Black female singers and songwriters don’t always receive the popularity or recognition that they disserve. While their contributions to the music industry have influenced iconic shifts in sound, range and genre; they aren’t always credited. In the list below, you’ll find ten black female artists who are completely redefining the music industry and are totally deserving of a larger audience:
1. Syd (The internet)
Honestly. the Internet has easily become one of my favorite R&B collaborations. Syd, or Syd the Kid, is the lead lyricist and singer of the group. Her influence in the music industry has greatly encouraged the growth of Alternative R&B, while simultaneously pulling the genre back to its roots one plush melody at a time.
Syd’s presence in the music industry is definitely not one to take lightly. She is one of the few prominent black and openly gay musicians and has become a real trailblazer for young queer-identified women. Despite the controversies attached to her previous group, Odd Future (the group was heavily criticized for their use of homophobic lyrics), Syd has found major success through her involvement with The Internet.
Through her re-introduction to the public, she has become a strong leader for women’s empowerment; during an intimate conversation with Billboard, Syd explained her desire to organize an all-woman festival to empower and unite women.
Song Recommendation: Come Over
2. Asiahn
Asiahn is absolutely amazing! Her lyricism is beautiful, and each of her songs has a very ethereal sound. Her sound takes on notes of R&B/soul and pop which give way to songs that are both honest and bold. Asiahn has been very vocal in her criticism of the music industry and its perpetuation of colorism, body shaming, and the erasure of queer people of color. Her newest album Love Train 2 could easily become a favorite of yours. Asiahn’s transparency throughout the album is worth valuing. Each song carries a complexity of romance and longing that easily pulls the audience into a lyrical trance and leaves them wanting for more.
Asiahn’s autonomy has definitely afforded her the luxury to be as authentic and bold as she desires. She has been very open about her sexuality and previous relationships, with her suses those experiences as influence in her song making. Opposed to condemning Ex’s or hopelessly praising love, Asiahn makes music centered on forgiveness, growth and self-reflection. When questioned about her music in a Billboard interview Asiahn stated: “I feel like so many songs are either ‘f— my ex’ or ‘I’m so in love!’ There’s no middle ground. Where are the songs that talk about moving forward? Or finding self-love and realizing that you put more effort into loving someone else than you did yourself? I feel like those are things that we should tackle because music can help heal people.”
Song Recommendation: Something New
3. Danielle Brooks
Danielle, most known for her role as “Taystee” on Orange Is The New Black, is finally breaking into the music industry and I am gagging! Until recently, we’ve only caught snippets of her amazing voice on the show and in the occasional internet video, but she has finally answered her fan’s demands and released a single of her own.
Her single, “Black Woman”, can be considered an ode to black women who feel taken advantage by our current culture, and I am honestly living for it. The song addresses issues of culture appropriation, colorism and the general erasure of darker skinned black women in the media.
The song is quite powerful, and I highly recommend listening to it if you have a few tears to spare.
Song Recommendation: Black Woman
4. Amber Riley
Amber is most known for her role as “Mercedes Jones” on Fox’s highly viewed television series, Glee. Throughout her time on the show, we were blessed on several occasions with the sound of her amazing voice. Her success has only continued after the show’s conclusion.
In 2015, she stared in the Live Broadway performance of The Wiz playing the “Good Witch of the North” and in the year following, she portrayed the lead role of Effie White in Dream Girls at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End.
Her voice is extremely versatile and impressive, and it’s a truly an injustice that she hasn’t been afforded the popularity she deserves. There are several internet videos which display her versatility and range, but unfortunately, no recording label has scooped her up. Yet.
Song Recommendation: I Am Changing
5. Ari Lennox
Ari is seriously a must have on your next Spotify playlist! She’s an artist who’s been in the business for a while now, slowly building her audience on platforms like YouTube and Soundcloud. Her single “Whipped Cream” is a definite hit!
Her aesthetic is highly undervalued in the music industry. Her refusal to feed into the industry’s exploitation of woman’s sexuality quickly caught the attention of younger audiences and notable musicians like J. Cole, who recently did a music collaboration with her.
