please give me some female artist recommendations

[senecadawg2]

I was just looking through my music collection and realized that I can count all the female fronted groups/female singer/songwriters on one hand. Given the kind of music I listen to (predominantly progressive rock/metal), this observation makes some sense, but I feel that I'm missing out on a lot. I've listed all 3 of my 'favorite' female artists, to get this thing rolling.

Laura Marling
Tori Amos
Emilie Autumn

Now... suggest!

[jammindude]

Alana Davis

That woman is just insanely talented...and her voice...  [shudders]   Incredible.

Her first album "Blame it on Me" is amazing.   Second album "Fortune Cookies" is almost as good.   Then she broke away from the record companies and did the independant "Surrender Dorothy"....that took a few spins to sink in.  But it's still amazing.    Then she left the biz to raise her daughter, and rumor has it that she's almost ready to record some new material.


And even though I was really not to hot on her new one....  IMOGEN HEAP

I personally think that her debut "I Megaphone" is her best work...but most people are ga-ga over her second album "Speak For Yourself"....a very diverse and stellar album.    But her new one "Ellipse" is just way too poppy for my tastes.    She also did lead vocals for a side project called "Frou Frou", which is my second favorite thing she ever did.  They only did one album...but I think I just heard they were thinking of doing a second one now.

[ColdFireYYZ]

For solo artists:
Joni Mitchell (my favorite is Hejira, excellent jazzy folk)
Susanne Sundfør (her music is kind of electronic w/ orchestral parts - check out The Brothel, it's excellent but hard to describe)
Kate Bush (Hounds of Love is great)
Sarah Fimm (I only have Nexus, but its a great, mellow poppish singer-songwriter)
Silje Leirvik (pretty obscure, but I really like her only album to date, very mellow and wintery)

Bands:
iamthemorning (one of my favorites...piano led "chamber" rock; debut is name-your-price download: https://iamthemorningband.bandcamp.com/)
The Gathering (check out the stuff with Anneke van Giersbergen. Her solo stuff is good but more mainstream)
District 97 (prog rock/metal - their singer Leslie Hunt has some singer-songwriter albums that are very good...I think they're available on her website for free)
North Sea Radio Orchestra (not too familiar with them, but I like what I've heard. Kind of a fusion of classical, folk, and rock)

[sueño]

Are you interested in going beyond rock/metal?


Totally agree about Alana Davis.  Fabulous singer and very thoughtful songs.

[senecadawg2]

Thanks for all the suggestions thus far, I look forward to checking them all out!

Are you interested in going beyond rock/metal?


Totally agree about Alana Davis.  Fabulous singer and very thoughtful songs.

I am, but any good rock/metal bands fronted by female vocalists are also very welcome.

Adding to the couple I listed originally, I just remembered about Loreena McKennitt. I've only heard one of her albums, but it's an excellent one.

[Dark Castle]

Grimes
Chvrches
Austra
4 Non Blondes is always a radular choice
Royal Thunder

[bout to crash]

Amanda Palmer
Emiliana Torrini

[lonestar]

You won't see another album from them,but check out Beautiful Sin with Magali Luyten on the pipes,one of my favorite female vocalist. Also, one I just stumbled across and am growing to really like is a band called 13 Tries.

[ReaperKK]

Sarah Fimm
The Jezabels

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I'll second Sarah Fimm. Also, Heather Dale.

[ColdFireYYZ]

I'll third Sarah Fimm. Also, Heather Dale.

FTFY

[The King in Crimson]

Grayceon - Progressive metal where the lead vocalist also doubles as the 'lead' cellist in the group.
Songs To Check Out: Pearl, We Can, Shellmounds

Diablo Swing Orchestra - Avant-garde swing metal with a whole host of other sounds present. Lead singer has Nightwish-esque operatic vocals or a more 'normal' singing voice. Music is just a helluva lot of fun to listen to.
Songs To Check Out: Balrog Boogie, Ragdoll Physics, Tap Dancer's Dilemma, Honey Trap Aftermath, Justice For Saint Mary

Kylesa - Sludge metal with a heavy dose of psychedelics. Laura Pleasants is one of the bands' guitarists and singers, but she's become more and more prominent with each release. The vocals aren't very harsh, but they are not exactly clean either.
Songs To Check Out: Tired Climb, Steady Breakdown, Crowded Road, Exhale, Drop Out

Stolen Babies - Sorta metalcore-ish avant-garde metal. Dominique Persi is the lead singer and lead... accordion-ist for the band. She uses a combination of clean vocals and screams.
Songs To Check Out: Splatter, Dried Moat, Year Of Judges, Lifeless, Spill!

