LISTS: MORE FEMINISTS ANTHEMS WITH FRIENDS

Trigger warning: mentions of S.A

One step forward, two steps backwards. Have we made any progress? Of course, we have. Is it enough? No. Women still fear walking on their own late at night. But hey, it's their fault! They should not show an inch of skin. Every woman should spend their evening on the couch watching reality TV shows with all of the windows and doors of their place locked. Educate men? Nah, WOMEN are responsible. They should not put themselves in danger. Walking home after what was possibly the best night of their existence...DANGER!!!!!! If it wasn't clear by now, I was being sarcastic. Placing the blame on women for men's inappropriate words, violent behavior, and overall disrespect of boundaries is one of the million reasons why we still need feminism to this day. Here is an important reminder about what being a feminist is all about; it was never and will never be about hating men. We want equality, not superiority. Once again, some of my best friends and I have put together a collection of songs that we believe illustrate particularly well what it's like to be a woman in today's society. Whomever you may be or wherever you reside in the world, thank you for giving a shit about this project of ours. 

 

CIRCLES BY YOURS TRULY (2019)

With an incredibly catchy chorus and a colorful music video, it's easy to forget that this track by Yours Truly is serious. On this song featured on their 2019 EP "Afterglow", vocalist Mikaila Delgado delivers lyrics about how women's voices are constantly undermined. Are women's ideas and thoughts any less important or intelligent than men's? Surely not! Women deserve to share what's going on in their minds. An individual could come up with a life-changing invention, a solution to a problem seemingly impossible to solve. All of this greatness could come from anyone, regardless of their gender. Let women speak up! Don't assume anything coming from a woman's mouth will be dumb or useless. That's just fucked up! The general message of this track is all about that type of behavior (or any unacceptable behavior for that matter) that is still experienced by women after all this time. "I fail to see these so-called changes. We just go in circles".  

Owner of this blog (if you know, you know), she/her

TO BE FREE BY TONIGHT ALIVE (2015)

"Don't come looking for me/I don't want to be found/I just want to be free" sings Tonight Alive vocalist Jenna McDougall all by herself before the band joins in, making such an impactful intro to a powerful song. The opening track to the band's 2016 album Limitless is an empowerment anthem about wanting to be yourself and also the best version of yourself without any barriers or glass ceilings in the way. In a male dominated scene, Tonight Alive broke out in 2011 with front woman Jenna McDougall being another great role model like Hayley Williams and Cassadee Pope before her to young girls and inspiring female artists motivated to follow their dreams. By 2016, Tonight Alive experienced quite a lot in the pop punk scene and life in general since their formation and Limitless was a reflection of that. The music industry isn't always caring to artists and To Be Free is a liberation anthem calling for wanting to be our authentic selves without any interference. In the second verse Jenna proclaims "I'll never compromise again", one of many standout lyrics from her, taking a stand against the powers that be and taking her identity back. In the bridge of the song she repeats a powerful mantra "Limitless/limitless/I am limitless", inspiring the namesake of the album and bringing the message of the song to a higher level. No matter what obstacles we face in life, we are without a doubt limitless and will find a way over anything that stands in our way. To Be Free is an inspiring song from one of the most influential women in the pop punk genre. To quote an onstage mantra from Jenna she would recite at Tonight Alive shows around the Limitless era, "My reality, my expectations. My reality, my fucking expectations!".

Miracle, she/her 

DJANGO JANE BY JANELLE MONAE (2018)

In "Django Jane," Janelle Monáe uses her vocal talents and profound artistry to craft lyrics bursting with imagery, especially as you dig deeper. This empowering anthem covers themes of Black feminism, which focuses on the intersectionality of sexism and racism—an aspect that is unfortunately often forgotten in discussions of feminism (see white feminism). In other words, Black women's experiences specific to them tend to be overlooked and invalidated, which Janelle reaffirmed in an interview, saying, "[This song is] a response to me feeling the sting of the threats being made to my rights as a woman, as a black woman, as a sexually liberated woman, even just as a daughter with parents who have been oppressed for many decades." That's also why songs like this one are so important when it comes to representation, especially in a society that continues to depict the same faces and stories over and over again without much variety or, even worse, not depict them at all. Say it with her: "Black girl magic, y'all can't stand it, y'all can't ban it!" So, if you're in the mood to learn an iconic rap by heart and see women in military attire guarding a queen, look no further than this stunning music video!

