The Female Singer-Songwriter Thread - For all your estrogen-fueled, chick whining needs

[commandersalamander]

It's running joke that I listen to a lot of female singer-songwriters. The singer-songwriter genre is probably my favorite, and I particularly connect with the female variants on behalf of being a lady. I love it all, from the folksy stuff of the 60's, 90's Lilith Fair fare and contemporary stuff. The genre fell out of mainstream fashion in the early 2000's but it's been making a comeback within the last couple of years to my delight.

I'm unsure if anyone else here is into it, but I'm starting a thread anyway. Typically artists of this ilk are associated with guitars (acoustic especially,) pianos and strings, but this isn't essential. Even more poppy/electro/rocky stuff is welcome as long as it fits in with the confessional, personal, introspective and/or socially conscious lyrics that is key to musicians of this ilk.

To start, I'll post some Joni Mitchell, who helped gained prominence to many female musicians and performers and inspired so many women of her ilk. Her successors owe her a lot of gratitude:

 

[Aquinas]

Post some good ones.
I would do it myself, but personally i dont think they exist

 

[Yellow Yam Scam]

So the TERFs really are taking over KF...

 

[commandersalamander]

So the TERFs really are taking over KF...

Nah. If I really wanted a terf safe space in the music subforum I'd make a riot grrrl thread.

I've always loved Tracy Chapman:

 

[commandersalamander]

I will always love Bjork:

 

[WEEDle]

Not really a genre I'm super familiar with like some of the other threads, but I could probably rack my brains to think of a few.

Also this is my favorite Bjork song

 

[SubtleInvitation]

Björk Here are some of my favorites:

Amanda Palmer

Fiona Apple

Dolores O'Riordan (RIP)

Alanis Morissette

Tori Amos

And now some new ones that most people don't know about...yet:

Scarlet Dorn

Lisa Morgenstern

 

[ES 148]

 

[oldTireWater]

I don't think I get the premise of this thread, but anyway:

 

[Positron]

I can't think past Loreena McKennitt, but then she doesn't deal with stuff that are modern day or "feminist".

So let's have some Suzanne Vega instead, although I don't think her songs age all that well. My favorite are "Marlene on the Wall" and "Gypsy"

Vega's album 99°F has amazing production but forgettable lyrics.

Jane Siberry, from Canada, is very quirky but some of her songs are beautiful.

 

[Mr. A. L. Mao]

Not really a genre I'm super familiar with like some of the other threads, but I could probably rack my brains to think of a few.

My nigga

This song always gives me that ASMR spine tingle feel, and Kate is so beautiful

 

[Lioness]

Press F for Lhasa, who left us too soon.

Hard to pick an example from her as she had such a wide range in English and Spanish, but this is one of my favourites.

 

[Mr. A. L. Mao]

Fuck me how did I forget St. Vincent

 

[frozenrunner]

A couple of more obscure suggestions:

Mara Carlyle is an English singer-songwriter whose biggest claim to fame is having some alleged connection (which I have never been able to confirm) with the L.A. Noire soundtrack and for using one of her tracks, "Pianni", used in an Ikea commercial years back. She's only released two albums, and you could be forgiven for ignoring her because, yes, she plays the ukulele like a female singer-songwriter stereotype. But I love her sensual singing style/voice and her strange, creative lyrics. She definitely deserves more recognition as an artist.

Emi Meyer is a Kyoto-born, American-raised, multilingual singer-songwriter with six albums and one EP to date. Her primary (non-vocal) instrument is the piano, and she's been involved with various collaborations over the years with other international artists like Shing02. I don't know how popular she is in Japan, but she's also had some extra exposure through one of her tracks being used a few years ago in a Toyota Prius commercial.

While she's certainly got range, most of the music of hers I have enjoyed is relatively simple, using mostly her voice and piano. She's often lyrically clever and has a great voice, too. Doesn't hurt that's she's gorgeous.

EDIT: I guess Cat Power would qualify, and she hasn't been mentioned yet, so...

And I don't guess I need to mention Lana del Rey. She pretty popular and more pop-oriented than the others, but if you don't listen to her, nigga go listen to her.

 

[Shiggy Diggster]

 

[Positron]

She is better known for Jazz but I love the lyrics of Patricia Barber:

 

[commandersalamander]

I can't think past Loreena McKennitt, but then she doesn't deal with stuff that are modern day or "feminist".

It's possible I wasn't clear with what I was intending in the OP. Naturally a lot of female singer-song writers are feminist to some degree or another, and quite a few wrote socially conscious songs (Big Yellow Taxi touches on environmental issues of the time) but that's not required. Loreena Mckennitt would work perfectly for this thread.

What I was intending were female singer song-writers who write their own songs and tend to have more personal lyrics than someone like say, Brittney Spears, Katy Perry or Madonna who are performers and eye candy first and foremost. Taylor Swift could probably count since she wrote personal, diary like lyrics when she first started out (though I'm not a fan personally.) Everything that has been posted here so far is fitting imo.

I personally love Loreena. Her music is perfect for ren faires.

 

[Pointandlaugh]

 

[commandersalamander]

I love Alabama Shakes. Nice pick.

 

[Winnie the Poohnani]