# data[].attributes.body
The song “Feeling Good” was written to portray the exhilarated emotion of freeing oneself from oppression. Originally written for the British Musical “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd”, Simone covered this song within the same year it was written. In March 1965, the Black Arts Movement was in full swing and Simone’s version captured the true essence of expressive freedom.

In early years, Simone was known at her local church for her talents on the piano. Her parents seated themselves in the front where they could hear their daughter play loudly and beautifully. However, as Simone’s talents attracted more church members, her parents were forced to move to the back seats of the church in order to make room for white people. Simone refused to play until her parents were moved back to the front to watch her. This moment stuck with the brave artist and later contributed to her activism in the civil rights movement.

Although many resonated with Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, the artist consider’s her first civil rights song “Mississippi Goddam”. This piece represented racial inequality and was her response to the murder of Medgar Evans on June 12, 1963 as well as the bombing of the 16th St Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL. At this bombing, four young African American girls were murdered and a fifth blinded partially.

Following Simone is artist MILCK. There is this idea that the music of an artist from the 60s can't sit comfortably next to music of a contemporary artist from the 2000s. However, they are both women, they are both revolutionary, and they both ignore the stigma that society gave them to be silent. Therefore, for the rest of this playlist, artists from far and wide, different time periods, genres, ethnicities, stories, and expressions, will sit beside each other in harmony. As I believe they would want to. Next to each other, hand in hand, and breaking down barriers instrumentally in the world.

# data[].attributes.body
Connie K. Lim, formally known as MILCK, wrote alongside composer Adrianna Gonzalez to create her original “Quiet”  in 2015. MILCK kept this expression of her own feelings regarding her experience with sexual assault and domestic violence to herself for two years.

In 2017, at the National Women’s March in Washington D.C., the artist organized 26 singers to connect together and perform "Quiet" with her. This is still a revolutionary moment to date as hundreds of women in tears, strength, and humility rose up to voice their truth. MILCK not only created an anthem for the expression of equality but also the emotional space for women of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, experiences, to speak their truth.

MILCK was raised in a working class family where her father paid his way through medical school working as a fry cook at a burger place. She is one of two children and both her parents are from Hong Kong. The artist had a successful independent music career as well as academic life. However, she struggled with anorexia, domestic violence, and the pressures of being a young woman like many of us. MILCK started her college career studying pre-medicine and soon dropped out to pursue her purpose in empowering diversity and freedom of women. Because she herself did not keep quiet, many of us today stand with her revolutionary actions.

# data[].attributes.body
Jain Louise Galice is a French singer-songwriter. Due to her father’s career, her childhood consisted of traveling the world. When Galice was 12 years of age she moved to the Congo-Brazzaville. During the young artist’s time in The Republic of Congo, unrest was heightened because of extremely controversial elections in 2002. In a short synopsis, the democratic government was overthrown in 1997 and this created instability of distribution to the people of the Congo. The Congo relies heavily on the oil industry and because of the lack of distributive trade humans suffered extreme poverty with a lack of resources.

Galice's song “Makeba” refers to a legendary South African musician Miriam Makeba who is known for her protest music against the arpethied, or institutionalized racial segregation, of the time period. Galice wrote this song in protest of the political and racial demoralization of Africa. Galice spoke in honor of the inspirational women who realized their voices were worth fighting for.

Miriam Makeba also known to many as “Mama Africa” overcame an abusive relationship, cancer, racialized society, and human injustice. Makeba is seen as one of the first worldwide African musicians and one of the first artists to bring African music to America.

# data[].attributes.body
“At the time when I wrote it, it wasn’t about something specific… you just need to be reminded to persevere and hope knowing no matter how long the tunnel is there’s light at the end of it.” Andra Day says in an interview at the 10th anniversary celebration of youth empowerment non-profit Black Girls Rock! when speaking of her piece Rise Up.

