that will flatt knock your socks off!
As for Carrie Underwood, she makes a great role model for mannequins, cyborgs, and fembots the world (and universe) over! (lol)
August 27, 2013 @ 6:06 pm
Trigger, I have 2 daughters that I have no problem following Taylor Swift’s career. She is a role model. She doesn’t drink, smoke, party. She works her tail off. She is the midst of 7 concerts in 13 days plus the vma’s. Shes great to her fans. She we tell ehr security to move so she can sign autographs. She continues to do great work for charity (including giving away a guitar today) but that is never mentioned because it doenst fit the agenda.
The VM’a the other night set her up. You will see the gif below
http://yougotscarsthateyescantsee.tumblr.com/post/59377150012/makeyourwordscount-guys-spread-this-shit-like
One of my biggest Peeves are People who act like their unqualified opinions are more than just opinions. For example, people who say an artist “can”™t sing”. You have every right to not enjoy someone”™s voice, but if you are not a music professional, that opinion is actually “I don”™t like so-and-so”™s voice” it is not “so and so can”™t sing.” Or someone who is not an eye doctor assuming someone with bad vision can”™t drive. That decision would be up to an eye doctor to assess, as it is about laws and regulations, not someone”™s preference or opinion. Its not determined by someone who has zero education or expertise in that area. Can”™t STAND people who think their opinions are facts when they are not educated enough to call said opinions facts.
August 28, 2013 @ 10:38 am
Rachael, There is a difference between being a great role model, and talking about being a role model as a marketing gimmick. People who are good role models do not need to make it a point to talk about it in public. I found some of her comments on being a role model to be very superficial, and heavily focused on the clothes a person wears. I’ve seen the video where she talks about being a role model, and it seems very contrived and calculated. She’s done a great job of marketing herself to gullible people like you.
August 28, 2013 @ 2:23 pm
Adrian,
That comment that is straight insulting to me.
You don’t have attack me. You can have disagree
With me it’s fine. The biggest problem is the
Media and bloggers such as Trigger they will
Make up stuff and put it online as a fact.
She continues to give back constantly and it isn’t calculated.
She has always been concerned with how she conducts herself.
She is never out drinking, partying,smoking but let’s
Sit here and call her a fake is wrong. A lot of people
Don’t like her and that bias get in the way.
She was named most charitable celebrity in 2012.
She is great to her fans, always is classy in public.
It’s so frustrating that she is criticized even though she’s
One if the best role models on music. Trigger has
An agenda and that is clearly shown.
August 28, 2013 @ 8:49 pm
Imagine a television commercial that goes like this:
Stressed Out Suburban Mom: (watches Miley Cyrus video, recoils in horror) “Oh my god, there are all these bad things happening to our children. What are we going to do?” (worried)
Tween Daughter: (watching Taylor Swift video) “I LOVE Taylor Swift! <3 <3 <3"
Taylor: "I think about a million people when I get dressed in the morning"
Stressed Out Suburban Mom: "Problem solved" (sigh) (goes back to sleep)
Anyway it would be very easy to fit her statements about being a role model into a marketing campaign. Rachael, I'm thinking you might be a good candidate to play the role of the mother in this hypothetical commercial.
August 28, 2013 @ 9:06 pm
You still havent proven anything that she strictly does this for image. T Her actions speak louder than words. She has always been this way. She cant do anything to change peoples minds because they don’t liek her because shes successful. SHe could cure cancer and youd say its her being fake. GMAB.
I know I take great pride in watching what my daughters listen to. I wholeheartedly support her listening to Taylor. She has never been fake. She has helped many boys and girls get through rough times and that cant be discounted. IT seems that you don’t any research at all and just go by what the media says.
Your comment is offensive again..Why attacking me? Why you gotta be so mean?
August 28, 2013 @ 7:39 pm
I don’t find this cover photo of her very classy or something young girls should emulate. She has dated many people and then written not so nice lyrics about them. She acts immature for her age. Plus, the fact that she still can’t sing is a problem. If I was looking for a role model for my child, it would be someone who actually excels at their craft, skill, career etc., and is humble and gracious. But, to each their own. I will admit it must be difficult to find proper role models if you are looking at the pop culture for them.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/10/12/taylor-swift-graces-the-cover-of-rolling-stone/
August 28, 2013 @ 9:00 pm
It’s not very hard at all. Taylor is a great role model. She is never in the news for drinking, partying, smoking ever. The only stories that are written are gossip that are lies. She has dated only 2 guys since 2010 and thats not that many. Every other artist writes about their personal relationships.
