FM²: Have We Already Witnessed The Last Female Music Megastar?
A Female Music Megastar is defined as an entertainer who has become a household name. In most cases, her persona is recognized before her music is, by the casual music listener. The women associated with this title will be referred to as FM²'s.
As the 2018 Grammy awards just finished airing, it was another year showcasing some of the talent, some of the female talent. So the other week I was speaking with a friend and the conversation led to the music industry. I asked, "Do you think there will be another Beyoncé or Rihanna?" He replied, "No..." Your first question must be, "Why just Rihanna or Beyoncé?" The reasons these two ladies immediately popped up in my mind are, they managed to maintain a level of relevance, frequent visibility and global recognition for the past 13-15 years as solo artists.
Growing up in the 90's, the FM²'s were Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Janet Jackson and Celine Dion. Heck, I'll even say Shania Twain as she was able to crossover into the mainstream market with her country music. There might have been more big-name female acts but when I look back these were the women who dominated the industry.
Then, in the late 90's and early noughties came a new wave of FM²'s. These women were Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Lil Kim and Shakira. So here comes the explaining... All of these ladies are still to this day well recognized and have earned a level of superstardom that can still be respected. However, this blog post is a personal examination of Female Music Megastars who still connect with the audience who grew up with them as well and the youngest generation (Generation Z). So with that being said let's take a look at the most established and relevant females, in music, viewed by millennials and the post-millennials.
The Current FM²'s
Beyoncé
Solo Debut: 'Dangerously In Love' (2003)
Referred to as "The First Lady of Music" by the Clive Davis, a legend in the music industry, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter first hit the scene in 1998 with the group that would propel her to superstardom. It was only a matter of time before she would hit the solo trek to become one of the premiere FM²'s of today. Being praised by many as "that" superstar of today yet being criticized by some for being too manufactured, Yoncé has turned herself into an entire lifestyle brand. It is not just her music that keeps us interested, it is the calculated ways that she has presented her work and personal life to the world that keeps us tuned in. As I am a fan of the Texas-native, I often wonder how she will be remembered. When her albums are released, in-the-moment, it's a monumental event but after years pass by and I revisit the material, I am usually underwhelmed. There are artists I did not grow up with or was not even alive when they were in their prime but their music still holds a life of its own. I cannot say that about too many of Mrs. Carter's music. To be fair, "Crazy In Love," "Irreplaceable," and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" are the songs casual listeners recognize, no matter how familiar they are with her as an artist.
P!nk
Debut Album: 'Can't Take Me Home' (2000)
Now I know what you might be thinking, why is P!nk in this group but not up there with Christina and Britney? In my personal opinion P!nk has achieved a rare sort of balance; with each new release she maintains a level of consistency while pulling the public's attention. I remember when Alecia Beth Moore landed on the radio waves back in 2000 with her pink hair and an "urban" sound, something quite different than what we see and hear from her today. She entered the industry at a time when bubble sound effects were being used in all the hot Pop/R&B songs. By the time her sophomore album rolled around she was incorporating more Rock sounds. P!nk was always the feminist, anti-traditional, female artist; paving a unique lane definitely helped her to stay relevant. Although her last album, 'Beautiful Trauma,' was a refresher that she is still current and making music, it was also a reminder that the listeners who grew up with her are getting older and younger listeners are more interested in other artists.
Rihanna
Debut Album: 'Music of the Sun' (2005)
Little Miss Sunshine, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, will always be that island gal. When Rihanna first arrived with "Pon De Replay" back in 2005, I'll be honest, I thought she was a flash-in-the-pan. Her label's machine was not about to let that happen and within two years she had released three albums. It was in 2007, that a little song "Umbrella," featuring JAY-Z, would be the winning formula to launch her into superstardom. Rihanna & Co. used the foot-on-your-neck tactic when it came to the releases of her music. Year-after-year, with a two-time exception, we received a brand new studio album from Fenty. This is how she became the singles queen that she is recognized as today. The most amazing quality about Rihanna is the authenticity of her entire persona. Even if she comes off as rude she will show you that side. It's interesting to see where her music career goes as she grips onto ventures in fashion and beauty and taking longer breaks in between her albums.
