2023 has been a big year for Girls — whether it be the Barbie movie, the Eras and Renaissance tours, or the internet-slang trend that places “girl” in front of any noun, such as girl dinner and girl math.
I can say that this phenomenon extends to music as well. From album releases to record breaking world tours, women seem to be dominating the music scene. To name a few, Taylor Swift releasing Speak Now (TV), Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album release, SZA’s SOS tour, and BlackPink’s Born Pink tour are just a few notable feats.
And this momentum of female pop star accomplishments is not coming to a halt anytime soon. At the VMAs, Taylor Swift took home nine awards and BlackPink won ‘Best Group Award’, only the second girl group to win the award ever. Shakira won the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award, which is a lifetime achievement award for the VMAs. Beyoncé and Taylor Swift now hold the top two spots for most awarded artists at the VMAs. Safe to say, women dominated the awards that night.
The recognition of women’s accomplishments within the music industry is refreshing and exciting! As this year’s Barbie movie also displayed, women’s work and stories should be celebrated.
This idea is further validated by the reaction of Olivia Rodrigro’s sophomore album, GUTS. From personal experience and observed reaction, this album helps girls and young women feel validated in their insecurities and frustrations with heartbreak. Sometimes, there is nothing more comforting than realizing that one of the world’s biggest pop stars understands you.
2023 has gone to show how powerful and impactful women are- I hope this era never ends!