I don't know there are more women in the industry than ever before and they come in all shapes, sizes, looks, outfits and attitudes.
Kathy Edwards - cute but doesn't make sex videos or wear that type clothing
Karen Van Etten- cute indie girl but once again its not about the looks
Florence- one of the big acts today and while she is into the designer outfits she isn't selling sex
Laura Marling
Tori Amos- maybe back in the day but not today.
Karen O, Beth Orton, PJ Harvey, Bjork, Regina of Arcade Fire, St Vincent, First Aid Kit, Joanne Newsom, Victoria Legrand of Beach House,Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists. so many more
I don't buy the sex and pop r & B clones are only women out there. I don't listen to any of that stuff and still see and listen to so much great women bands and women singers.
No one is more "pro" female than I am. I have discovered quite a few females since 2000 that I think are fantastic vocalists and musicians. Most of them are in the metal genre...............
Sooty has given quite a few examples of females that are quite talented.
As far as females in the POP genre, there is a formula that sells and the music exec's look for females that fit that profile & formula. Very few POP females have caught my eye or ears quite the way Leona Lewis has. The music isn't anything earth shaking or even memorable, but her voice is exquisite. If given the chance, she could become the next Whitney Houston. She also doesn't fit that Blonde bombshell image, she is not trying to sell the sexy image.
I am also fond of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeah's; Karen O. She is not only a very creative vocalist but a superb pianist.
Another outstanding female is Alison Krauss. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. She has transcended several genres, including country and rock.
I dont think gender plays a part in talent or lack of it. That said, Nicole Fiorentino is a god with a bass guitar. If you play bass and youve seen smashing pumpkins live with Nicole in the lineup, you'd see her amazingness just radiates in every note she hits and every chord she plays. She used to play in Veruca salt, bass ad backing vocals after Nina Gordon left. Veruca Salt Kind of like an L7 clone but had far more distortion and apathetic lyrics. Also less feministic.
(Cant post pictures because when i copy the URL it ends up being really long and doesnt link to anything)
Well, there's no way I can not comment in this thread.
First, let me say this: I've listened to more exceptionally good women in this thread alone than I've heard in a long time. I've got some hunting around on YouTube to do.
That being said..
I'm pretty much in agreement with the opinions here. The Christina Aguileras, Mariah Careys, Beyonces, J-Los, etc, etc, of the music world all sound like one big long song to me. Same beat, same sound, nothing really to set one apart from the other.
They club you to death with their vocals and put little thought into anything else. Arrangements? Melodies? Depth?
Whatever. Do what you have to do. Just slap some music all around my vocals so it can be played in the clubs and people can dance to it... I'm the real star here.
That's the attitude.
There are some exceptions. Someone already mentioned Leona Lewis. She's just wonderful. Her voice is just as powerful and commanding as anyone else's, with an exception. She also knows how to be subtle. A slight inflection or whispered word makes all the difference. And she knows that. She knows when to eaaaase back and when to punch it.
Here's a treat for you..Keep Bleeding, a capella. Wanna hear something special? Go to about 3:15. Wow.
Gives me goosebumps. I have this cd, and I'm pretty fond of about 1/2 the songs. The others aren't bad
I listened to Adele's cd 3-4 times and never really absorbed it. It's ok, but nothing really grabbed me. Not saying it's bad, just not my type, I guess.
One I thought was pretty good was Amy Winehouse. I heard a couple of her songs and they were so soulful and rich. I got her cd and found out all her songs are like that. Not a lot of variety in her voice.
I don't know if she counts as a female singer of today, but one of my favorites is Tracey Chapman. Her first cd came out..WOW...24 years ago! That can't be right, can it?
Anyhow, here's an artist that knows how to use her voice. She knows her voice is another instrument, an equal part of the song. She's got a limited range, but that's ok. She's a talented enough songwriter that her songs are well crafted. They have a balance that can only be achieved by someone who knows their own strengths and weaknesses.
What sets Tracy apart is the fact that she's a musician first, a singer second. She gets it, musically.
Now, you folks that know me know what's coming next.
My all time favorite female singer of today or any time, without question, is Avril Lavigne. I never thought I could be so taken with someone's music. Especially a kid. But, for wehat ever reason, She scored a direct hit on my musical taste. A taste I didn't even kn ow I had.
Yea, I know, her pop is what it is. It's a neccessary evil. In music, success isn't measured in quality, but quantity.
Those of you who are Avril fans, and own her cds, know how much deeper she goes.
She either wrote or co-wrote every song on her cds. She plays guitar, piano, a little drums.
She's in the same mold as Tracy, Melissa, Sheryl, Mary Chapin, etc, etc. She's a musician first, then a singer.
She's got a good voice, but not a great one, and she knows this about herself. You're never gonna hear her belt it out like the divas mentioned at the beginning of this post.
Her songs are written with her vocals getting an equal billing with the instruments.
Another instrument she understands are her harmonies. They are soooo rich. There are little inflections here and there that add just a dash of spice you weren't expecting.
What I absolutely love about Avril is she's not afraid to sing about what's inside her. She really explores the human condition, from a first person perspective.
Love, hate, strength, weakness, confidence, self doubt, courage, fear, being lost, finding your way, being alone, being crowded, laughing, crying, anger, forgiving, regret, being at peace, internal strife. She covers it all.
So, anyhow, here a couple Avril's 'non-pop top 40' cuts. Anyone who might want to give her a chance, check these out. There's one from each of her 4 cds. Take note of the harmonies:
From Let Go:
From Under My Skin:
From The Best Damned Thing:
(The vocals at the end of this one are really a treat)
From Goodbye Lullaby:
(She adds another part to the harmonies in each refrain, until she's got an awesome 4 part harmony near the end of the song)
Actually, that last cut could probably be a single, but I couldn't resist sharing the harmonies.
The irony of it for me is, whenever I hear a singer like Adele, my mind instantly tells me "been there, done that." Don't get me wrong, I genuinely love Adele because her songs are amazing, but not so much her singing voice or organic style. As a rock pup since I was 10, I've been there and back with so many Adeles... from Janis Joplin to Fiona Apple, Melissa Etheridge, Macy Gray, Corrine Bailey Rae, Amy Winehouse... Organic pop craftswomen with gruff, earthy voices and a soulful R&B style.
The singers that sound much more generic to many -- Katy, Ke$ha, Dev, Miranda Cosgrove -- are an outstanding breath of fresh air to me, by virtue of what I'm familiar with. If instead of loving rock, I had been a pop young'un, growing up on Madonna, Britney Spears, & the ilk, I'd be in the opposite position, and I'd be all about the Adeles of today.
I think there are a lot of different ways to go about music. You could have a singer whose voice is very distinct in and of itself, say Bon Scott. But when you hear an AC/DC record you're unlikely to consider it shocking and new, because you're well acquainted with AC/DC's style already. That's how I feel about a lot of unique singers. I like unique voices but they have to go along with unique instrumentations or a unique aesthetic to truly fulfill their potential, imho. I'm probably more impressed with a distinct instrumentation or a distinct attitude than I am with a distinct singing voice. At least this month I am.
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