Her sound is heavily influenced by R&B, with an emphasis on the blues, and soul. Her singles “Whipped Cream” and “Shea Butter Baby” are true jams and will amplify the vibe of any social setting. The lyrics are mesmerizing, and the instrumentals are intoxicating. Together, they make me want to groove and cry. The feels are *just* that intense!
Song Recommendation: Whipped Cream
6. Nao
Nao has been coming with straight fire as far back as 2016. Her album, For All We Know, released in 2016, is still on heavy repeat on my Spotify. Her sound is definitely unique and offers something that I didn’t know I desired. Her song lyrics are incredibly touching and relatable and can be enjoyed at any time of day.
Nao’s use of the neo-soul genre has made a definite impact in introducing the style to younger audiences and allowed her to create very vulnerable pieces that her listeners could relate to. Her single “Girlfriend” highlight feelings of longing, desperation and hope that often goes unexplored by today’s popular artists. Her album For All We Know was inspired by failed and successful relationships (romantic, platonic and with the self), and highlights the lessons that she’s learned.
Song Recommendation: Girlfriend
7. Lizzo
Lizzo is definitely a woman after my heart! Her music is fun and is an absolute joy to dance to. She has been a definite advocate of social issues including sex positivity, body confidence and the understanding and acceptance of personal (sexual and gender) identity. She is a hard-working woman and has attained great success while remaining wholesome and her most authentic self. For example, she is very conscious of how her words and actions could affect others. She makes efforts to be as inclusive as possible. She has amazing range, very few of her songs sound the same and she has produced a diverse selection of music to cater to her diverse fan-base.
She’s absolutely hilarious and the ways that she connects with her fans through social media is incredibly entertaining. To inspire her audience to get out and vote for the 2018 midterm elections, Lizzo posted this attention-grabbing video on her Instagram.
Lizzo is definitely worth the looking into if you aren’t familiar with her already. You won’t regret it!
Song Recommendation: Truth Hurts
8. Amber Mark
A true woman of sound and soul, Amber Mark makes music of love and mourning that comes together in a beautiful melody. She makes real music that exploits the grittier emotions and highlights feelings of pain and hope in her songs. She employs a mixture of jazz, R&B, pop and blues, which all come together to create music that is honest and tantalizing.
The music that she has produced thus far has been both fresh and classic. She discovered her multifaceted sound after her mothers passing; music became her means of dealing with her grief and she’s been producing since.
Ultimately, if you’ve been looking for a fresh, new artist, look no further than right here.
Song Recommendation: Lose My Cool
9. Noname
Fatimah Nyeema, or Noname, is an American rapper and poet. While I am still relatively new to her music, I must admit to having been quite impressed with what she has produced thus far. Her songs are serious, heartfelt, and necessary. There hasn’t been a song of hers that I haven’t listened to more than twice to really grasp the intensity of her messages.
While her content would definitely be better enjoyed by mature audiences, there is an undeniable level of skill and authenticity that any audience would find enjoyable. Her most recent album Room 25 is dense, dark and complicated. Noname’s play on modern rap is refreshing and has a somewhat likeliness to brazen, old-school rapping that seems to have been lost by today’s popular rappers.
Song Recommendation: Reality Check
10. Ravyn Lenae
Ravyn Lenae’s music stands alone with its employment of fluid vocals and poetic lyrics. Lenae uses a mixture of neo-soul, electro-jazz, pop and hip-hop to create her unique sound, and has picked up an audience with the use of her fresh beats and lyricism. She has opened for singer/songwriter SZA on her Ctrl tour, which helped to promote Lenae’s music and push her into the public view.
Her music is soft and joyous, and relatable. I look forward to what she’ll create in the future!
Song Recommendation: 4 Leaf Clover
Black women are heavily influencing the music industry with new sounds, styles and aesthetics. It’s important to recognize them for their contributions to music and celebrate their creations. Through doing that, we can ensure a surge of new black female singers and producers who are free to experiment without any limitations.