Music is a representation of ourselves and the culture we live in. Here are four female artists you probably have not listened to but definitely should.

TeZATalks

TeZATalks writes in her Spotify bio that her songs are about the things she struggles to talk about. Her pop song “Gas Up” is a brilliant reflection of this. The slow and somber atmosphere of the piece resonated with my ears, but I especially found myself fascinated by some of the lyrics.

“Dancing in my breaking cover
This skin was meant for love

Where the fuck is mine.” 

When I listen to sad songs focused on the absence of love, I hear artists talk about how they want love instead of saying they are meant for it. TeZATalks saying her skin “was meant” for love packs a huge emotional punch in tandem with the rest of the song.

Her impactful lyricism carries over to many of her other songs, like “Drowning,” which is a call to action for society’s issues.

Each song of hers carries a lot of meaning. Some of my other favorites include “The World,” “My Seat,” “Invisible” and “Love.”

She is highly active in the music industry and leaves the potential for exponential growth in her career.

Kennie

Kennie has a style reminiscent of lofi and retro music. Even her album covers carry a nostalgic feel. For listeners who want a break from the modern sound and instead want to take a deep dive into an older realm, Kennie’s discography will not disappoint.

Kennie’s voice is soothing and flows well regardless of the note she sings. The best example of this is in her song “Pretty.” While heavenly synths occupy the background, Kennie nails both high and low notes as she focuses on an ex-lover being with a new girl.

Most of her songs talk about love, and she does them in such a confident way that it makes her discography empowering to listen to.

Kennie, unfortunately, does not get much traction for her music, but her general social media presence is pretty popular. For comparison, her YouTube channel dedicated to music only has 45 thousand subscribers and a little over 500 thousand views. Meanwhile, her main channel focused on movie reviews and beauty has over 600 thousand subscribers and 78 million views.

It would be unfair to say Kennie as a person is underrated because she has a noticeable presence on major platforms. However, I definitely stand by the fact her music deserves a lot more attention.

Even though she has released less than 20 songs, all of them are worth at least one listen. “Sabotage” is my favorite one so far.

Jamala

I enjoy listening to songs in other languages even if I cannot understand them. It is soothing to hear people sing in their native language. Music often ties people to their culture, so I believe listening to songs in other languages fosters a cultural appreciation. 

Jamala — a Ukrainian singer — is not only an example of this but also an example of female power and bravery during a very tragic conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

She won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016 with her song “1944,” which is related to Joseph Stalin’s deportation of people in Crimea during World War II, according to the Independent. 

Now, she has escaped to Turkey with her children in order to seek refuge from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In an attempt to rally support from other countries, she said the conflict is a war on European values, according to The Independent.

She is performing at Eurovision again this year. While she initially had doubts performing in the preliminary round, her singing erased them, saying she will continue to sing if it means getting to raise money for Ukraine, according to The Independent.

Jamala has a bank of songs both in English and Ukrainian. Her best ones include the entirety of her 2014 album “Thank You” and her single, “The Great Pretender.”

Miso

Miso is the first Korean artist invited to participate in the Red Bull Music Academy, according to her Spotify profile.

While she has a very small collection of songs available, I found each of them quite enjoyable. The instrumentals in her songs are similar to Kennie, where they are dreamy and seem heavily influenced by lofi. 

Her most popular single, “Take Me,” is the best example of this. The background is incredibly chill, with her voice mixing in just right.

“Evermore” and “Alone” are two of my other favorites by her.