In honour of International Women’s Day, we have collated a handful of UK talent to give you seven tracks championing female empowerment in a male-dominated industry that is constantly talking about the opposite. There’s no doubt that there have been many anthems to empower and lift women in the UK, however, these ones hit us just a little harder!
Ray BLK – “Empress”
First off we have got songstress Ray BLK’s album titled track “Empress”. The guitar-led song hears Ray sing us through her unfortunate dating experiences and how she’s always allowed herself to move on from those situations because they simply weren’t good enough for her! As well as moving lyrics, the music video features a lot of powerful women within the music industry! We love it.
Ghetts – “Black Rose” Feat Kojey Radical
Ghetts released “Black Rose” featuring Kojey Radical on the vocals, as an ode to the black community. The song touches on the sensitive issues of fatherhood and the social mistreatment of black women, starting off the track with a recording of his daughter asking the important question “Daddy, how come there are no dolls that look like me in the shops?”.
Br3nya ft Hamzaa – “Sis”
Two of the UK’s promising talents Br3nya and Hamzaa teamed up to provide us with the anthem “Sis”. They acknowledge all the hardworking stay-at-home mums, graduates, students and so on, out there doing whatever they do as best as they can. Making sure that women are getting it for themselves and not solely reliant on anyone else and that whatever they are going through will pass.
IAMDDB – “Famous”
Amidst announcing her European tour, IAMDDB released single “Famous” late last year. The urban jazz princess talked about the release, stating “Famous is about stepping into your light unbothered”. It is fair to easy the Mancunian is a pioneer of her sound, she encourages individuality and we see it in her genre-bending music, fashion sense & how she talks about the industry!
Ms Banks – “Bad B Bop”
Ms Banks “Bad B Bop” couldn’t be left out of this list, the braggadocious lyrics, the confidence and the flair in her flow will surely have you feeling like a Bad B. With lyrics like “Don’t need your compliments/I’m confident/ I move with the ambience” how could this not bring out our inner Bad B.This is the type of song we listen to, to hype up ourselves when we’ve finished getting ready and we know we look good.
Mahalia Feat Little Simz – “Proud of Me”
Mahalia and Little Simz linked up for this perfect fuse of R&B, hip-hop and soul. In the track, they both recognize their achievements and are glad to have something to bring back home to their family and friends to show appreciation for their support and signify their success “The one thing I have always said that makes me truly happy is knowing that my family, friends and you guys are proud of what I have achieved.”
Ms Dynamite – “It Takes More”
The veteran Ms Dynamite has always been known to speak her truth and is no different in “It Takes More”. Here, she calls out the materialistic rappers and their values, telling them it takes more than the flashy garms, the cars and jewellery to impress her. She addresses real-life issues and things that matter way more than the exterior, such as violence, war & poverty all over the world.
There we have it, seven songs championing female empowerment by an array of incredible artists! Ranging from old school to new school sound, it is encouraging to know that people and important issues are constantly being acknowledged!