Cinth, she/her

PURPLE LACE BRA BY TATE MCRAE (2025)

It is an honor to be participating in the second edition of the Feminist music article, celebrating the artistry and impact of women in music across the globe. Who can talk about female powerhouses in music without speaking about THE Tate McRae, local legend, and objectively this generation’s Britney Spears. Her newest album, So Close to What, came out this past February, and it is just filled with BOPS and BANGERS! A bold anthem I’ll be discussing in more detail is called Purple Lace Bra, a song that has the Internet talking, a script on pop culture’s obsession with female sexuality. Behind this catchy song with sultry beats and whispery vocals, Tate portrays the tension between self-expression and public perception, unpacking her relationship with the media and how people have so many opinions about what she does, as well as her appearance. Tate said in a recent interview : “I would feel confident and empowered one day, in my own skin and it would be completely misunderstood the next day”. This theme runs through the lyrics of this song, which asks important questions such as : would she be taken more seriously if she dialed down her sexuality or leaned further into it? It is a dichotomy of being sexualized by the media but also feeling sexually empowered in her music. 

“Would you hear me more if I whispered in your ear? Made all my inner thoughts sound like, "Ah, ah". Would you hear me more if I touch you right here? Made everything I want sound like, "Ah, ah" (oh)”

In fact, this song truly shows the harsh reality of being a woman in the music industry, which unfortunately values a woman more for her body than her talent. This industry simultaneously demands sex appeal from female artists but punishes them for embracing it. Tate is confronted to this double standard, by being constantly criticized on how she dresses, how she walks into a room, how she acts. 

“Did my purple lace bra catch your attention? Uh Yeah, the look in your eye made me question”.

This last lyric is a jab at the way female artists are often heard only when they present themselves though a lens of sexuality and desirability. And Tate is frustrated of this feeling of being unheard despite her relentless effort. Purple Lace bra is not just a song, it is an important statement about reclaiming agency and demanding recognition for one’s artistry, not just one’s appearance. It is a female empowerment song about ownership and the exhausting battle for control over one’s narrative in a hyper-visual, hyper-critical world. 

"I been singin', I been screamin' / I been goin' all night 'til my throat's bleedin'."

Serina, she/her

LOUD BY SOFIA CARSON (2022) +TOO MUCH BY DOVE CAMERON (2025)

This year, it took me a while to decide what song I would talk about. Back in 2024, I thought I knew where my next article for women’s month would go and which song and artist I would cover (although I did have a back-up song if I changed my mind).  But then Dove Cameron released her song “Too Much” this year and things changed. I realised that I couldn’t NOT talk about Dove’s song. I also realised that I couldn’t NOT talk about Sofia’s song along the way because the two songs are closely interconnected if you think about it. They underline a very true and critical issue women face in our society; women are expected not to make waves, to stay in their lanes, not to be too loud or too much. 

How many times when a woman has raised her voice just a tiny bitin order for others to hear her point of view when she felt no one was listening has she been accused of being on her period? How many times has a woman who spoke too emphatically or too passionately been accused of being emotional? Hysterical? A man is strong in his conviction and determined to get his point across; a woman speaking in the same way is told she is being emotional and to calm herself down. Sofia Carson points this out in her song very clearly: 

“If I was a man

Then you would understand

You wouldn't say I'm causing all this drama

Are you getting uncomfortable now?
I'm a little too loud for you now?
Don't try to calm me down
I was made to be
LOUD!”