She doesnt just write songs about breakups and thats not debatable. Such as
Ronan, Eyes Open, Safe and Sound, Change, The Best Day, The Lucky One,etc. She does plenty of a wide array of work but why let facts get in the way.
She can sing and has made improvements over time to get better, which she has. Just because you don’t like the music doesn’t mean she cant sing. There are plenty of artis that I don’t like but I dont say they can sing, thats out of line.
August 28, 2013 @ 10:42 pm
You may have a serious case of celebrity worship going on here. Wow.
Or, are you Taylor?
Reality shows and certain politicians employ teams of psychologists to figure out
how to get into the minds of the masses. Obsessions aren’t easy to overcome but
but it can be done.
Good luck.
August 30, 2013 @ 2:17 pm
What the media says must be true, I guess? Let’s ignore her words. 😉
As for the “can’t sing” thing, she excels at smaller setting. But a trainwreck when it comes to televised performance, okay-ish with big productions on tour.
I don’t know what’s this thing with “role model” thing in America, but what I learnt from TS, other than being good to ppl: be an individual. It’s perfectly fine to be one, and miles better than being a mindless sheep. Isn’t it pretty much a good role model?
Idk, to me, that’s good role model there.
She’s not afraid to be who she is, as weird and fucked up she is. Even tho currently she’s in shithole. But she’s 23, still learning (personally imo, learning process never stops, doesn’t matter how old one is.) There are ups and downs, one hope this phase would end soon and some lessons learnt.
August 30, 2013 @ 2:02 pm
Oh, is that how the outsider see TS?
Well, pretty funny. I’ll just say that I’m a huge fan of TS here. Been one since early 2007. I’m also pretty active at fan discussions, be it on tumblr or message boards. Truth be told, a lot of the stories about her giving back to the communities rarely go out. If the fans do know any, it’s because those people blogged about it, not her.
What I learnt from her is: be good to people, despite your own personal shitstorms.
What I admire from her: She’s emotionally honest. She worked her tail off. And she stands on her own ground. Even tho currently, she’s not being herself, but I can still sense the good ol’ weirdo that I originally love. I can only wish she will finally stop listening to the people who keep telling her to change to fit their standard.
Basically, I know who I admire here, a beautiful mental jukebox.
If that’s what you see, then I’m afraid, it seems like her detractors are just as susceptible to marketing as the casual fans.
August 27, 2013 @ 6:37 pm
how about Neko Case?
August 27, 2013 @ 9:00 pm
The Opry may have something to say about that. She’s banned for life for taking her top off during a plaza performance. I keep meaning to write an article about that, it’s a pretty interesting story.
I would say Neko has some role model qualities.
August 30, 2013 @ 2:19 pm
Wha? Any reason why tho?
I love Neko. Have you read her interview with Guardian? Some deep stuffs there.
And she makes a great point about feminism there btw.
August 27, 2013 @ 11:13 pm
i did a quick google search to see who’s banned from the Opry and all i’m finding is Hank Sr. and her,and Johnny Cash apparently was temporarily banned. is it really just those two?
August 27, 2013 @ 11:38 pm
I doubt Hank3 will be receiving any Christmas cards from the Opry anytime soon.
August 28, 2013 @ 9:15 pm
Trigger,
Tell em again why you don’t see her as a role model? She had a dream as a little girl and went to nashville begging companies to give her a chance. Thats what kid asks for is a chance and she is living her dream (workwise at least). She continues work hard at her craft as she is currentlyon her north american tour followed up by her european and asian tour. She will have a new album next fall and its been a contiosly cycle for 7 years.
She never gets into any trouble, never gets any dui’s, or arrested. Plenty of other artists do this constantly. But yet she is harassed constanly by the media. They try to say she has too many bf’s but that isn’t true.
When she writes breakup songs shes called bitter but when others artists ,s uch as adele, they are praised. Its a big time double standard that continues because shes a successful 23 yo superstar.
