OLD, NEW, BORROWED, BLUE: WOMEN IN MUSIC

Old – Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul. Possessing a powerful voice that invokes emotion in anyone listening, it is difficult to compare her to any other singer within soul music. Her roots were in gospel music particularly as her father was a preacher. But, surprisingly it was he who tuned her to singing for mainstream R ‘n’ B, a style so often described as ‘the music of the devil’ in religious circles. But despite targeting the white market in the 1960’s she maintained her gospel voice, an attribute considered ‘unsuitable’ when targeting said audience, explaining why artists under the Motown and Chess label had their voices polished and primed deducing it of soul and thus garnering perfect pop songs. Aretha was not just a woman who could sing, she was a crusader fighting on the behalf of black people in ‘Think’ which became part of the Civil Rights Soundtrack and empowering women in ‘Respect’, a song powerful and controversial in equal measure during a time of inequality for women.

Her contribution to music is second to none, inspiring other musicians but also showing that one can stay true to their roots and still be successful.

New – Laura-Mary Carter

Beautiful. Talented. Rockstar. She is Laura-Mary Carter and she is other half of the punk revival duo Blood Red Shoes. It would be easy to compare her to Karen O another woman with punk presence; however Carter presents a different style of punk.  She presents us with a gentle voice that alludes to angst and anger without having to actually play out those emotions. O on the other hand is a show- woman making it imperative to exacerbate anger, happiness, and angst in the style of Ari Up or Poly Styrene. Her individual style and fashionable demeanour may cause people to think that Blood Red Shoes are a fashion band. But listening to their music and watching them lives affirms that their band ‘ain’t no fashion show’.

For a band as young as they are, only releasing two albums, they possess a level of maturity that makes other up and coming bands green with envy.

Borrowed – Mariza

A singer who found success on the world music stage singing Fado (a branch of Portuguese music), Mariza soon became the most successful singer of this style. In the western world, American and English music is put on a pedestal, discounting other forms of credible music. Whilst not being a household name outside of Portugal she has sold over 1 million records world wide and was also nominated for Best folk Album at the Latin Grammy awards in 2007 and 2008. Her success is partly due to her talent but also her ability to convey emotion and sing about her personal truth. In the same as Edith Piaf was able to connect with a multi-nationalist audience, Mariza is able to do the same.

Blue – Janis Joplin

Though Janis Joplin is identified as part of the sixties rock ‘n’ roll counterculture, her roots lay in Blues, evident in her style of singing. Her life is often described as being marred due to her drug habits which ultimately led to her premature death and becoming a member of the 27’s club. But unlike stars who abuse drugs today, Pete Doherty for example, her talent is always appreciated first and foremost, as extraordinary, for better or worse. Her back catalogue with Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Kozmic Blues Band and The Full Tilt Boogie including the posthumous platinum selling ‘Pearl’ album prove that she wasn’t just ‘some white girl singing black music’. She was the real deal and her talent is what she will be remembered for.