These lyrics show the reaction that too many people still have when women try to speak up about their opinions or when they get out there confidently instead of being more meek and shy. In her video, Sofia acts very confident in herself as she asks, “Are you getting uncomfortable now?” In the beginning of the song, she says “Confrontation never has been my strength, Always feel like I should take all the blame” which means that at one point in her life, she wouldn’t speak up. Then, she goes on to say that things changed and now she asks if people are uncomfortable with the fact that now she DOES speak up for herself. She does NOT accept that all the blame be put on herself (which is a common gaslighting technique used against women by the way…making her believe she’s the only one to blame and she’s crazy to think the other person had anything to do with the issue, but let’s not get me started on that topic!) Then, she goes on to say “Don’t try to calm me down”. That has to be one of the MOST COMMONLY used phrase to gaslight women into thinking they are being unreasonable, hysterical or angry over nothing when in fact they are not acting any different than a man would. The people gaslighting them just have this incredibly bizarre idea that women are not allowed to act the same way men are, that woman cannot EVER raise their voice, speak loudly or with conviction and passion. I know that when I speak with conviction and passion people have told me to calm down and not be angry when I was in fact NOT angry. I was simply passionate. And I can’t help but wonder if Sofia is right and things would have been different if I was a man; would these same people have reacted differently if I were a man and had spoken exactly how I did. Considering the amount of times women who were not PMS-ing were accused of PMS-ing for acting in ways that were actually completely socially acceptable for any guy out there, I would say the answer to that question is “probably yeah”. 

Sofia’s song points out that when a woman exhibits a behaviour that is acceptable for a man, all of a sudden, it is TOO MUCH. Women cannot be LOUD. But in her song, she claims that she is meant to be, we all are. And indeed, we are meant to be loud because we are meant to be HEARD. We deserve to be heard as much as the next person. Sofia’s song, just like Dove’s, is very freeing. Sofia shows us how she sheds the expectations that others pushed onto her:

“I don't care if you don't like what you see

I'm not pleasing you 'cause I'm pleasing me

Not wasting more time, I'ma speak up my mind when I want”

This shows how she used to feel like her voice was silenced and oppressed before but will have no more of it. Similarly, in my opinion, Dove’s song “Too much” is about freeing yourself of other people’s unreasonable expectations after realising the toxicity of the environment you’re in. 

“I-I, I should've seen the signs
You could never look me in the eye
I-I, I put you in the sky
Oh, it's so like you to put me down, down, down”

So, in this paragraph, the narrator says, “I should have seen the signs”. I think the narrator means the signs that they were in an unhealthy environment which is confirmed by the lyrics “Oh, it's so like you to put me down, down, down”. These lyrics to me really link to Sofia’s song “Loud” because what better way to push a woman down than to silence her? Taking a person’s voice away, making them doubt that their voice has any power is one of the most harmful thing you can do to another human being. If you think that what you say has no power, that no one will listen to you or believe you, then you basically become fair game. The lyrics about being put down also make me think of negging, which is unfortunately also a common technique along gaslighting to “put women in their place” (which I’m guessing for the people who used those techniques means below men in the social hierarchy). This is confirmed when we get to this lyrics  "You're so pretty when you're so quiet", which is an incredibly manipulative, insulting, backhanded compliment (aka negging). 

However, the chorus shows us that women are strong, resilient and once they realise that they are in a toxic environment, they can rise up and free themselves from the shackles that others are trying to slap on them.

“If you say I'm too much, baby, go find less
If you can't keep up, stay below, I guess
If I'm such a big deal, maybe you're too little
Ooh, ooh, it's tough, I'm too, too, too much”

What I LOVE about the chorus is that is so CLEARLY tells all girls that there is NOTHING wrong with being LOUD and OUT THERE IN PEOPLE’S FACES! If people have problems with you being EXTRA then it is absolutely THEIR problem for not understanding FABULOUSNESS. Seriously. Dove says it so well; if you can’t keep up with how extraordinary someone is, then stay below, I guess. The chorus tells women not to be stopped. They can choose to be and do what they want and they should not let other people dictate anything about it because in the end, if someone has a problem with it, that’s not your issue, it’s theirs. It is however a sad fact that some people do take issue with women being loud, and confident. I think what those two songs underline are issues that are also pointed out by Gloria in Barbie: 

“You're supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you're supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. […]And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.” (1:25:00,Barbie, 2023)

The “not so pretty” is also addressed by Dove:

“Doin' too much, puffing up your dress"
"Where you goin' in that little white dress?"
"Who you're doin' all that work for?"

These lyrics mention criticism by what I deduce is a partner. In Barbie, Gloria says that you have to stay pretty for men, but not too much both because of men and other women. In Dove’s song, the partner asks why the woman is dressing up and putting all that effort, as if it’s not for only herself, but also partly for him. Because when you go out with your partner, how you are dressed up reflects on them. If I were to go to a formal business dinner with my partner dressed in jeans, that would reflect badly on said partner. Those types of dinners demand a minimum of decorum. The partner is clearly implying that the woman is doing something wrong here, which brings me back to the quote from Barbie “but also everything is your fault” which is a sentiment that Sofia Carson at one point felt(“Always feel like I should take all the blame”). 

