How Beyoncé and Gaga Use Pop As An Instrument For Feminism
Pop music has without a doubt been the leading genre for women of music. We have seen megastars from Madonna to Whitney Houston to Beyoncé to Britney Spears to Lady Gaga to Miley Cyrus dominate the charts and media outlets. These women and their legacies have been and remain a force of power and change within the male-dominated industry. Yet often pop music is often degraded and or deemed as less than. For example, Father John Misty, the alternative indie singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, has been an outspoken critic of pop music. Misty has co-written on Beyoncé’s Hold up and Lady Gaga’s Joanne album. Yet, he still remains infuriated and repulsed by pop music. Misty in a Pitchfork interview said “If you think that pop stars are anything other than prisoners, then you are fucking kidding yourself. I know them. They are crying for help in their music. We think that we’re doing the world a favor by recognizing the innate wholesomeness of this form of music, like, “Oh, I don’t know, it’s just fun! Something that was made to be liked!” But why do you think that Lady Gaga or Beyoncé would come to old Uncle Jerry over here for songs if they weren’t looking for something? If they weren’t like, “Get me away from these fucking psychos.”
In my opinion, Misty’s perspective is simply an ignorant, egotistical, and privileged one. He’s completely degrading the works of Gaga and Beyoncé, labeling them as “less than” and insinuating their works lack depth. To disprove this statement let’s first look at some of the solo works of Beyoncé over the years that completely inhabit depth, power, and female empowerment.
Me, Myself, and I
In Me, Myself, and I Beyoncé shows the journey of self-empowerment after a man cheated on her. Me, Myself, and I highlight a journey of independence for women in post-toxic relationships and in doing so embraces feminism. In this song Beyoncé sings:
“Me, myself and I
That's all I got in the end
That's what I found out
And it ain't no need to cry
I took a vow that from now on
I'm gon' be my own best friend”
2. Freakum Dress
Freakum Dress has a continued theme of self-empowerment for women. Freakum Dress symbolizes this idea of using fashion as a way to embrace one’s confidence and power as a woman.
Oh, put your freakum dress on
Oh, every woman got one
Oh, shut it down when the time comes
Oh, pull out the big guns
Oh, and put your freakum dress on
3. Diva
In Diva Beyoncé reclaims and empowers the word Diva. The song symbolizes female empowerment and confidence. It captures her embracing and celebrating her success in the industry that constantly challenged and questioned her power as a woman. Beyoncé sings:
“Na na na, diva is a female version of a hustla
Of a hustla, of a, of a hustla
Stop the track, let me state facts
I told you gimme a minute, and I'll be right back
Fifty million round the world, and they say that I couldn't get it”
4. ***Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
***Flawless (feat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie) truly highlights Beyoncé’s work in the feminist movement. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s eloquent and powerful monologue captures Beyoncé’s ability to produce feminist anthems:
We teach girls to shrink themselves
To make themselves smaller
We say to girls
"You can have ambition
But not too much
You should aim to be successful
But not too successful
Otherwise you will threaten the man"
Because I am female
I am expected to aspire to marriage
I am expected to make my life choices
Always keeping in mind that
Marriage is the most important
Now marriage can be a source of
Joy and love and mutual support
But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage
And we don't teach boys the same?
We raise girls to see each other as competitors
Not for jobs or for accomplishments
Which I think can be a good thing
But for the attention of men
We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings
In the way that boys are
Feminist: the person who believes in the social
Political, and economic equality of the sexes
5. Formation featuring Big Freedia and Messy Mya
The entire Lemonade album is a feminist masterpiece for Beyoncé. Formation is evocative, powerful, and celebrates black feminism and black culture. It features the Bounce Queen of New Orleans, Big Freedia, and another bounce legend Messy Mya. Beyoncé ultimately utilizes her power as a musician to celebrate black culture while empowering and celebrating collective women empowerment. Beyoncé sings:
“I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros
I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils
Earned all this money but they never take the country out me
I got a hot sauce in my bag, swag
…
Okay, ladies, now let's get in formation, I slay
Okay, ladies, now let's get in formation
You know you that bitch when you cause all this conversation
Always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper”
6. BROWN SKIN GIRL by Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, Beyoncé, WizKid
BROWN SKIN GIRL is an eloquent black feminist masterpiece. The song uplifts and celebrates all black women and to me marks a major transition in Beyoncé’s career. The Lion King: The Gift and the Homecoming album are Beyoncé’s most sincere, deep, powerful, and culturally rich works of art.
Ultimately, Beyoncé has always been unapologetic and forthright when it comes to matters of feminism and female empowerment. We can also see aspects of this unapologetic nature and feminism within Lady Gaga’s music.
1. Born This Way
Born This Way, the song and album, not only holds aspects of feminism but embodies the general theme of empowerment whether it’s for females, the LGBTQ+ community, or any group of people whose identity might feel challenged. Gaga sings:
“My mama told me when I was young, "We are all born superstars"
She rolled my hair and put my lipstick on in the glass of her boudoir
"There's nothing wrong with loving who you are", she said, "'Cause He made you perfect, babe
So hold your head up, girl, and you'll go far"
Listen to me when I say”
2. Heavy Metal Lover
Heavy Metal Lover is a testament to Gaga’s ability to create songs that celebrate and reclaim a woman’s sexuality. It’s inherently feminist because it establishes and acknowledges a woman’s power in sexuality and empowers her desires through lyrical innuendos and metaphors. Gaga sings:
“Dirty pony, I
Can't wait to hose you down
You've got to earn your love
Down in this part of town”
3. Donatella
Image via GagaDaily
Donatella a song off of Gaga’s 3rd album Artpop is an ode and celebration of Donatella Versace the Italian fashion designer. The song’s lyrics and production are witty, clever, and expressive. Gaga sings:
“Donatella
'Cause she walks so bad like it feels so good
Listen to her radiate, her magic
Even though she knows she's misunderstood”
4. Sexxx Dreams
Gaga has always had an innate and effortless ability to flawlessly and confidently execute songs that contain taboos. Sexxx Dreams is a perfect example of how Gaga can produce witty and unorthodox ingenious lyrics.
5. Hey Girl featuring Florence Welch
Welch’s and Gaga’s vocals blend together so effortlessly. Their interchanged vocals communicate a friendship that at its core can be felt by the listener. Combined with the rich lyrical component you get another song that is representative of pure feminism. Gaga and Welch sing:
“Hey girl, hey girl, hey girl, hey girl
If you lose your way, just know that I got you
Just know that, just know that I got you
Just know that, just know that, just know that
Help me, hold my hair back
Walk me home, 'cause I can't find a cab”
Essentially Gaga and Beyoncé throughout their careers have utilized their mainstream platform to champion feminism. Gaga and Beyoncé are the top forces for feminism in the music industry. They blaze new paths confidently and boldly. I truly believe that as time goes on we can expect some richer and more impressive lyrical and musical productions that are heavily instrumental to the feminism movement.