Day is inspired by music of the 40s,50s, 60s, specifically Billie Holiday and Lina Horne. However, Day expresses that one of her most important inspirations which she has immense gratitude for is Lucile Ball. “She was a very strong woman, she was seminole. She did a lot of things like showing interracial marriage and having a baby on her show.”

“…Gladys Knight and Lauryn Hill are one of the reasons why I sing. I can’t believe the company I am in tonight.”

The very humble, kind hearted, and female inspired, Cassandra Monique Baite, uplifts others in her words, lyrics, and revolutionary music. Day inspires her audience to rise to the occasion of their circumstances but not to accept them.

# data[].attributes.body
Billie Holiday - Eleanora Fagan,
This world renown artist started singing in nightclubs in Harlem as a young teenager. During the rise of jazz, Holiday became very well known after her rendition of Abel Meeropol's "Strange Fruit". The piece was released in the late 30s. Merepol was a Jewish school teacher from the bronx and his poem about lynching was a big risk for young Holiday to take on. The artist had a way of transforming people. She spoke of racial injustice and prejudice within every experience.

"It reminds me of how Pop died, but I have to keep singing it, not only because people ask for it, but because twenty years after Pop died the things that killed him are still happening in the south" Holiday states in her autobiography.

The importance of Solitude is its exemplary portrayal of the young woman's gift. Holiday would find Harlem artists who represented revolutionary beliefs from all parts and express them to the world. Duke Ellington, the original composer of "Solitude" was better known as one of the most underrated African American artists of the Renaissance.

Holiday didn't have the most sparkly career. She suffered conflict in her existence, drug abuse, prison. However, Holiday's use of connectivity with revolutionary unknown artists is what glued Harlem to its music.

# data[].attributes.headline
It's okay if you want to change the body that you came in

# data[].attributes.subject
It's okay if you want to change the body that you came in

# data[].attributes.body
"There's this rule that to be special you have to be different to other women...I felt that we've been accepting the compliment 'You're not like most girls' for a very long time. I have and I feel like there's been this golden standard or rule that in order to be special you have to be different to other women," Says Steinfeld.

Steinfeld writes a piece about her love and appreciation for other women. The song represents her feminine idea that she as a woman wants to be like 'most girls'. She expresses this belief because females are worthy of existing outside of the male gaze and social conventions. The song pushes back on the toxic idea that the subverted compliment "You're not like most girls" is some sort of good thing. The artist has written an album within modern femininity speaking up for the voice of women. Self-love, intelligence, strength, beauty, are all worthy aspects in celebration of each other. Most importantly, speaking this love out into the world, is far greater than the quiet expectancy of female stigma.

# data[].attributes.headline
Queer and Happy. Queer and Healthy. Queer and Holy

# data[].attributes.subject
Queer and Happy. Queer and Healthy. Queer and Holy

# data[].attributes.body
The song "Sunday" is 12 year old Joy Oladokun's ode to herself. At church, seated in the back of her youth group, looking for a place to belong, and feeling unworthy in a world of definitives. Where her queerness didn't quite fit the image she was supposed to fill as a worship leader.

Oladokun is a Nigerian-American singer and songwriter who breaks the foundational barriers of what society expects a queer, black woman, to act like, to sound like, and to conform.

"Writing this album made me realize how strong I am to have survived the things I've survived" Oladokun says.

The artist performed her piece "Sunday" at the National Museum of African American Music. Oladokun also released "Who Do I Turn To?" and "Mercy" during the Black Lives Matter movement - describing her experience as a black individual in America and exposing systemic racism.

Joy Oladokun is a warrior of the modern Black Arts movement in America and continues to advocate for women of color through her music today.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why are we looking to Betsy Ross when we should be looking to Marian Anderson?

