I AM WOMAN. I have recently embraced this very fact, but it took a lot of time and inspiration to get this mindset. There are seven artists who have journeyed with me through my metamorphosis.

They are all FEMALE: The Fierce Empathetic Multifaceted Artists who have Lifted my soul Eternally.

Welcome to the inner workings of my heartstrings and the parts that have shaped the woman in me.

1. Halsey

She is the three B’s: bisexual, bipolar, and biracial. Although she encompasses binary attributes, her messages often provoke ideas of moral ambiguity. In her song "Colors", she communicates the many shades of unconventional desire (with obvious drug references). Halsey artistically points out how emotional ambiguity is ok and certainty is overrated. For instance, the lyrics say, “You were red, and you touched me because I was blue. But you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky and you decided purple just wasn’t for you.” (How often do you listen to lyrics like this?). Colors can be primary or intermediate, but she offers an outlook that the simpler parts may create the complicated. As her lyrics exemplify, if simplicity causes more complications any way, why be simple in the first place?

2. P!nk

Her hair makes as much of a statement as her over-the-top personality. I first heard this song on my cousin’s playlist. Once I heard it, I knew that I needed to embrace my imperfections. P!nk has always taken risks to prove herself through her artistry, suspending herself from a ceiling in “Just Like Fire” or making nudity look badass in “So What”. The color pink, like her name, is stigmatized as a feminine color, but she demonstrates that there are countless dimensions to the crazy behind all women and the color. Girls are in the middle of the fiery red and the ethereal white, explaining why we are the best combination. P!nk has shared with me just that.

3. Avril Lavigne

She’s the motherf**king princess, as she says in her song “Girlfriend”. Even to this day, she has found a way to stay forever young and unchanged. Even though she currently is the same Avril Lavigne, I loved her as the “Sk8er boi” and the “Complicated” girl. She was the unconventional beauty at the time with her high top converse, baggy pants, and striped tie, not giving a damn about her unconventional female views. Despite the inspiring beauties at the time, she made her definition more accessible to her fans. I remember my converse wearing days and feeling comfortable, choosing to emulate and appreciate an artist’ style. Life is as complicated as you say it is, but thanks for making it relatable and comfortable through your music.

4. Fefe Dobson

Better known in Canada than the States, Fefe Dobson has a very unique way to Rock n’ Roll. The best part of her artistry is that to me, she writes lyrics in the form of a stream of consciousness. There is no end to the way she thinks, and she appreciates that fact. Our everyday thoughts evolve from one topic to another, sometimes transitionally and sometimes randomly. It seems quirky that there are people who tell you to not over think everything, and as women we often tend to do so. Through her music, Fefe Dobson has revealed to me that it is ok to overthink because it is better to think about everything than to not think at all. By her providing this outlook, I do not feel apologetic for overthinking. Rather, I have now begun to discover possibilities that would otherwise not be possible. Thanks for teaching me to dream big enough to leave a LEGACY.

5. Jessie J

Jessie J is BAE. Enough said. She made her debut with “Do it Like a Dude” with those spiky black lips headlining on Vevo when the music video for that song was released. At the time she released this song, numerous female artists started to evoke messages of non-conformity, but she delivered her's so candidly. Apart from some of her raw compositions, she has also performed more grounded music like "Who You Are". This is the first song I had written an essay about for class, and upon listening to it numerous times, the message strikes various chords. I had heard it all of the time on the radio from other artists, "be yourself", but at that time, being myself felt like a burden. Her message conveyed a sense of honesty, making me feel hopeful that my burden would be eventually lifted. One lyric exemplifies it with the words, "Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart. Tears don't mean you're losing. Everybody's bruising. Just be true to who you are."

5. Ella Eyre

The fierce Ella Eyre

made her debut in my life in 2014. Her fierce charisma combined with her positive outlook has found a way for me to feel uplifted and inspired. Her prowess illuminates through her vocal range and her voluminous hair. She is a lioness in her lyrics and her portrayal of femininity. Her music came into my life when I was ready for re-invention, and she was a key part to my transcendence into personal acceptance. In particular, this song has kept me optimistic about my life moving forward. Her music reminds me that constant change in life is intrinsic for growth but retaining your strength and the energy to live life is the best catalyst for development. There are always obstacles, and for every climb there will be a fall, and so for all of the bad times, the Good Times are never far behind.

6. Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga was a revolution. She voiced her views on sexual orientation, fame, religion, egos, and so much more. Her artistic abilities are queer but they have their own sense of charm. On top of sharing her talent on stage, Gaga has proven to all of her "monsters" that strangeness leaves you out of range from everything else but draws you closer to your true self. Whenever I feel distanced from my surroundings, her song, "Marry the Night", keeps me moving forward through the pain. Even to this day, I find her odd, but her actions have made it possible for me to marry the night in a time when many women are left are in the darkness.

7. Angel Haze

In my opinion, this person is single-handedly one of the most underrated artists. Zhe is agender, is pansexual, and does not acknowledge failure as an option. Experiencing numerous obstacles in life, zhe has shared a voice that keeps people alive. I had first heard Angel Haze in "Battle Cry", and I had not known how fragile yet powerful life could be until I heard that song. I was at my lowest point this past year until I had regained my strength listening to hir music. Zhe is raw and honest but completely genuine. I have not felt that much solace until I heard hir music. For the first time thanks to her lyrics, I know that I finally have the power "to make a decision to be the one difference" to turn my life around.

I am WOMAN. It took some years for the Halsey, the P!nk, the Avril Lavigne, the Fefe Dobson, the Jessie J, the Ella Eyre, the Lady Gaga, the Angel Haze, and the many other strong female artists to settle in. Since they have become a part of me, their strength, moxie, depth, and completely unapologetic artistry have given me a reason to continue to love and grow as a women. They have done their part and will never leave, but now I think it is finally time to provide my new definition of female.