Gen Z Women Musicians Are Leading The Industry
Concert goers in the audience
Gen Z women musicians are dominating the industry and pop culture at large. Momentum for “women in music” is rising, driven by a new generation of Gen Z female artists who are disrupting the male-dominated pop music industry in a big way. But why?
Gen Z women in music are more willing to be open about their sexuality and mental health issues in a way that feels honest to their fans. Artists like Billie Eilish, for example, are challenging social mores for womens’ dress, actions, and speech. Eilish has collaborated and partnered with many different brands from H&M and Urban Outfitters to Takashi Murakami and Gucci. This authenticity from Eilish and other Gen Z women musicians is attracting both fans and brands alike.
MFactor of Gen Z Women Musicians. MFactor is a proprietary tool that measures cultural momentum through topic modeling and sentiment analysis.
Gen Z women musicians have huge momentum
Gen Z women musicians are building their platforms and personal brands their way, using social media strategically to speak their minds and form direct relationships with their fans. Amala Ratna Zadile Dlamini, known by her stage name Doja Cat excels at this.
The 25-year-old rapper from Los Angeles became widely known when her song, “Say So,” became part of a TikTok dance challenge. Prior to “Say So,” she went viral after writing, recording, and directing a video for “Mooo!”--a song she wrote in a day. Doja Cat explained she intended it to go viral from the beginning. She deliberately directed it for funny screenshot captures, instant meme-ification, and sharing across social media.
Doja Cat has turned that virality into opportunity. She’s recently been featured on the Birds of Prey soundtrack, collaborated with brand PrettyLittleThing to develop a fashion line that sold out in a day, started a new tour, and performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Provocative Objectification or Liberation?
Fourth-wave feminism and Gen Z women musicians are taking back sexuality and independence for women, but have sparked debate. Does being provocative and risqué liberate women from gender stereotypes, or merely invite objectification, setting an antisocial example? This polarization gives us a clue as to why Gen Z women musicians have momentum.
Rappers Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B, both powerhouses of female sexuality, independence, and dominance, are leading a feminist push into a masculinist genre that’s often criticized for misogynistic lyrics and culture. In “WAP” these two artists have rewritten a narrative of femininity, defining and making space within rap for progressive womanhood. The spirit of this move is a hot commodity among recognized brands.
Cardi B has worked with Pepsi, Lyft, and Reebok, and immediately sold out a line on Fashion Nova. Megan Thee Stallion has released a fashion line with Coach and recently became the Global Brand Ambassador of cosmetics giant Revlon.
Such proven transferability of feminist imagery from the music industry to other sectors suggests a strong, Gen Z women musician-focused brand strategy: companies seeking Gen Z’s dollars will likely associate their brands with the rising stars whose causes Gen Z support.