# data[].attributes.subject
Why are we looking to Betsy Ross when we should be looking to Marian Anderson?

# data[].attributes.body
Marian Anderson was born in Philadelphia in 1897. Her father was a seller of ice and coal in Downton Philly. Sadly, he passed away from a head injury when the vocalist was 12 years old. Anderson even though not immune to Jim Crow laws, rose above and performed a diverse range of music form opera to religious soundtracks. The young African American woman was world renowned in orchestras and major concert venues between 1925 and 1965.

Anderson struggled to overcome racial prejudice in the United States. The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) refused to let her sing at Constitution Hall in Washington D.C to a racially integrated audience. Soon after, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt noticed the occurence and asked Anderson to perform on Easter Sunday of April 1939 at the Lincoln Memorial on the capital steps. The two women gave a very large push back to the racist acts of the DAR with these revolutionary actions.

In 1955, Anderson became the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera. She in addition worked as a delegate within the United Nations Human Rights Committee and as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State. This woman knew the power and clarity of her voice. She did not give up her fight for freedom. Even as the artist aged into her 60s, she participated in the civil rights movement and sang at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.  Anderson's voice was not silenced by the nation who provided her with injustice.

# data[].attributes.headline
I will not cut my hair, I will not lower my voice

# data[].attributes.subject
I will not cut my hair, I will not lower my voice

# data[].attributes.body
Wyndreth Berginsdottir is not known by the large population. She stands in the shadows often while her song "Savage Daughter" stands on its own fame. The song calls for the ancient rituals of women, community, and humanity to speak out for their own empowerment.

"I wrote this in 1990 based on a dream I had. Accept no substitutes and sing it LOUD." Says Berginsdottir

The artist is a a capella and spoken word, viking-age, norse woman. Berginsdottir also known as Karen Kahan has been writing and performing original works with "as little processing as possible". Berginsdottir does this to highlight the candid honesty of oral tradition.

The words she sings are simple. They are pure. They are true. She stands for you. She stands for me.

# data[].attributes.headline
I don't need to be the same as everyone else, I just need to Love Myself

# data[].attributes.subject
I don't need to be the same as everyone else, I just need to Love Myself

# data[].attributes.body
to you, whoever you are:
i’m not here to sugarcoat things. loving yourself is hard. in fact, it feels nearly impossible some of the time. i’m not gonna lie and say that i love everything about myself or that i smile every time i look in the mirror. i spent the majority of my life hating everything about myself, which was made even worse by my severe depression and anxiety. even if you don’t have depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses that may affect how you view yourself, learning to love your own uniqueness can be a long and difficult journey. it is by no means easy for anyone, especially in a world full of face tune, filters, and fillers. i’d like to say that there’s a special hack, a simple trick that can make you love yourself instantly. in this generation, instant gratification is everything, right? well… sadly, it’s not so simple. there is no instant way to love yourself. i mean, i guess you could get surgery (been there, done that), edit your photos, lie about your life or your feelings, numb the pain through drugs and alcohol, or get into a toxic relationship built on the need to be loved and to fill a void that only you can truly fill. sounds SUPER fun, right? nope!
in order to truly build a foundation of self-love, you have to change your perspective on life for yourself. people can tell you how amazing you are all day long, but that will never make you truly believe it. you have to love yourself when no one is around...love,
Olivia

-An exert of a letter from a young Gen X artist promoting self-love, diverse perspective, open existence, and unique acceptance.

# data[].attributes.body
Grace Carter is an artist of today's time that takes inspiration from revolutionary African American women, specifically, Nina Simone and Alicia Keys.

On the outside, the song looks like your typical love ode breakup song. However, when looking deeper, Carter's song represents her inner thoughts and words boiling over.

"My songs are saying all those things I couldn't say; all the thoughts that have been building up inside me" Says Carter in an interview with Paradigm Talent Agency

Carter reminds herself and in the exposition she reminds her audience that silence sometimes says more than words. Action represents higher power in comparison to unintentional complacency. Lastly, vulnerability is something to be expressed and recycled to support others. Evoke dreams.