Taylor Swift
Debut Album: 'Taylor Swift' (2006)
Like all the ladies before, there was a plan for Taylor Alison Swift to become a superstar. Wow, it is almost unbelievable that Swift released her first album in 2006 because the singer we know today seemed to be around for much less than 12 years. This FM² entered the industry through the country music market. Simple and sweet, with a guitar, was the name of Taylor's game. Slowly but surely she was being positioned to crossover into the mainstream market but the blessing in disguise came in 2009 when she experienced a humiliating interruption at the MTV Video Music Awards while accepting an award. At the time, it was a disaster but in hindsight, her team saved a lot of money on marketing. Taylor, since then, fully transitioned into a Pop star and is one of three women who's opening week sales exceeded one million copies since 2010.
Adele
Debut Album: '19' (2008)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins did not come bursting out of the gate as the megastar that she is today. She also did not look like a Hollywood glamour queen that she is presented as today but her sophomore studio album, '21', placed Adele on a conveyer belt that would take her throughout the globe. I was listening to Adele from the beginning, especially the Mick Boogie & Adele '1988' mashup mixtape (LISTEN HERE) but it was "Someone Like You" that won me over. I remember listening to the live debut back in December of 2010 before "Rolling In The Deep" even went to number one on the Billboard charts. Adkins is the only artist of this entire bunch that commands a listener's attention with only her voice. She is not about the superstar life which makes me wonder if we have already seen her last monumental era.
Katy Perry
Debut Album: 'One of the Boys' (2008)
Before we came to know her as Katy Perry, Katy Elizabeth Hudson released her debut self-titled album in 2001. That did not go over so well so she returned with jet black hair and a pin-up image while singing about kissing girls. A little sexual curiosity propelled her up the charts and she would become a fix with the mainstream audience. Perry managed to keep up a streak of commercial success until her most recent album, 'Witness.' Her switch to platinum blonde hair and lackluster pop hits failed her but the good thing is she has the ability to make a comeback.
Lady GaGa
Debut Album: 'The Fame' (2008)
What happened when raw talent and the corporate music machine collide? They produced Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, transformed into the one and only Lady GaGa. GaGa's introduction was exciting and reminded me so much of the Pop stars of the decade before. The way she rose so quickly was like watching Britney Spears, one decade later. So much was happening at once, there was just no way she could maintain the buzz forever, to that degree. Fortunately she managed longevity because what separates GaGa from some of her peers is she musically talented on another level with her strong vocals and ability to play several musical instruments; the GaGa persona is just another layer. The peak that GaGa, almost a decade ago, reached is long gone but she manages to hold onto the fame that she garnered in the beginning of her career.
Nicki Minaj
Debut Alum: 'Pink Friday' (2010)
Notice in the intro, there was only one rapper mentioned (Lil Kim). The same thing occurred with this crop of FM²'s. Onika Tanya Maraj stepped out of the adult confines of Hip-Hop to become a crossover Hip-Hop/Pop artist. She appeared on dozens of songs, earning the title of "Feature Queen" but it would be a bonus track on her debut album that would take her to an even bigger level. Did you know a little old song by the name of "Super Bass"? Sometimes it is hard to give her her dues because she, herself, reminds us all too often but the truth is Nicki Minaj was the mainstream female representation of Hip-Hop for the past decade.
The Debatable FM²'s
The women above, no doubt about it, are recognized by older and younger generations as a public force and in my opinion are pure FM²'s. The women below have reached similar levels of success as the women above but are still not seen as anything more than a teenager's Pop Star.
Miley Cyrus
Debut Album: 'Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus' (2007)
Miley Ray Cyrus, where do I begin? Well let's start with Hannah Montana. That's how we became to know her and even though she has been around since the mid-noughties, she did not truly become a fix in Pop culture until her controversial 'Bangerz' album, released in 2013. I use controversial because the era was accused of cultural appropriation but Cyrus' image that era also came across in a laughable way. While it might have earned her the most recognition across different audiences, she played a role that was not fully respected, if respected at all. The sad part is she tried to go back to her Pop-Country roots for her latest album 'Younger Now' and the reaction was almost if she did not release an album at all. Her Soundcloud-released 'Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz' received more attention than her latest album.
