Girl Power
Source: appsforpcplanet.com
On 9 August South Africa celebrates Women’s Day. For most, it is just a day off, a chance to sleep in, hang out with mates or catch up on series. While no one is going to dispute the joy that the aforementioned activities bring, we should not lose sight of the importance of celebrating the women that have made and continue to make South Africa such a special country. Here are seven songs that applaud the power and enduring influence of women:
7. Phenomenal Woman - Laura Mvula
Source: contactmusic.net
Inspired by a collection of poetry with the same title by Maya Angelou, this is a female anthem that celebrates the fortitude and beauty of all women. Mvula says she wrote "this anthem to raise up our women" who are "extraordinary in [their] ordinariness". The music video was filmed in Bo-Kaap in Cape Town and depicts bold, colourful women taking to the streets to show just how phenomenal they are.
WATCH:
Phenomenal Woman
6. Run The World (Girls) - Beyoncé
Source: muumuse.com
Despite not being impressed by anything Beyoncé has done since I am Sasha Fierce, this song is super catchy and has foot-stomping beat to accompany its strong message of female empowerment. The music video is set in a post-apocalyptic war zone and features an army of women dancing in military-themed outfits, which compliments the feminist assertion that women run the world.
WATCH: Run The World (Girls)
5. Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves - Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin
Source: eurythmics-ultimate.com
Released in 1985, this song challenges the modern saying that argues there is usually a strong woman behind every great man, and brings women out from the shadows to claim their independence and own success.
WATCH: Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves
4. Man! I Feel Like A Woman! - Shania Twain
Source: mubi.com
A catchy hook and Shania's strong vocals make this feminist country song one of the best of the 90s. Shania says it's a girl's prerogative to go totally crazy and forget she's a lady, to colour her hair and do what she dares. It’s a call for woman to shrug off the expectations that have been forced on them by society and just "go wild" and to do so in style. The music video is a nod to Robert Palmer's Addicted to Love video with male models in the background instead females as was the case in the original.
WATCH: Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
3. What It Feels Like For A Girl – Madonna
Source: youtube.com
Do you know what it feels like for a girl in this world? Madonna sure does. In this song, which starts with a spoken sample by Charlotte Gainsbourg about the nature of being a girl, she highlights the fact that "good little girls" often have to suppress their inner strength in order to conform to gender norms that have been imposed on them in a patriarchal society.
WATCH: What It Feels Like For A Girl
2. Woman's World - Cher
Source: vbox7.zom
In this "hands in the air" club anthem, Cher calls women from all around the globe to rise above their circumstances and claim their rightful place in the world. Because, as she puts it, the truth is that it is a woman's world. The music video also features some of the craziest wigs she’s ever worn including a massive wig made of shredded newspapers.
WATCH: Woman's World
1. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Source: idobi.com
When all is said and done, girls just wanna have fun without needing to explain themselves to anyone. Its feel-good, fun-inspiring female-empowering sentiments have endured more than 30 years and I suspect the song will be around for many years to come.
WATCH: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
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