While it might seem silly to put women in a musical subcategory, it is important to support up and coming female creators. Production, instrumentation, and engineering are still often seen as "off-limits" to women in the industry - despite audiences (and many within the industry) being open to the idea. To this day, no woman has won a Grammy for producer of the year - non-classical. The women on this list are only a handful of singers, rappers, songwriters, producers, and instrumentalists who are changing music. Nevertheless, I hope you leave this article with a few new favorite artists!
1. Dorian Electra
"You know I ain't straight, but Imma say it straight to you", Electra boldly declares at the beginning of their latest single, "Man to Man". Electra is one of the most creative voices in underground pop, with song topics ranging from toxic masculinity ("Man to Man"), capitalism ("Career Boy"), and gender expression ("Drag"). In addition to their iconic lyricism, 80s synths, glitzy bells, and futuristic vocals make their music feel like a sexy blast to a woke past.
2. Quay Dash
Quay Dash is a rapper from the Bronx who is not to be played. In 2017 she released Transphobic, an empowering 6 track EP about dealing with fake people (hint: she doesn't) and being a boss. On "Queen Of This Sh*t" Dash sounds cool and confident over SOPHIE's techno-trap production. Dark, raw, and unapologetic, Dash's music is a stride for LGBT representation in hip hop.
3. Liz
When I met Liz at the Billy Ball earlier this month, she was bubbly, edgy, and excited - similar to her music. Another track produced by SOPHIE, "When I Rule the World" is a sickly saccharine electro-pop banger - and I mean that in the best way. Influenced by the Y2K era, her sound is reminiscent of your favorite early 2000s pop songs - revamped with modern bubblegum dance beats.
4. Zolita
"My body, my choice, my rights and my voice", the 24 year old singer-songwriter proclaims on her track "Fight Like A Girl", which she dropped in 2017 as a response to the 2016 presidential election. Zolita is the lesbian darling of the underground pop scene, and is an advocate for LGBT representation in media. In 2018 she released her debut album, Sappho, which features synth driven pop anthems, smooth vocals, trap and EDM inspired production, and lyrics about love, girls, and the love of being a girl. Me too, Zolita. Me too.
5. Kara Marni
At age 19, London native Kara Marni is already turning heads amongst R&B fans and critics alike. Her vocals are reminiscent of the raspiness Amy Winehouse was famous for delivering, combined with the power of contemporaries like Alicia Keys and Joss Stone. Describing her music as "soul with a sprinkling of pop", tunes like "Curve" and "Gullible" off her 2018 debut album Love Just Ain't Enough are sure to get you moving.
6. SOPHIE
This year, avant garde pop pioneer SOPHIE became the first transgender person to be nominated for a Grammy - and it's no surprise why. Her futuristic production style is inspiring, not only for bringing life to a genre that often gets written off as "uninteresting", but also because she personally engineers every single one of her samples. Her debut album released this year, OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UNINSIDES, is an absolute masterpiece, delivering everything from dizzyingly beautiful pop ballads like "It's Okay to Cry" to "Ponyboy", a dark BDSM anthem. She's worked with Charli XCX, Kim Petras, Madonna, as well as many of the artists on this list. I'm excited to see what she does in 2019 (and if she collaborates with Cupcakke or Bjork I'm absolutely going to lose my mind).
7. Julia Holter
Listening to Julia Holter feels like finding peace through a psychedelic maze full of lush instrumentals. The Los Angeles based composer and multi-instrumentalist is no stranger to pushing pop's boundaries - her latest album Aviary captures this over the span of 90 imposing minutes. Her use of strings ranges from playful on "I Shall Love 2", which sounds like the musical interpretation of a morning sunrise, to sublime on "Words I Heard". If you want to experience Holter's unique brand of baroque pop in person, her 2019 tour is sure to captivate you.
8. Rina Sawayama
Following her mixtape Rina, Japanese born and London raised Rina Sawayama has been making waves in the world of underground pop. Her song "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" is a smashing ode to e-girls, and her latest singles "Cherry" and "Flicker" are glittery, synth driven bops with equally observant lyrics about being pansexual and unashamed of one's racial background, respectively. Her second album is expected to drop sometime in 2019.
9. Tierra Whack
Although her 15 track audio/visual project Whack World isn't a second longer than 15 minutes, Tierra Whack effortlessly delivers one of the most poignant hip-hop projects of 2018, with witty lyrics, slick R&B melodies and a vivid imagination. Songs like "Pet Cemetery" will make you giggle (she's literally singing about her dead dog and it's a BOP), "Hungry Hippo" will make you move, and "Waze" will have you in your feels. She is currently nominated for a Grammy for her music video "Mumbo Jumbo".
10. Rico Nasty
If you follow the rap game at all, there's a good chance you've heard of Rico Nasty. Nominated as a XXL Freshman, the Maryland rapper has received much attention as of late for her gritty vocals, in-your-face lyrics and trap production by Kennybeats, or "KENNYYY!!" (as Nasty credits him at the beginning of her tracks). 2018 was a great year for Nasty, as she released her fourth album Nasty after signing to Atlantic Records. While she might not be the most recognizable face of SoundCloud Rap, her music is definitely at the forefront of it.
