ATP! Feature: International Women's Day 2015

On March 8th, women’s rights and achievements are globally recognized and celebrated across the world for International Women’s Day.

Since the early 1900s, International Women’s Day has been a movement towards gender equality, including the right to vote, be trained, hold public office and receive better pay. According to the official International Women’s Day website, “The unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women's education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men. However, great improvements have been made. We do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, women have real choices.”

Alter The Press is proud to work with some of the biggest and best female musicians and in honor of International Women's Day, we wanted to talk about some of our favorite ladies in the music industry who are currently kicking ass and taking names.


Hayley Williams

Hayley Williams is fronting one of the most successful bands right now, and kicking ass doing it. She serves as a role model for any girl looking to start a band, showing that girls can be successful while avoiding being turned into a sex symbol, instead of an artist. Her uniqueness and success in forging a path for other females in the industry was recognized by Billboard, who gave her the first-ever Trailblazer award. Williams has paved the way for female-fronted bands in the pop/rock industry and continues to do so, making awesome music with Paramore that’s always what they want to do, and not what anyone expects.

- Lauren Jones


Lorde

Lorde does not give a single shit what you think about her, and it’s refreshing as hell. Not only is she a wildly talented artist, in the truest meaning of the word, but she also has her own sense of fashion, and ain’t nobody going to tell her otherwise. The fact that a young, attractive woman like Lorde has resisted pressure to dress in a more conventionally “sexy” way, staying true to herself with the clothing and makeup she likes, is so important. Though there is absolutely nothing wrong with dressing in a more daring style, young female artists are too often sexualized early in their careers, and we think it’s pretty damn impressive Lorde has made her own choices when it comes to her image. For being so young, Lorde has proven herself to be an artist with staying power, as well as a poised, intelligent woman that knows exactly who she is.

- Tori Mier


Taylor Swift

Whether you love her or hate her, Taylor Swift is a straight up powerhouse. Not only does she kill the charts every time she releases new music, but she’s also friends with pretty much everyone. There’s just some magnetic quality about her that makes everyone either talk about her or want to be her. Plus, there’s no denying how much Tay has grown in the past few years, and we like to think her music has taught us a lot about life, friendships and relationships, as well. This International Women’s Day, blast “Shake It Off” and be like Taylor: quirky and confident.

- Caroline Hall


Sydney Sierota

Don’t let the age of Sydney Sierota confuse you – the Echosmith vocal powerhouse has packed an immense amount of care, dedication, respect and wisdom into her 17 years. Focused and driven, Sierota strives to spread the message of acceptance and love through every song played at every live show. She doesn’t take herself or the world too seriously, never letting her gender prevent her from loading in her own gear or voicing a strong opinion. Sydney Sierota succeeds in being the perfect role model for girls of all ages and will be celebrated for time to come.

- Laurel Weber


Florence Welch

This vocal and musical goddess makes our list because of her groundbreaking music and incredible poise. Florence Welch is an incredible role model for any musician creating work that might be just a few steps off the beaten path. Welch’s ability to create powerful, lush music and show that indie can still hit the top of the charts is inspiring to all of us at ATP. We think Welch might just be our generation’s Stevie Nicks – an incredible force of nature whose home is, without a doubt, on the stage.

- Tori Mier


Halsey

Not only does Halsey have an amazing style, but she also has the best attitude of anyone in the music industry today. She doesn’t hold back in her lyrics or her personality. Without a doubt, Halsey is someone that all females should aspire to be: confident and fearless. She’s worked her way up through the music industry with honesty, integrity and lots of elbow grease, and we love how dedicated Halsey is to her music. Basically, what you see is what you get with Halsey, and we absolutely love what we see.

- Caroline Hall


Ellie Goulding

Goulding is a creative genius, capable of crafting hit after hit, with no signs of stopping. She’s living proof that it is possible to do what you love for a living, and have a hell of a good time doing it. There’s no room for doubt that Goulding is kicking some major ass in the music industry, and we think she’s a great model for any other aspiring artist.

- Tori Mier


Beyoncé

Are there enough words in the English language to describe why Beyoncé is a badass woman? Probably not, but we’re going to give it a go anyway. Not only is Queen B capable of hitting the top of the charts basically every time she releases anything, but she’s also an intelligent, powerful woman who has no qualms about letting the world know she’s a supporter of feminism. Beyoncé is a fearless artist who seems to have the world wrapped around her finger – and we love it.

- Tori Mier

Think of this list as a reminder to appreciate the incredible women in your life. Our role models, whether they are artists on the big screen or family members sitting right next to us, are important resources that teach us how to grow, think and create. Today, take a second to appreciate and thank the strong women in your life.

Happy International Women’s Day! Keep kicking ass, ladies.

-- Intro by Gina Catalano