Cover Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For’ and more songs to celebrate women this year
Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For’ and more songs to celebrate women this year
1 / 1
Songs to celebrate women, from Gloria Gaynor’s iconic ‘I Will Survive’ to Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For’
Whether you prefer the gloriously gutsy vocals of today’s most popular young artists or subtle but savage hits that took the world by storm when they first hit the scene 40 or so years ago, a well-timed song with a feminist message does so much more than entertain.
From Gloria Gaynor’s immortal 1970s hit I Will Survive to Beyonce’s chart-topping Texas Hold ‘Em on Billboard’s Hot 100 List, here are nine songs that celebrate highs, lows, and everything in between in the ever-evolving landscape of feminine empowerment.
Read more: 9 books by Malaysian women authors you need to read
‘What Was I Made For’ by Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish’s dream-like vocals stormed their way into our hearts with this beautifully written song, which was released in conjunction with last year’s box office hit Barbie movie. The song comments on the pressure we face to be perfect and the joy of breaking out from such unrealistic expectations.
See also: 7 times Margot Robbie’s outfits paid tribute to the Mattel doll during her press tour
‘Daughters’ by John Mayer
Love it or hate it, John Mayer’s 2003 hit Daughters poignantly touches on the fundamental significance and impact that the father-daughter relationship has on so many aspects of a woman’s life.
‘Love Song’ by Sara Bareilles
Let’s all take a minute to appreciate the moment 14 years ago when Sara Bareilles wrote Love Song, the debut single of her first studio album as a defiant nod to the pressure, manipulation and sidelining she faced when trying to make her name in the music industry.
‘Stronger’ by Britney Spears
Where are the Britney fans at? The pop icon’s 2000 hit Stronger will surely bring up nostalgic memories, capturing the truly liberating realisation that we are stronger than we think.
See also: From Britney Spears to Pamela Anderson: 2000s female stars who are reclaiming their own narratives
‘Training Season‘ by Dua Lipa
The image of Dua Lipa seated demurely by a window with a hoard of spectators leering in at her is a hard one to forget in this spunky comeback to the tiresome criticism women sometimes face on having “unrealistically high standards” in a relationship. It may not be 2024’s response to Aretha Franklin’s iconic Respect but it hits the same undertones.
‘Texas Hold 'Em’ by Beyonce
When Queen B says to ‘Park your Lexus and throw your keys up’, you do as you’re told. Beyonce’s country music hit rose to the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs 100 Chart as the singer proudly and loudly returned to her Texas roots.
‘I Will Survive’ Gloria Gaynor
No feminist anthem playlist is complete without Gloria Gaynor’s catchy hit I Will Survive, a song that will doubtless go down in history as celebrating the true power that women have when realising their strengths in their weakest moments.
‘All My Girls Like To Fight’ by Hope Tala
British singer Hope Tala’s lyrics in the first part of this song have an eerie level of relatability for any woman who has ever felt silenced or unheard: “I wish I could throw the first punch, but purity curbs my tongue...And I’m not gonna be the one to try.”
‘Choose Your Fighter’ by Ava Max
Straight out of Barbie The Album, Ava Max’s gutsy and super-catchy hit Choose Your Fighter is a fitting follow-up to her equally empowering Not Your Barbie Girl hit back in December 2017.
Topics
Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
