We’re celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8th, with just some of the women out there who rock! This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. You can read more here.

The Beaches

These ladies were offered their first record deal while most of them were still in high school. The Beaches are a four-piece female rock band who do describe themselves as a feminist band, and use their personal experiences within their lyrics. For example Jordan Miller, their lead singer, has said that their song “Snake Tongue” is about “the unwanted male attention we’ve received as both a band and as young women, and how we’ve decided to confront that attention, but rejecting it and by poking fun at it.”

In countless interviews they’ve shared stories about the people who’ve underestimated them due to their age and gender. To those kinds of comments, their keyboardist Leandra Earl says: “Girls can rock just as hard as the boys. We’re there to put on a rock show.”

The band has named many female role models who inspire them like Emily Haines and Leah Fey (who they’ve worked with), as well as Avril Lavigne, Patti Smith, Annie Lennox, and Debbie Harry.

Joan Jett

Joan Jett is widely known as one of the queens of rock. Starting at just 17 years old she brought in themes of feminism to her music. She’s well known for anthems like “Bad Reputation” with the lyrcs “a girl can do what she wants to do and that’s what I’m gonna do”.

Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries

Dolores O’Riordan is recognized as having one of the most recognizable voices of the 1990s. She acted as The Cranberries’ frontwoman from 1990 until she passed away in 2018.

Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin – Mother Mother

Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin are two members of the Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother. Both of them play keyboard and share vocals with Ryan Guldemond.

“That’s kind of our shtick, so it’s important and it’s fun and it’s different,” Guldemond said. “People regard that as something they don’t hear very often. It’s nice to have a signature. It’s fun to craft these little interweaving parts.”

Music isn’t their only passion either, in her spare time Molly Guldemond makes masks and Jasmin Parkin owns a yoga studio in Squamish, BC.

Courtney Love

Courtney Love solidified herself as a part of the grunge movement with her band Hole. According to her, “I am not a woman. I am a force of nature.”

Leah Fay – July Talk

Leah Fay is the co-founder of July Talk and an outspoken feminist. She credits artists like Stevie Nicks for paving the way for other female musicians. As a part of July Talk, she uses her platform to increase awareness about sexual and racial equality.

In 2016, Leah called out a sexist heckler at a July Talk show who told her to “show her tits” saying, “Do you listen to our music? Do you have any idea what this band is about?”.

 In 2014 she was dubbed one of “28 Top Front Men and Women” by the CBC.

Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette is a Canaduan rocker born in Ottawa. She was a staple in the 90’s music scene. In 2018, she helped created Jagged Little Pill, a Broadway musical based on her best-selling album.


Heart

Heart formed back in 1967 in Seattle. But in the mid-1970s, the original members Steve Fossen and Roger Fisher were joined by two sisters; Nancy Wilson who took on guitar and the occaisional vocals, and Ann Wilson who became the frontwoman (she was also skilled in the flute). Together they’ve sold sold over 35 million records worldwide.

JJ Wilde

JJ Wilde is a solo rock artist from Kitchener, Ontario who’s music is very expressive with personal experiences. 

“Mercy” is a very personal song to her. She explains, ” “Mercy” is a story of revenge. It is about a man who tries to steal something from a woman. Her sense of self, safety, control. He tries, but he does not succeed. We have all wanted revenge at one moment in our lives, whether it’s just a thought, or we actually go through with it. In this case, it is taken to the extreme, and she is pushed to the absolute limits. This story/song, like many of my songs, comes from personal experience. ”

Wilde uses her musical platform to speak out and spread the message of empowerment. Her single “Best Boy” is about society’s views and treatment of women.

“For me, this song is about trying to change the narrative that society has accepted about women. It is clear, especially in the music industry that women are viewed more like objects a lot of the time than actual humans — seen not heard type of thing. Well, I want that to change – what women “should and shouldn’t do”, what society deems acceptable, what women are shamed for. All of the above. We are beautiful creatures. And I don’t think we should feel ashamed to express that. This song is taking a stab at what men have always been free to talk about in songs — doing whatever they want with whoever they want — but from a woman’s perspective.”

Happy International Woman’s Day!