Sofia released her song before the Barbie movie, but Dove released it after and both songs are still so needed in today’s society as well as the movie because 1.Women are still being told to calm down and be quiet, and 2. People are still denying that some women are being mistreated in the workplace or in their homes and that society is still not equal. When the Barbie movie came out, it was a huge success, but I remember some people on the Internet rolling their eyes at Gloria’s speech and denying the truth of it. Well, I’m not sorry if my voice is LOUD and TOO MUCH when I tell you that Sofia, Dove, and a fictional character named Gloria have the right of it.

Mel, she/her  

I'M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE BY WINONA FIGHTER (2024)

To me, this song encapsulates how women feel when sharing stories of abuse and not being taken seriously. It also contains lyrics about how a lot of men are not held accountable for their disgusting actions toward women. Many men still have friends, families, careers, and beautiful lives no matter how dangerous their words and behavior can be. They do not suffer any real or substantial consequences. "And boys like you should rot for what they've done. Don't blame your mother." Society also tends to come up with excuses to justify men's aggressive behavior towards women. While we can sympathize and even empathize with men or people of any gender for having a rough childhood or being victims of abuse themselves, it will never excuse their terrible actions.   

If they look nice, they must be nice, right? As insane as it may sound to some, it's often not the case. Even your (in appearance) incredibly charitable neighbor of 14 years can be an abuser, and you better believe his wife when she tells you everything she has had to endure during all of these years. Time and time again, society (including many women) gets fooled by men's performative kindness. A lot of women are sadly quick to dismiss other women's stories of abuse based on the sole fact that the men who are accused of misconduct look nice. "Jesus Christ, if one more person tells me he looked nice, I guess that I’ll just stab out my own eyes."  

Owner of this blog (if you know, you know), she/her

PHOENIX BY LETTERS SENT HOME (2022)

Letters Sent Home are an amazing up and coming band with not just one but two incredible women in their lineup: Emily Paschke on vocals and Lara Pike on bass guitar. They make up half of the band who have consistently delivered incredible songs across 4 EPs and on their 2024 debut album Forever Undone. I knew I wanted to talk about Letters Sent Home for this article and out of all the songs I could have chosen, I picked their song Phoenix. It is actually the first song they wrote as a band but since their first EP is non-existent anywhere online, they re-recorded it for their 2022 EP Fire In Me and it is a perfect introduction to the band and what they are all about. Letters Sent Home have released so many powerful songs and Phoenix is definitely one of them. Emily sings about a girl who is being bullied and being told to stay silent and feels hopeless. The verses of the song's main character feel so relatable with lyrics like "She cried herself to sleep at night way too many times" and "Pretending everything's ok/Is the only way". Some of us have been through that and it feels like you are listening to the cries of your past self and makes you want to give them a hug and assure them that everything will be okay. Thankfully in the chorus, the girl finds her strength: "She's shouting out loud" and "Holding her head high/She is going to fight", Emily narrates with her soaring vocals. And in the bridge of the song, the girl rises from the ashes of abuse and becomes stronger like a phoenix in the lines "Fire is in her eyes/She has been hurt/But she is going to rise", offering a glimpse of hope and a happy ending for her after all. Again Phoenix feels super relatable for anyone who is on the ropes and learns to fight back, it is an uplifting fight song from Letters Sent Home. As I mentioned earlier, the song also makes a perfect introduction to the band with its music video. It shows the band playing the song in various locations and footage of them on tour as it highlights each band member throughout the video. You feel like you are with the band who are guiding you along whatever you are going through in life to a very comforting song. And this is just one of many powerful songs from Letters Sent Home, who might be a new music discovery in the soundtrack of your life after reading this.

