The 10 Best Up-And-Coming Female Singer-Songwriters You Need To Know
-- By Diane Cho
In an industry that takes women and tries to package them into hypersexual products, females must keep a strong sense of self and rely on the quality of their music to represent who they are. Certain female singer-songwriters are leading the forefront of artists who use their gift of storytelling to share their art. Get to know the likes of BANKS, LION BABE, Grace Mitchell and others who are becoming major players in songwriting.
Jhene Aiko‘s soothing voice greatly contrasts her bold songwriting. She unleashes vivid stories about heartache, single motherhood and self-reflection and wraps them in swirling melodies that make heavy subject matter feel light.
BANKS delivers brutally honest verses to synth-heavy production and the result is breathtaking. Her songs chronicle her life, relationships and finding love on the road.
Malaysian singer Yuna brings a burst of freshness to her songs by infusing positive lyrics to catchy choruses. She sings to empower and brings a wholesome element to each song, which attracts music lovers of every genre.
Portland, Oregon native Grace Mitchell writes about trying to break free from the confines of every day monotony. Still finishing up high school, Mitchell is young with a bright future ahead. There’s no telling how far her potential will take her at the rate she is growing now.
Georgia Nott of BROODS
Georgia Nott and her brother Caleb Nott make up the New Zealand duo BROODS. Georgia’s writing has evolved over the years from fictional narrative to revealing her inner most thoughts. Georgia’s growth as a writer is evident from the mild lyrics of “Bridges” to the depth of “Four Walls”.
Brooklyn based Tei Shi dreams up lyrics that slither through electropop beats. She uses her words sparingly to send messages that are meant to linger. Catch the majority of her new music from her personal Tumblr.
FKA Twigs‘ following includes fans who love and accept her eccentric style and people who are confused and want to figure her out. Her lyrics are what keeps her production and vision sewn up into a perfectly imperfect package of brooding music and dramatic visuals.
Jillian Hervey of LION BABE
LION BABE is a duo from New York City made up of Jillian Hervey, actress Vanessa Williams’ daughter, and Lucas Goodman. Hervey shares stories of the pair’s come up in the city with a voice that is reminiscent of a young Erykah Badu.
Meg Myers is a fearless one woman band. Her soft, wide-eyed appearance is just her exterior. She’ll shred on her guitar while singing lyrics that can cut you.
British singer Ella Henderson brings an edge to her jazzy sound. As the frontrunner on The X Factor, Henderson has proved with her songwriting that she will continue to stand out as an artist and not an ex-contestant on a television show.