woman is a word
Just a Girl, No Doubt
Hello, Kittens!
Music Editor, Angela, here and back with another #meowlist, this time celebrating Women’s History Month. I wanted to step a bit outside of the box with this one; you won’t find a playlist full of “strong woman” anthems here. I knew I wanted to honor this month somehow, especially since most of my favorite musicians are women.
I thought, well, when people think Women’s History Month, they think of empowerment anthems, right? But what if I just don’t feel that right now? I kept listening to all of the classic female-centric jams, you know the ones, and I couldn’t feel a thing. That is when I realized that to honor this month is to honor the ugly side of it, too. The parts that make us feel broken, ugly, weak, defeated, hurt, angry, defensive, or upset––all because we are allowed to show that side, too. Some of my absolute favorite songs are by women who do just that. They reclaim their pain and anger and, to quote the late great Carrie Fisher, make it art.
Some of my favorite lyrics ever are in these songs. The chorus in Soccer Mommy’s “Your Dog” is one I often come back to when I find that my worth isn’t being noticed.
Solange’s “Don’t Touch My Hair” is a powerful statement of her identity as a black woman, and how hair plays a vital role in that identity.
Don’t Touch My Hair, Solange
“Simple Kind of Life” is a song I often am fond of, not only because it’s one of the few Gwen Stefani songs that was written entirely by her, but also because the feeling of domesticity is something I yearn for despite how bold I am in my independence.
“Liability” and “needy” both are vulnerable pop records where the artist talks about feeling burdensome and flawed.
Okay, so I did end the mix with a classic female anthem, but I think it’s one that sums up the message here. We can be every emotion, every role, every woman. There is something in each song here that I think can be relatable to women, even though it’s not all pretty.
And to me, that’s something worth honoring.
Angela M. Castelli is and educator, pop culture and music enthusiast, and Pussy Magic’s Music Editor as well as curator/writer for the Magical Meowlists column. She is also co-host of the podcast Hotpod Thoughts and Totally Buggin’. She resides in Los Angeles.