With winter break coming up, we’ll all have some much-needed free time. What better way to spend all of that free time is there than listening to some fabulous female singers? Here’s a list of some of my favorite female singer-songwriters who will help make your break awesome.
1. Sara Bareilles
I seriously love Sara Bareilles. She’s such a talented writer and singer, and her music is so versatile—she sings about love and loss, happiness and sorrow (her break-up songs are to-die-for), anger and passion, and really everything in between. Also, Bareilles wrote the music and lyrics for one of my new favorite musicals—Waitress—and all of the songs from the show are amazing.
Favorite songs: “Gravity,” “Breathe Again,” “Bluebird,” “Once Upon Another Time,” “Gonna Get Over You,” “Eden,” “Many the Miles,” and every song from Waitress.
2. Carole King
While King got started in the music business as a songwriter, with her now-legendary album Tapestry King established herself as not only a legendary songwriter, but a legendary performer as well. I love King for her status as an innovator of and pioneer for women in the music industry, as well as for her unique voice. Seriously, if you’ve never listened to her music before, check her out. You’ll be surprised at how many of the songs you know and love were written by this musical genius.
Favorite songs: “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Beautiful,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “Child of Mine,” “You’ve Got A Friend,” “So Far Away,” and “Jazzman.”
3. Tracy Chapman
Known for her uniquely deep and moving voice, listening to Chapman’s style of folk/blues/rock alternately moving, inspiring, and simply purely entertaining. Dealing with themes of love, loss, and nearly everything that life can throw at a person, Chapman’s often acoustic or guitar-heavy music is as unique as her voice. In addition to appreciating her for her talent, I have a soft spot for Chapman because of her rise to fame in Cambridge of my home-state Massachusetts.
Favorite songs: “Fast Car,” “All That You Have Is Your Soul,” “Give Me One Reason,” “Sing For You,” “You’re The One,” and “Talkin’ Bout A Revolution.”
4. Joni Mitchell
How could a list of fantastic female singer-songwriters be complete without Joni Mitchell? Mitchell is one of the most prolific and popular female singer-songwriters of all time, and it’s not hard to see why her popularity has endured. Writing everything from protest songs to love songs, Mitchell is one of my all-time favorite artists, and her album Blue is one of my all-time favorites. If you’ve never listened to Mitchell, what are you waiting for? She’ll change your life.
Favorite songs: “River,” “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Blue,” “Carey,” “Answer Me, My Love,” “Chelsea Morning,” “Little Green,” “The Circle Game,” “Amelia,” and “Both Sides, Now.”
While this list only has four fabulous ladies to check out, they each have dozens of amazing songs that are sure to entertain for years to come. I hope you love them all as much as I do!