Selena Gomez
Solo Debut: 'Stars Dance' (2013)
Another one in the Disney family, Selena Marie Gomez started off as a television actress and made the traditional Disney crossover into music. Her first album was actually released in 2009 but she was 'Selena & the Scene' then. Gomez is the definition of a manufactured FM². It would not be fair to say she is talentless but her musical capabilities is at the bare minimum. In the same breath, her label have done a wonderful job with pairing her with great songwriters and producers to create some delicious radio snacks.
Ariana Grande
Debut Album: 'Yours Truly' (2013)
Ariana Grande-Butera like the two women before started off on television but was apart of the Nickelodeon family. She played the ditsy red-head on "Victorious." Four years later she made the crossover into the music world. Gorgeous as ever, Grande let loose her belting voice to tracks that sampled the sound of Mariah Carey's music of the 90's. They tried the year-to-year release but reached a bump after her blonde look and matching single, "Focus," failed to rise on the charts. 'Dangerous Woman,' her third album, was eventually released to put her in good standing as one of the debatable FM²'s.
Goodbye Machine: The Current FM²'s Are The 90's Supermodels
So again, will there be another Beyoncé or Rihanna? To be blunt, no because that time has passed. I mentioned machine above several times. The machine is a record label putting a huge amount of its budget and resources into an artist to make he or she into the artist that is to win the world over. Without even doing research most people in tune with media know that the way entertainment is consumed is through mobile and streaming formats. All of the FM²'s mentioned above all came to stardom during a time when viewers and listeners still watched cable television for music video countdown shows and watched morning/night television talk shows for interviews. Those methods of marketing still happen but it is not the standard anymore. Which is why it was amazing to see MTV revive TRL and keep it on air in spite of its viewership being low.
To better understand the state of FM²'s let us view the current FM²'s as the fashion models of the 90's and compare them to the future FM²'s who are the fashion models of today. In the 90's, supermodel meant supermodel. There was Linda, Christy, Naomi, Cindy and the list goes on: these women were megastars, to say the least. Today, the term supermodel is thrown around loosely. If you ask me Gisele Bündchen was the last true supermodel but that does not change the fact that the fashion models of today are still labeled as supermodels. There was a month in the 90's when every single magazine cover on newsstands were of Naomi Campbell and that is comparable to the star power of Beyoncé, today. Today's fashion models are validated by their social medial following and that seems to be where the future of FM²'s is heading.
Hello Social Media: The Future of FM²'s
The world is in the palm of our hands, literally, and so are many off today's up-and-coming female musicians. When you think of the new girls, how did you hear about them? Most likely your response will be, through social media or a blog post, right? Before, it was incredibly hard to be recognized on a large scale if you were an independent artist. Today, social media does all the vetting and elevating. In rare cases, the good old industry machine will reveal itself if there is an artist who has already proven a strong following via her social media followers.
As with fashion models, social media has allowed the music world to become oversaturated. There is a plethora of talented girls out there all hoping become the next big star. The women featured below have the potential to be a new type of star based on the following they have demanded thus far.
Tinashe
Debut Album: 'Aquarius' (2014)
Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe, oh how I waited to blog about you but kept missing my window of opportunity much like you have. Yes, Tinashe is much like a cat of nine lives because her label keeps trying with her. This amazingly talented artist had a brief and unsuccessful stint in a girl group called The Stunners but later left to attempt a thriving solo career. The media outlets quickly tried to label her as the "next Rihanna" and with a boost from a DJ Mustard-produced leading single, all seemed to be on the right track but the music she released after... It became a situation of what direction did she want to go in with her sound. Mind you, you can remain relevant enough as an artist but to be a star you have a small window of opportunity. At this point, Tinashe will basically have to squeeze herself to get through.
Halsey
Debut Album: 'Badlands' (2015)
Ashley Nicolette Frangipane better known as Halsey is a good example of this new social media wave of musicians. Her recognition began on various platforms and it was not too long before she blew up to stardom, with her colorful hair, and featured on The Chainsmokers' "Closer." To this day, I am still beginning to recognize her but initially I knew her for her single(s) rather than her image. Isn't that supposed to be a good thing? I mean that is my biggest criticism of Beyonce but the difference is people must at least recognize your image; an artist cannot be a star without an image. The thing is now, the machine got ahold of Halsey and the balance seems to be somewhat lost because it all seems a bit too manufactured.
