Post by neally on Mar 11, 2014 18:51:58 GMT -5
10 influential women in music
By Mike Benhaim Metro
I appreciate a sexy woman as much as the next guy. Maybe more, depending on who the next guy is and if he even likes women, but if you came here looking for someone to perpetuate some antiquated sexist perspective, you might be disappointed.
The list I have compiled is not about the singer with the longest legs or shapeliest curves. The “hotness” refers to the artistic streak these women are experiencing. Sex appeal never hurts in show biz, but devoid of talent and discipline, it can only take you so far. Unless your name is Hilton or Kardashian, and then apparently, the sky’s the limit.
Using the metaphor that Katy Perry borrowed from Helen Reddy these are the women “roaring” loudest, and carving the musical footprint for females of their era.
Alicia Keys: This singer-songwriter plays piano, keyboards, cello, guitar and bass. Classically trained in Manhattan, her impeccable tastes evolved from a diverse knowledge of musical genres. Keys has combined her skills, vocal prowess, and dazzling smile to beguile audiences repeatedly for a decade and a half.
Beyoncé: Few possess the god-given magnetism this woman displays on-stage. Her first appearance always feels like the UFO opening its doors in Close Encounters (old Spielberg reference. You’re welcome.) Her beauty may distract, but cannot detract from the many facets of her artistry, musicality and tireless work ethic. Her songbook contains a spectrum of emotions from basic to complex, but habitually honest and soul-baring. Perhaps a little more than necessary lately, but most of us appreciate sharing her journey and probably will for years to come.
Carrie Underwood: This “Okie from Muskogee” makes Merle Haggard proud. Little known fact: During Underwood’s run in American Idol’s Top 12, she consistently won voting every week by a landslide to ultimately capture the title. Her songs speak to a broader range of fans than most country singers. She plays guitar and piano, and her combination of sweet, southern humility and ain’t-gonna-stand-for-it gumption make her undeniably appealing.
Lady Gaga: Now you know I’m serious, because behind this diva’s theatrical costumery, no one really knows what she looks like. Regardless, this multi-instrumentalist songwriter and exceptional vocalist is that rare talent about whom one might use the word “genius.” I can’t think of another active artist whose vision from concept to completion is as boundless and inclusive. And trust me, she isn’t done yet.
Katy Perry: She kissed a girl and we liked it. Maybe that girl had magical powers because Katy hasn’t stopped knocking out hit after massive hit ever since. I’m not even sure why anyone buys them when her songs can be heard every five minutes on radio, TV, at shopping malls, carnivals, etc. but they do. And in the quieter moments, alone with those very same tracks, you might find them unexpectedly poignant, which tells me they’ll be around for a long time.
Kelly Clarkson: This girl’s house was built on Moxy. Amercian Idol made her, but maybe some of it was the other way around. Equipped with an unparalleled set of pipes, abundant tenacity, and unwavering artistic identity, she has repeatedly taken the world by storm. And don’t sleep on that smile. It’s irresistible.
Pink: I had the pleasure of meeting this girl when she was an aspiring artist with pink hair, and I had no idea who she would become. With a Catholic father and Jewish mother, there was probably enough guilt to make her quietly go where the music biz wanted to take her, but she fought to carve her own identity and her fans appreciate it. With every project, she digs deeper within herself than any of her pop comrades. She’s a mother, a babe and a badass.
Rihanna: Beauty, tone and taste. She’s parlayed those three things into a massive career. She has little vocal training, plays no instruments and as far as I can tell, can’t write a song by herself. But she has a good voice and collaborates so flexibly that she can nip, tuck, and take a tune from mediocre to spectacular by working through it. Her body of work, speaks for itself.
Shakira: Possibly the most underrated artist on this list. She could have skated by on her looks, but instead learned to play guitar, drums, various forms of percussion and even harmonica. She writes in at least two languages, produces, dances, makes babies and is one of the biggest stars worldwide. For that, she deserves felicitaciones.
Taylor Swift: She’s like the flu you try to fight— running, sweating, even taking drugs, but it eventually overtakes you, and before you know it, you’ve passed it on to everyone at work. Her lyrics are not clever or poetic, but she plays her own instruments and writes her own songs. A lot of songs.
Yes, there are many more emerging every day, and some that are on the fringe of this very list, but there’s no denying that these women have forever impacted the 2000s chapter in the annals of music history. Hear them roar.
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