August 28, 2013 @ 10:37 pm
I have never criticized Taylor Swift for writing breakup songs, or for her dating too many boys etc. etc. like popular media, and have even gone out of my way to say her personal life is none of our business. I’m glad she’s never got in any personal trouble, but have we sunk so low that not racking up a slew of DUI’s is a sign of character instead of a normality?
I’ll even give you that Taylor Swift has some role model qualities, but in my opinion the biggest role model issue I have with her right now is how she is not being herself, letting Scott Borchetta, Shellback, and Max Martin run roughshot over her to the point where she looks like a robot to me. I know you disagree, but that is my opinion. We all make mistakes, and in my opinion one DUI is better than not being yourself. That is not setting a good example for girls.
But is Taylor Swift a better role model than most pop stars? Sure. That still doesn’t necessarily make her a good one.
August 29, 2013 @ 2:42 am
Trigger,
I think it’s been explained pretty clear why she brought them in to Co write the songs with her. Watch the storytellers she explains this in entail. If you choose to ignore her qualities about being a good model because you have some fixation that she has run roughy shed on the album. What happens if she is nominated for a Grammy for “red”. I think she controls who she brings in and who works for. Any background would know this summer that she fired 3 days who wanted to dance at the VMA’S WITH Katy perry and broke their contracts but they wanted to keep working but she got riding them. She is in total control of her agency and who she collaborates evident by her. Tour.
One issue I take with is that she is. Just a pop star which she isn’t. Sh sings pop and country. I think if she releases all too well as a single this may help with the album.
I still don’t understand that she isn’t a good role model. She works hard, she doesn’t use sexuality to sell her music, she gives back enormously. You do realize she was most charitable celebrity of the year. She writes songs for cancer victims to help raise money. Which taylor swift fans are a big part of the Ronan because of this. I didn’t say she was the best role but I think she is right up there. A lot if your reasons are vague and generalizations. She is great to her fans, most concerts she does meet and greets before and after the concert. Not many do both.
August 28, 2013 @ 1:08 am
The Secret Sisters!!
August 28, 2013 @ 11:07 am
thanks Tbo for the shoutout, I’m flattered! What great company to be with, so many wonderfully talented and hard working women mentioned here. Sarah Jarosz and Neko Case are some of my favorites. I’d like to add Brandi Carlile, Carol King, Jenn Bostic and Patty Griffin as well.
August 29, 2013 @ 11:38 am
I’d add Mary Gauthier to that list as well. Talk about not bending to fit the mold… Her interview with Otis Gibbs really painted a great picture of her career and the work she’s done to get where she is now.
http://otisgibbs.com/episode-9-mary-gauthier/
August 29, 2013 @ 5:07 pm
Rooting for our home town talent of Paige Anderson and the Fearless Kin, thanks for giving them a huge pat on the back.
August 29, 2013 @ 5:15 pm
Adele might have vocal talent but her music has never struck me as more substantive than anything else that’s on the radio. Apparently that means that I’m an unintelligent music fan, but oh well. One can only sing so many songs about love.
August 29, 2013 @ 5:32 pm
My daughter is a big Haley Williams fan and I’ve always been okay with that..Good list!
August 30, 2013 @ 2:28 pm
Never mind! Just re-read your comment. Feel dumb. But please do link once you found the article. Never heard about it before.
September 2, 2013 @ 6:27 am
Miley’s performance was problematic because she used black women with “big butts” as stage props. She should be able to express her own sexuality in whatever way she chooses. There is nothing depraved about a woman dancing in a bikini. (Of course, her stag craft is another discussion. She can’t dance, looked highly uncomfortable etc etc)
Not that I think any less of her for it but Hayley Williams has chased mainstream fame by collaborating with famous artists from other genres – the rapper B.o.B and the EDM artist Zedd. She has also posed nude photos of herself on her twitter account but later said it was accidental.
September 2, 2013 @ 6:30 am
*stagecraft
September 4, 2013 @ 7:51 pm
All I know is that this Swift superfan in this comments section is cracking me up!
September 26, 2014 @ 11:35 pm
This is a very sorry list. Only one really popular singer (Kelly Clarkson) If Kelly Clarkson and arguably Taylor Swift is as good as it gets U.S civilization is doomed. I would agree with Shakira but her image is far too sexualized, granted it does seem sincere and isn’t trashy.