My Trifecta of Womanhood
As many of you know, March is Women’s History Month and every year I try to put together a piece about women in music that honors the women that have altered the trajectory of music and bring light to their talents. My Women’s History Month article each year is always something that brings me joy in writing and something I take a lot of pride in. This year, I was reflecting on just who I have become as a woman (perks of turning 30) and started to narrow down which female musicians really shaped my thinking as a woman. Obviously I have my all-time favorite bands or singers and of course they mean the absolute world to me, however, there are specific artists that have almost mentored me as a woman through the themes and stories in their music. That being said, let’s get into the the women who have truly guided me through womanhood and continue to every day through their music, or otherwise known as my “trifecta of womanhood”.
Patsy Cline
The first woman in the trifecta is none other than Patsy Cline. Not only is Patsy Cline probably my favorite female country artist ever, but one of my biggest influences as I have navigated womanhood. I have previously written about Patsy and her music, which you can read here, but the contrast of her bold personality mixed with the practically gut-wrenching vulnerability she displays in every single performance is something that has me hooked. That contrast has been so important to me as a woman who can be a bit bold at times and has been taught not to dim myself for others, but also as a woman who does have big feelings. I think many times women are faced with feeling like they have to choose between being this tough woman who doesn’t take any shit or being some sensitive, soft woman with lots of feelings. However, Patsy proves that you can be both and not have that take away from you as a whole. In so many of her well known songs, she lays all her feelings out on the table and lets her hurt be known to the point that as a listener, I feel my heart ache right along with her. I have said it once and I will say it until my last breath, no one can weave pain into their vocals the way Patsy Cline did! I also have so much respect for the way she knew her worth and demanded respect among the largely male-centered industry at the time and took it upon herself to guide other female country singers, such as Loretta Lynn. In short, Patsy Cline’s influence on me as a woman has truly been a reminder to be bold and true to yourself, but to also remember that there is beauty and honor in vulnerability, which is something I continue to work on to this day.
Norah Jones
The next woman who has been a significant influence on me as I have navigated womanhood is Norah Jones. I also wrote about Norah Jones in one of my earliest blog posts, you can read here, that goes into more detail about what I am writing about now. Essentially, I have always felt that as women, we all should go through a Norah Jones phase and that phase typically finds us when we need it most. I first got to really dive into Norah’s music when I was ending my senior year of high school and preparing to go off to college. At the time, I hadn’t ever experienced any real relationships and was still figuring out who I was as a woman. Having her music to guide me through that was such a godsent. Norah Jones’s music is so delicate, feminine, classy, and emotional in a way that just makes you feel completely woman when listening to her. Her music has always provided me a mature, yet honest example of navigating relationships and the feelings that come with those. She also embodies a sense of mystery, which I always found so admirable considering I have a problem with knowing when to shut up. She is everything I want to be as a woman and I continue to navigate my life through her music.
Lana Del Rey
The third woman whose music has guided me through the ups and downs of womanhood is Lana Del Rey. My perspective with Lana Del Rey’s music differs from that of Patsy Cline and Norah Jones because with Lana, it feels as if we sort of grew up and navigated womanhood together. Although Lana is a bit older than me, her music releases would often coincide with what I was experiencing in real time. Something I have always appreciated about her music is how she did not shy away from the romanticization of toxic themes or idea within relationships. In her writing, you can tell that as a young woman she had these ideas in her head about how womanhood would be based on media but then actually going through them shed a different light on what was reality. Examples such as dating a significantly older man or even leaning into the more outdated dynamics between man and woman are often romanticized but Lana’s music brings a different perspective to the underlying realities of those scenarios. These are all things that myself and many other woman had in their head and often fell into those traps. As she navigates various relationships and scenarios, she also includes a lot of self reflection and feminist outlooks in her writing, along with the feeling of being an old soul. As a listener who has also made many poor decisions in the world of relationships or growing up, it has always felt nice to know that romanticizing these situations happens and the self reflection that follows can be quite enriching.
With the combination of this trifecta, I have always felt so in tune and understood with what I was experiencing as a woman and how to navigate future experiences. Patsy Cline’s music embodying of the duality of being bold yet vulnerable has been a lesson I hold dear and plan to work on the balance my entire life. Norah Jones’s ability to lean into the emotional, soft, and delicate aspects of femininity is something that has made me feel grounded and in tune with my femininity as I have navigated life and I continue to turn to her music for guidance. And Lana Del Rey’s navigation of sorting out what we think things will be like versus reality in such a poetic and honest way is something I continue to look forward to as we both continue to experience life as women. As I said before, I have many women in music that have made such an impact on me as a person, but this trifecta of talented women has created an environment where I am heard, understood, and empowered.
Happy Women’s History Month to all the ladies out there and please share whether or not you have a trifecta of womanhood in terms of music!