Miracle, she/her 

WOMAN BY KESHA (FEAT. THE DAP KINGS HORNS) (2017)

In "Woman," Kesha delivers a certified-platinum feminist anthem that is both timeless and groovy. She admitted in an interview that she released the song in part because of Donald Trump, specifically his disgusting comment about "pussy grabbing," and this couldn't be a better response! With him being elected for a second time this past year despite his sexist and misogynistic views and remarks, it makes being a woman in North America quite terrifying; but, it makes you feel extremely angry too. That's namely why yelling, "I'm a motherfucking woman, baby, alright. I don't need a man to be holding me too tight!" never fails to feel so good. It's also very empowering for Kesha as it is well-known that she was sexually assaulted by her former producer Dr. Luke—without mentioning all the untold stories of countless other female artists who have been harassed by men in the music industry. So, whenever you have the urge to dance and sing to a catchy track while simultaneously ruminating on the joys and pride of being a woman, then check out this awesome music video!

Cinth, she/her

GIRL$ BY STAND ATLANTIC FEAT. PVRIS AND BRUSES (2024)

"Men will never know how it is to be a woman?" Some men will be annoyed with that statement, but let's face it, it's entirely true. When one watches the hilarious music video accompanying this song, it's easy to misinterpret or undermine its message. Women face all kinds of situations and issues that men will never even have to think of for a second in their lives. Stand Atlantic's lead singer Bonnie Fraser reminds us how women are criticized in the harshest ways, notably for their looks. It's always too much or never enough. We can never win.  Once again, it may sound like an old idea, but society's unashamed way of constantly commenting on women's faces and bodies makes it an unfortunately relevant idea. "Too pretty, too ugly. Too skinny, too slutty"  

Moreover, Pvris' mastermind, Lynn Gunn performs a verse that points out how violently and exaggeratedly a lot of men react when they don't get what they want. "I don't wanna fuck, so call me a liar." NEWS FLASH: Spending the evening with someone doesn't necessarily mean you will sleep with them. That's okay. They don't owe you anything. You don't owe them anything. 

Let's not forget about Bruses' verse about doing what she wants to do and not being afraid.  

What an explosive track delivered by three women from different parts of the world! The lyrics to this track might not be written in the most expressive or heavy manner; however, they are as effective and significant.   

Owner of this blog (if you know, you know), she/her

                                   

CHINESE FIRE HORSE BY GARBAGE (2025)

When it comes to feminist icons in music, one of the first people I think of is always Shirley Manson, the vocalist of the band Garbage. Ever since hearing their song "Only Happy When It Rains" in Guitar Hero 5 during Christmas break in 2009, I instantly became a fan. I have always wanted to write about Garbage for these articles but now I am. I could go on and on about Shirley Manson's impact and inspiration for so many female artists since the 90s and had trouble picking a single Garbage song to write about but a surprise last minute song change and inspiration struck last week. As of writing this, Garbage just released their fantastic new album Let All That We Imagine Be The Light and there is a song on there called Chinese Fire Horse that I just had to write about for this article. Shirley Manson has always never been afraid to speak her mind and defend herself against naysayers in the music industry whether a dumb question comes up in an interview or rightfully calling out a sexist or ageist remark in an article about the band, Chinese Fire Horse is a perfect song that represents Shirley's attitude and resilience and is also inspiring. She immediately comes in with the ultra catchy "Oh wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a fucking minute, wait a minute" vocal refrain that gives beautifulgarbage era vibes and metaphorically grabbing sexism by the throat with that hook followed by calling out ageism in the first verse. The lines "You say my time is over/That I have gotten old" and "You say I'm looking heavy/And I have lost my mind/That I should do the right thing by everybody/And I should just retire", we see Shirley calling out ageist remarks by the music industry and the comments section (A horrible place that sadly so many non-male artists have to deal with). But then in the chorus Shirley Manson declares that 30 years after Garbage's debut that she is still Shirley Fucking Manson and isn't going anywhere with "Yeah I may be much older, so much oldеr/Yeah, yeah so much older than you/But I’vе still got my power in my brain and my body/I'll take no shit from you". With experiencing ups and downs from the music industry, artists gain so much wisdom that often gets discarded. Shirley has experienced it all but she is so much smarter than the countless sexist music tabloid culture writers that have came and went during Garbage's career so far. You might be wondering why this song is called Chinese Fire Horse. That is because Shirley Manson was born in 1966 and that year was the year of the fire horse in the Chinese zodiac. People born that year are seen to be smart, work hard and also forceful and tend to defend for themselves and others. Shirley Manson is smart, has worked hard her entire life and always stands up for what's right and calls out bigotry. She stands up for women, the LGBTQ+ community who always feel safe at Garbage shows and has been supporting Palestine on social media way more than her peers from the alternative 90s movement. During her career, Shirley has done things her way and she's still here and still standing. That hard work pays off and continues to be rewarding by being a powerful voice for so many other artists inspired by her since Garbage's formation and just now entering the music business. A great example of this is Chappell Roan who has also worked hard the last decade to breakout in the music industry but is now having her time to shine and is not afraid to call out bullshit in the process and is being her true authentic self. Fuck ageism. Shirley Manson is timeless and so is her influence in music. The fire that drives her creativity and allyship has been burning strong for decades and will only keep roaring as experience fuels it and keeps it going. And she's going to continue to not take shit from anyone for years to come.

