Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z has come to be recognized — or stereotyped — for individuality and creativity as its main traits. As Gen Zers grow up and are brought to the forefront of art, music, literature, and film, though, the generalization is proven to be true: Shaping the cultural landscape with references from their youth, childhood, and experiences, Gen Z talent has interpreted the things we consume in their own way, making every artwork unique and their own.
Young women especially have been making waves in the industry, advocating for representation, expressing their relationship with womanhood, and experimenting with different areas of art to convey distinctive, original stories. From authors to filmmakers and musicians, here are 10 Gen Z women creatives who are worth watching and celebrating throughout (and beyond) Women’s History Month.
- Yaya Bey, singer
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Fluctuating between R&B, jazz, and soul, singer-songwriter Yaya Bey uses her voice as a way to make a statement. With conversational, nuanced lyrics that emphasize her experience as a Black woman, Bey adds consciousness to her almost autobiographical lyrics. Her latest album, Remember Your North Star, was released in 2022 and sums up her artistry — and powerful vocals.
- Faridah Abike-Iyimide, author
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The debut of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s in the literary world was a phenomenon in itself. With her first novel, Ace of Spades, the British and Nigerian writer reached the New York Times bestseller list and — besides the commercial and public acclaim — was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary. Born in 1998, Àbíké-Íyímídé scored a million-dollar book deal for the hit thriller and is set to release her second book, Where Sleeping Girls Lie, in 2024.
- Madelaine Turner, director
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Madelaine Turner’s creative short films have earned her over three million likes on TikTok — and even brand deals for M&M’s, EOS, Klondike, and more. Combining humor with pop culture and aesthetics, the director and screenwriter has captured everything from adapting 2000s movie classics to portraying coming-of-age stories, all with sensibility and an eye for the artistic taste.
- Zoe Hana Mikuta, author
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22-year-old Zoe Hana Mikuta is the author of the YA sapphic sci-fi duology Gearbrakers, and Off With Their Heads, an upcoming Alice In Wonderland retelling from Disney-Hyperion. Mikuta, currently a student at the University of Washington, focuses on constructing complex, creative realities and plans on “cutting her teeth” on different genres in the future.
- Liz Montague, cartoonist
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Founding her work on the intersection of self and social awareness, Liz Montague is an artist, writer and cartoonist, known for her work featured in The New Yorker and The Washington Post. The author behind Maybe an Artist, a graphic novel-slash-memoir released in 2022, Montague is presently writing a three-book series for Scholastic.
- Chloe Lilac, singer
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Chloe Lilac has been making music for as long as she can remember: At 10 years old, she started teaching herself how to produce; at 12, the Brooklyn musician released her songs on SoundCloud, until she was discovered professionally two years later.
With a sound tinged with indie and alternative references, the artist’s work is poised at the same time as it conveys the recklessness of youth and emotion. As DIY Magazine wrote of her performance in 2017, “She shows a knack for an emotional gut-punch.”
- PinkPantheress, singer and producer
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If she hasn’t been on your radar already, well… she should be. The creative behind hits like “Boy’s a Liar,” “Just For Me,” and “Pain,” PinkPantheress makes bedroom pop, alternative rock and hyperpop her own ever since her successful debut in 2020. Sharing her songs to TikTok while attending university, the English singer-songwriter went viral and was signed to Parlophone and Elektra Records.
- Megan Clark, photographer
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Megan Clark, or digitalsmeg on Instagram, is a self-taught, New York City-based photographer. With film, graphic design and storytelling as her key concepts, she clicks everything from concerts — featuring performers like Tinashe, Monsta X, and Mister Wives — to conceptual photo shoots infused with Y2K, cyber and more.
- Slipmami, rapper
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All the flashback, hip-hop, ‘90s tracks Slipmami listened to in her childhood helped her build a discography that would — even without the release of a full album — be home to nationwide, viral hits.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, the Brazilian rapper is known for using afropunk, the carioca aesthetic and Y2K in her sound, all while spitting confident flows and rhymes penned by the musician herself. Spanning themes like empowerment, sexual freedom, and even “sh*t-rap,” Slipmami has coined her singular musical identity with singles like “Oompa Loompa” and “Malvadeza.” With her rock and hip hop references and iconic outfits, you definitely will be calling her nickname, Malvadeza, in your free time.
- Florence Rose, model and director
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Florence Rose uses interdisciplinary means, like directing, writing, and designing for film and theater as a way of expression. The director behind the short film “One White Feather,” she delves into themes of queerness, memories, womanhood, and trauma through her shorts, which are often experimental and surreal.
As a lesbian filmmaker, Florence intends to broaden the predominantly male-dominated genre of surrealism by adding female-led video art and narratives. She is also a part of the “I Feel It Everywhere I Go” project, which celebrates female voices in art.