Alessia Cara
Debut Album: 'Know-It-All' (2015)
Alessia Caracciolo lined herself up for success with recording and releasing covers before being signed to Def Jam records. The Canadian singer and songwriter blew up with "Here" but for me it was "I'm Yours" from her debut album that helped me to gravitate towards her. Her look is quite laid back compared to the sexed up image of some of her peers. I haven't been entirely too moved by Cara but the talent and her following speak for themselves.
SZA
Debut Album: 'Ctrl' (2017)
Solána Imani Rowe hit the scene as a TDE label signee in 2013 but I did not catch wind of her until 2014. Now see, SZA is a personal favorite of mine and the release of her debut album last year came at the right time. Of the new crop of female artists, SZA's ascent seems the most traditional as it was a label effort to get her where she is; TDE took the time and allowed her blossom naturally. Although at times it seemed as though she would leave music behind but with all of the recognition she is receiving now, she is not going anywhere. SZA seems to be taking the path of an artist more than a bonafide FM² as there seems to be a team of people protecting her from becoming a manufactured product.
Julia Michaels
Debut Album: 'Nervous System' (2017)
Julia Carin Cavazos known just as Julia Michaels came up through the ranks as a songwriter for big Pop acts such as Fifth Harmony, Demi Lovato, Gwen Stefani and more. Her debut single, "Issues," was released in 2017 and gained a great amount of attention. When I first heard "Issues" I was instantly hooked; it was the mix of the bass-heavy production and her soothing vocals. Her debut album is full of other gems such as "Uh Huh" and "Just Do It." As far as her potential of being a future FM², she will be big but like SZA she is not the usual blueprint of an FM² but we shall see what the future holds. One thing is for sure, she knows how to make a catchy hit.
Camila Cabello
Debut Album: 'Camila' (2018)
There is Diana Ross, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and then there is Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao known as Camila Cabello or simply Camila since the release of her debut album. Just like those big names just mentioned, Camila entered the industry as apart of a group who became incredibly popular before breaking away to pursue a solo career. I was late on the Fifth Harmony train but I always heard and read people say Cabello is the star of the group. To be honest, I never saw that but she now has a number one song and album on the Billboard charts which pretty much solidifies her solo efforts. Out of this new crop of girls she is being handled the traditional way with the well oiled machine of a record label and that is because she was already apart of a wildly popular girl group who is still happens to be relevant.
Justine Skye
Debut Album: 'Ultraviolet' (2018)
Justine Indira Skyers, known as Justine Skye finally released her debut album at the top of 2018. She is the definition of this new age social media artist success story I mentioned earlier. All of what I initially saw of Justine has been through online formats such a Instagram, Snapchat and Youtube. It took me awhile before she grew on me but I was always enarmored with her look; her glowing brown buttery skin and purple tresses make her standout. Her music is melodic and catchy enough to be a hit. Skye's career is a slow burner but she seems to be picking up more steam as time passes by but to keep the fire burning her team should have her sophomore album released within a year. She does not have the luxury of waiting two years for another release.
Cardi B
Debut Album: N/A
The Cinderella story of 2017 definitely had to be Miss Belcalis Almanzar, known to the masses as the one and only Cardi B. The reason why her story is so amazing is because she has such an authentic and amazing personality but also the fact that we were not introduced to her as someone who makes music. She rose to fame through Instagram as a stripper with a personality: emphasis on personality. She further gained recognition on VH1's "Love and Hip-Hop" but did not start to fully dive into music with her mixtapes until later. It was "Bodak Yellow" that pushed her all the way to the top of the charts and in people's hearts. She is the only female mentioned in this post who has yet to release a debut album but the masses are waiting on this project. Let's see if 2018 will be as great for her as 2017 was.
So these are the women who dominate the music industry and who are showing the most potential of dominance in the future. As the music landscape is becoming more oversaturated than ever these women could be here today and gone tomorrow so here's to hoping most of them keep climbing.