The Feminine Voice

The feminine voice in contemporary music is one of strong individuality. It might be due to the dis-empowerment felt by women in society and the music industry.  Even just when I think about the mainstream female voices from 10 years ago, I think of women like Britney Spears who just embodied all of the stereotypes of femininity. At that time I would have been more ready to say that the feminine voice was that which complied the best with sexual expectations. It seemed like consumers wanted to hear only what did not challenge any norms or standards. While I think there is still something about a perfect girl which is appealing to our society, most of the big female names in music today are very strong individuals. These women, though they often still gain power through their sexuality, do not as easily fit in the boxes which our society tries to put them in. In many cases these female artists push the envelope and gain a sense of empowerment and a voice due to this. Lady Gaga obviously is the main example of this. Her music and performance empowers her through preaching individuality and being true to yourself.

These women are not only considered the voice of females because of their message in lyric form, but what they do in performance and the sound of their music. Lady Gaga has control over her listeners because she combines all sorts of conflicting messages. Lyrics are only part of the message. The images, the sounds, and what she stands for off stage all combine and contrast to form such a wide-spread intrigue. Another female artist who has a very strong voice and strong stage presence is Florence Welch. Her music and message demands the attention of listeners.

Adele is another example of a strong voice both in sound and message. Her music has a message of empowerment for women and individuality. Her songs give women the idea that they can be true to themselves and  break free from the restriction which men and society but on them, and her powerful voice provides the feeling to go along with this.

Miranda Lambert is another young voice who is not afraid to write songs about what she wants.