Update your playlists with some Texas female musicians.
By Sierra Rozen
Music has been one of my few saving graces during this quarantine. Music made by talented, unique female musicians is one of my favorite genres and, when I can’t leave the house, it has transported me to happier memories. Below, I have compiled a list of Texas women you should lend your ear to during these troubling times.
Bayleigh Cheek
While maybe one of the more unknown artists featured in this article, Dallas native Bayleigh Cheek is not one to underestimate. Cheek was born into the music scene, as her father was part of a local band. She’s been known to hop around local venues performing her music. Though she has yet to release a full-length album, the tracks she has released so far are nothing short of genius. With a style that hasn’t been nailed down just quite yet, it will be interesting to watch where her talent takes her. What better way to spend your time at home then to discover new artists?
Essential Listening: “Release Me”
Norah Jones
When I think of the music that was sprinkled throughout the movies I watched as a child, Norah Jones’ soothing songs immediately come to mind and, more specifically, her debut album Come Away With Me released in 2002. Jones grew up in Grapevine, Texas, a suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Her mixture of soul, jazz and folk sounds like it should be played during a rainstorm, bringing a sense of calm perfect for these stressful days.
Essential Listening: “Don’t Know Why”
Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgraves is the wonderful concoction that occurs when you mix glitter with spunk, rainbows with tongue-in-cheek wit. Hailing from Golden, Texas, Musgraves has cultivated her own kind of country, one that likes to hang a few disco balls from the ceiling. When her fourth album “Golden Hour” was nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, it became clear to everyone that Musgraves is not a one-hit wonder, but instead the new face of country music.
Essential Listening: “Slow Burn”
Janis Joplin
Gone but not forgotten, Janis Joplin is truly one of the most badass women to hail from Texas. Born in Port Arthur, Texas in 1943, Joplin was a rule-breaker from the get-go. After not completing her studies at the University of Texas at Austin, Joplin went on to form multiple bands before finding the sound that we know and love her for. Her signature lion’s mane hair and raspy, shouting vocals call out to the inner wild child in all of us.
Essential Listening: “Maybe”
Solange
Siblings are ripe for comparison; imagine being the younger sister of Beyoncé and also trying to establish your own music career. This is something that Solange has been able to pull off flawlessly. After receiving widespread acclaim for her third studio album A Seat at the Table, Knowles went on to release her fourth album When I Get Home, an ode to her hometown of Houston. Despite having a lot to live up to, Knowles has carved out her own section of music, one that easily allows her to shine.
Essential Listening: “Stay Flo”
St. Vincent
I was first introduced to Annie Clark, better known as her stage name St. Vincent, through The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack. Paired up with Bon Iver on the track “Roslyn,” I was automatically intrigued by the gravely undertones of her voice. Cut to 11 years later and St. Vincent continues to wow people with her unique pop rock sound. Raised in Dallas, St. Vincent started gaining recognition with the release of her second album Actor. She has also collabed with many other notable women artists, such as Sleater-Kinney and Taylor Swift. If you’re looking for a woman of many instruments, St. Vincent is your gal.
Essential Listening: “Happy Birthday, Johnny”