The Power Of Women In Pop Music Was On Full Display In 2023

The year 2023 was for the girls. From the explosion around the world from Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, powerful women were mainstream like never before. In fact, when Swift took her tour to Glendale, Arizona, it “generated more revenue for its businesses than the 2023 Super Bowl, which was held in the same stadium,” according to TIME. Swift shared excitement, saying, “What fuels a patriarchal society? Money, flow of revenue, the economy. So actually, if we’re going to look at this in the most cynical way possible, feminine ideas becoming lucrative means that more female art will get made. It’s extremely heartening.”   

Artists like Swift continue to pave the way for younger female pop artists eager to follow in their footsteps. A few of them opened for her on The Eras Tour, too: Gracie Abrams, Swiftie and 2023 Grammy Best New Artist nominee, pours her soul into heart-wrenching ballads about growing up and being heartbroken. And Sabrina Carpenter had a breakthrough year: Her hit song “Feather” earned her a third Hot 100 entry on the Billboard charts. She’s a killer performer and a standout songwriter. Both she and Abrams have released deluxe editions of their albums in 2023. 

First impressions are important. Baby Queen opens her debut album, Quarter Life Crisis, with the song “We Can Be Anything,” which is about being hopeful for the future despite the seemingly bleak present. On the project, she discusses common themes of growing up, like being chronically online, feeling alone, and struggling with mental health. It’s not a phenomenon; it’s a “Femininomenon,” according to Chappell Roan. This first track is an anthem that sets the tone for the whole record. It demands your attention and inspires women to scream what they want at the top of their lungs. Speaking of screaming, that’s exactly what Olivia Rodrigo does on the first track of GUTS. The song “all-american bitch” explains what it feels like to be a woman in 2023,— tears, screams, and all. The whole album is relatable, but another track that hits home for me is “pretty isn’t pretty.” I specifically like how similar it is to Baby Queen’s “Pretty Girl Lie” — it doesn’t focus on pinning women against each other, but discusses how societal norms make many women feel insecure. 

Renee Rapp has also had an incredible year. She’s released two amazing projects, gone on tour, and jumped into promoting the new Mean Girls film with a song featuring Megan Thee Stallion. On Jay Shetty’s podcast On Purpose, the singer described the horrific experience that inspired her song “Snow Angel.” “That was a huge moment of resilience for me,” Rapp said. “Even writing the song was resilience.” After a tough breakup, she was drugged in LA at the age of 22 and missing for hours. She didn’t know what happened, but found herself recounting the situation and eventually wanting to write a song about it. This song later became the title track of her debut album. Her power is her voice — her belting the notes of the emotional song leaves everyone who hears her in awe. 

Maisie Peters released an album full of female rage, love, and magic this year as well. The Good Witch is like the soundtrack of the Barbie movie if it was written by a 23-year-old going through a breakup. Songs like “You’re Just A Boy (And I’m Kinda The Man),” “History Of Man,” and “Guy On A Horse” show all the complex emotions of womanhood, including confidence and disappointment. 

So many amazing young female artists released albums this year. Dove Cameron, Tate McRae, Madison Beer, Holly Humberstone, and more also put out standout projects in 2023. As a young woman, it feels good to continue to grow up with these artists and hear music I relate to. Covering topics like sexuality, mental health, and female empowerment, these artists show their power through their words and allow their fans to feel powerful when they sing along. 

Young female pop artists released more music this year than I’ve ever experienced. I look up to — and relate to — these women whose music was the soundtrack of my year, and it made me more grateful than ever to be a woman. Amplify Her Voice, an organization that champions female artists and helps to advance their careers in the music industry, shared that more women are entering careers in the music industry. After the impact made this year, it makes me hopeful for the future and excited to keep listening to the incredible pop music made by women. 

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