Miracle, she/her 

A MAN INVENTED SHOELACES BY BIRDS OF PRRREY (2024)

When thinking about this year's “Feminist Anthems” article I knew I wanted and needed  to write about “Shoelaces” by Birds of Prrrey. Not only do I love that band with all of my heart, the lyrics to this song encapsulate the type of message that is still relevant to women all over the world in this day and age. In this paragraph,  my friend Miracle (who absolutely loves the band as well) and I share our thoughts and analysis of this powerful track.

The impactful opening track from Birds Of Prrrey's debut EP is essential to any feminist anthem playlist. A Man Invented Shoelaces is about the unrealistic expectations men unfairly put on women everyday, whether in everyday life or in the music industry. In the first verse, vocalist/guitarist Clarence sings ""Look at me in my tiny skirt/Your dirty comments" and "I can't go out bare-faced ugly/Match my makeup for fantasy". This verse talks about how women in society are always being expected to look pretty but not too pretty but also not look too plain and the unnecessary struggle to have to please anyone with appearances. This continues in the chorus as the verse ends with "I'd do anything for you to just" and the chorus repeats the line "Look at me". This song is inspiring as these unrealistic and messed up expectations don't matter and are not worth meeting if they will never be enough for someone else. Don't compromise how you want to look for anybody.

The second verse of “Shoelaces” made me think about an excellent episode from the hilariously entertaining yet extremely pertinent TV show Tuca and Bertie. In that specific episode, Bertie experiences sexual harassment at her workplace. When trying to share what she's been dealing with, Bertie is completely dismissed by the HR representative who happens to be a female bird. Sadly, even women overlook other women's feelings and thoughts. And concerns. 

That verse expresses the feelings of being undermined, belittled, and judged. To me, this part of the song articulates how women are valued as lesser. “My voice is just a waste of sound.” This line is an unfortunate reminder that a lot of women are made to feel like their voice does not matter. Their voice is not being heard, and if it's being heard, it's barely being listened to. Women could not possibly be as talented and intelligent as men. Why would women open their mouths and speak.

The metaphor for shoelaces comes into play in the bridge of the song. "If I were to run towards my goal/I would stumble on my shoelace". If you run or fully devote trying to meet unrealistic expectations, they will trip you up as they were never meant to be met in the first place. They were only there just to make you fall. The song teases the idea that a man invented shoelaces so he would have something to look at if a woman falls down. These unfair expectations placed upon women are to just control them or make them fall. Birds Of Prrrey are still a new band and are in their early 20s but have crafted one of quite a few genius and very clever songs they have released so far with A Man Invented Shoelaces.

Owner of this blog, (if you know, you know), she/her

and Miracle, she/her 

As usual, if you have made it this far, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you! Will this article or any songs featured in it change the world? Not exactly. However, listening to these songs, reflecting on the messages conveyed in their lyrics, changing our ways of thinking and acting, and encouraging others (men, women, non-binary peeps, trans women, trans men) to also change their behavior will slowly but surely change our universe for the better. Reaching gender equality is a never-ending battle but it's worth fighting for. Thank you to all the artists and bands who are brave and bold enough to write songs about issues that matter. Thank you to friends who participated in this article and to the ones who have or will support us in any way, shape, or form. Thank you to strangers of any gender for taking the time to read our article. It means more than you know.   

Your favourite blogger/feminist forever

Ariane