I hate this question. I never have a clean-cut answer but I feel untruthful when I answer "a little bit of everything" which is what most other people tend to answer as well. I would say, if anything, I am easily influenced and have low standards when it comes to music. Thanks to my musician boyfriend and to the fact that all my friends have extremely eclectic taste in both mainstream and obscure music, I feel that I can appreciate the genius of a song soaked in experimental and instrumental depth but I also can't help but break out into dance when a Katy Perry song with bad lyrics comes on too.
When it comes down to it, though, there is something about the vocals of an amazing female singer-songwriter that can hit me at the core, give me goosebumps, and allow me to tune out the world during just one glorious song.
Here are some of my favorite ladies.
Patty Griffin. My dad used to play her songs for me all the time, but it was "Long Ride Home" that ultimately made me fall in love. Now I have several of her albums and love her voice more than anything. I have yet to see her perform but she still tours on an infrequent basis, so, fingers crossed. This song, "Let Him Fly," is one of my favorites.
Tracy Chapman. Again, my dad used to play Tracy allllll the time when I was growing up. Tracy's unique folky voice and emotional depth still get to me even years later. But I've never seen her live and she doesn't tour anymore! I'm still hoping for a miracle surprise performance somewhere, someday. Here's her song "She's Got Her Ticket."
Grace Potter is actually not a solo act - she performs with her band, The Nocturnals. She is the heart of the band though, and writes most of the songs and plays several different instruments. I first heard her music when Nick got me a CD of hers for my 21st birthday and she was starting to rise on the music scene in Vermont. The band really blew up last year though when they lost one member and gained two new ones (one of which is our friend Benny from the local Burlington scene - the guitarist on the right in the video below). Grace's voice can range from beautiful and jazzy to roaring and powerful. And...she's a badass. Listen to that vocal scream at the beginning of this video for the song "Stop The Bus."
And then there's Adele! I can't say enough about this woman. She doesn't play her own instruments but her soulful vocal and songwriting abilities are magical and inspiring and still give me goosebumps (I cried maybe three times when I saw her perform live a few months ago). She's only 22 years old but if her success so far is any indication, she's going to be around for a long, long while. Here's one of my favorites, "Set Fire To The Rain."
Lastly, if we're talking about female singer-songwriters here, I have to use this opportunitiy plug a family friend who is near and dear to my heart, Keeley Valentino. She's been writing songs for years, and singing for even longer, and her raw talent never ceases to amaze me. Just remember when she's famous someday, that you heard her name here first! Here is Keeley performing "Honestly."
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