Making Musical Herstory

Music is something that allows us all to tap into an important part of our mind, connecting us to a meaning or a feeling in this life. In this lifetime, women are thriving and giving such life to music and giving something to pass on to the next generation of female artists.

In March, we internationally celebrate women’s history and the great females who have embarked on their own journeys to making their legacy! This is the year 2021, and now more than ever, there are categories of awards being made for and appointed to these women for their influence and movement through their work. Therefore, in a world where everything is made up of music, there is no greater reward for a publishing artist than to receive a Grammy nomination – besides taking one home of course. The dominating nominee this year was none other than Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and it wasn’t her first time either. Maybe it was back at the 2010 Grammy’s when she took home 6 wins for her “Above and Beyoncé” album, or back in 2004 when she took home another 5. But on Sunday evening, March 14, the 39-year-old musician, wife, and mother – whose daughter, Blue Ivy, also won a Grammy (for Best Music Video, “Brown Skin Girl”)– only makes way for more female voices to progress and make herstory known! All women in music share this power of voice and vulnerability that can lead to create amazing music and a strong supportive system of female musicians.

Taylor Swift was one among many other female artists that held the top amount of nominations that night. Next to her was Pop vocalist Dua Lipa, and company including Megan Thee Stallion, Jhene Aiko, and so many other amazing female artists. Before I go too far, let us not forget that a deceivingly short year ago, Billie Eilish was making her own Grammy history by taking home 5 awards including the title of Best New Artist (2020). As she progresses as an artist, she admitted that she would share her latest win (Record of the Year for “Everything I Wanted” in with her fellow nominees, as she mentioned Megan Thee Stallion during her acceptance speech for record of the year at this year’s outdoor ceremony, there were only smiles underneath all those masks. Seeing the faces of the celebrities even slightly was exciting, just to see live music on live TV, and see the look on the winner’s actual faces.

There must have been an unwritten pressure for writing and/or producing music during a pandemic, and now with there being a surplus of artists that are able to make music in 2020, it truly comes down to the dedication and domineering attitude an artist has toward inspiring more artists overall to emerge themselves and shed light on the power of the creative process. A good part about being an artist today is that you don’t have to win the Grammy to gain the attention of a nation. Many female nominees dominated their categories outweighing their male nominees. The numbers this year tell all, and how Grammy records were breaking again when the academy recorded every nominee for Best Rock Performance and Best Country Album as either a female artist or group fronted by a woman.

There is so much more than just amazing music and popular songs attached to the stigma of female artists, it takes hard work, dedication, and drive to creatively craft together a recording from scratch, working from the bottom up, and guarantee a listener’s satisfaction. The categories seem endless now, especially after you count the number of females nominated for the Grammy’s, and oh how the records just keep on breaking! There was another broken streak by the hilarious comic, Tiffany Haddish, who happened to take home a Grammy for Best Comedy Album. She was the first female of color to win the category since 1986, and she recognized when Whoopi Goldberg took it home. Her excitement comes from the encouraging belief that she had in herself. Against all odds, putting your best foot forward as an artist and/or creator in general, is what drives us through the bumpy roads and believing in ourselves is crucial to that process. Proving anything is possible is hard enough as it is, and to accomplish anything as a female, from being a performer to have the most wins in Grammy History, to a female collaborator during a worldwide lockdown, these women are finding a way to contribute to the change they wish to seek in the world. Another young female artist walked across the stage on that Sunday night, and accepted the award for Song of the Year for 2020 was awarded to H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, for the song “I Can’t Breathe”. Well, I personally can’t imagine how much it means to H.E.R. and to all the female voices out there who aspire to make a difference.

These are just some of the Grammy nominated songs for 2021 that are on my downloaded playlist! All performed by female artists who inspire me!

“See me” – Emily King – R&B performance

“Titanic” – Kany Garcia – (Mesa Para Dos) Latin Pop Album

“Daylight” – Grace Potter – Rock Performance/Album

“The Steps” – HAIM – Rock Performance

“Settling Down” – Miranda Lambert – Best Country Album

“Love is a Fire” – Brandy Clark – Best Country Album

“Distance” – YEBBA – Best Traditional R&B Performance

“I’ll Be Gone” – Norah Jones – Best American Roots Performance

“I’ll Be Gone” – Sarah Jarosz – Best Americana Album

“Stay High” – Brittany Howard – Best Folk Album

“Te Queria” – Lido Pimienta – Best Latin Rock or Alt Album