Female empowerment is an often-diminished concept used to garner the female audience without actually preaching the values of the developing women’s movement. One way in which this notion is correctly portrayed is through music and its lyricism. The music industry of today is home to several female artists who are never shy to promote such messages of female unity and power, those including Beyoncé, Adele, and Lorde.
However, society continues to disregard the impact girl groups have, probably because of how scattered they are in the international music industry. Western cultured girl groups were extremely common just a few decades ago and were either highly praised or completely disregarded. The female unity cookie cutter image that existed gradually faded as boy bands surfaced and garnered the attention of global marketplaces.
Girl groups and their core messages became secondary to boy band’s cliché lyrics and polished haircuts.
Fortunately enough, the music marketplace of western societies has seen the steady and maybe unintentional demise of boy bands as of recently. To be specific, groups like One Direction and Five Seconds of Summer have slowly but surely decreased in relevancy.
This is not to say that they don’t continue to have fans, but in mainstream media and promotion they are less prevalent. Now, after some time of focusing only on boys who usually lack vocal ability and lyricism but are successful because of their sex appeal or Hollywood connections, female groups are gathering the well-deserved fame and fortune in terms of the musical success.
Today, we as consumers have many options in terms of girl groups and whom to support. To name a few from the United States, there’s Fifth Harmony, June’s Diary, and Cimorelli. However, don’t overlook international marketplaces, which is home to groups like 2NE1, Girls’ Generation, and Little Mix. Similarities exist amongst these girl groups, including female empowerment anthems that escalate young women’s self esteem all across the globe. That is why it is so utterly important for girl groups to thrive in every possible marketplace.
They’re implementing confidence and are prime examples of strong, independent women who overcome obstacles regardless of what others expect.
For example, Fifth Harmony defines what it means to be a diverse, talented, and deserving girl group despite what doubters may believe.
Formed on the X Factor, the group has worked diligently for four years to reach the success they have today. Nothing was handed to them and the women, including Ally Brooke Hernandez, Lauren Jauregui, Dinah Jane Hansen, Normani Kordei Hamilton, and Camila Cabello, have built their reputation and boosted the self-esteem of people everywhere.
Nonetheless, it is significant to honor previous girl groups who conquered their own era. Women in groups like Destiny’s Child, TLC, and the Spice Girls left their own imprints to different generations of girls and boys in the past. The constant reevaluation of what it takes to be the depiction of a capable, powerful, and sexy woman is alive and well but it most definitely helps to admire girl groups and what they achieved. With so many to choose from, it is appropriate to praise more than one group.
Thus, female unity comes into play and is shown to be a possible and beautiful thing. The groups’ music is highly relatable, going from vulnerability to heartbreak to feeling good about yourself and not being afraid to show it. Remember to appreciate the girl groups who are climbing the charts or just posting cover videos on YouTube, as they mean so much to women everywhere and have likely worked their behinds off to reach wherever they are in their career. Who runs the world? Girls.