Florence + The Machine - I'm not as familiar with them as I am with the above, but I like what I've heard. Kinda indie rock, pop-ish I guess. Lead singer Florence Welch has a tremendous voice. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the mood for something a bit different.
Songs To Check Out: Dog Days Are Over, Girl With One Eye

Arcade Fire - More of an ensemble really, but the band does feature several women who play various instruments and sing. Just pretty cool indie rock.
Songs To Check Out: Neighborhood 1 (Tunnels), Wake Up, No Cars Go, Black Mirror, City With No Children, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)

[jmplayer]

A few metal bands with female vocalists:

Akirbi (Dream Theater metal)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_Q1ASVQlA

Ancient Bards (Symphonic Power Metal)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_Q1ASVQlA

Dawn of Destiny (Prog Power Metal with some Beauty and the Beast vocals)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPg74nYwWJk

Earlyrise (alternative metal)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el3cHidIiAU

Hydria (symphonic/goth/power/progressive)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3DQmqcPlJo&list=PL3C387458FD30436E

And some non-metal ones:

Seconding Kate Bush.

Marissa Nadler (singer/songwriter)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XR4DtY4hI8

The Material (Paramore alt rock)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZYkq1-RFS4

Renaissance (symphonic prog)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upIlhve5r-g

[ColdFireYYZ]

Renaissance (symphonic prog)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upIlhve5r-g

How did I forget them!? They're one of my favorites.

[adace]

Lisa Gerrard/Dead Can Dance
Loreena McKennitt
Grouper
Crystal Castles
Fever Ray
Cocteau Twins
Bjork
Marissa Nadler
Imogen Heap
Goldfrapp
Portishead
PJ Harvey
Blood Ceremony
Jex Thoth
Windhand
Subrosa
Purson
Renaissance
My Bloody Valentine

[sueño]

Don't forget Adami's vocalists.  Those girls are great!

[Rattlehead]

Don't forget Adami's vocalists.  Those girls are great!

I was going to post the same thing  ... I also highly recommend checking out Adami's album. It's a hell of an album and the vocals are phenomenal.

[senecadawg2]

Thanks a lot, everyone. I'm going to listen to at least one album from all of these recommendations!

Alana Davis

That woman is just insanely talented...and her voice...  [shudders]   Incredible.

Her first album "Blame it on Me" is amazing.   Second album "Fortune Cookies" is almost as good.   Then she broke away from the record companies and did the independant "Surrender Dorothy"....that took a few spins to sink in.  But it's still amazing.    Then she left the biz to raise her daughter, and rumor has it that she's almost ready to record some new material.


And even though I was really not to hot on her new one....  IMOGEN HEAP

I personally think that her debut "I Megaphone" is her best work...but most people are ga-ga over her second album "Speak For Yourself"....a very diverse and stellar album.    But her new one "Ellipse" is just way too poppy for my tastes.    She also did lead vocals for a side project called "Frou Frou", which is my second favorite thing she ever did.  They only did one album...but I think I just heard they were thinking of doing a second one now.

So I just tried some Alana Davis (Blame it on Me) and I've got to say, she has a really nice voice. Musically it's good too, got a very chill vibe to it. The kind of music I'd put on while studying. I will say though, while good as background music, its no attention grabber and I worry that it might lull me into a coma. I definitely see myself giving this album or, more likely, the next a try.



I'm now on to Imogen Heap!

[sueño]

Janelle Monae - kinda prog r&b, if there is such a thing.  Beautiful,  sparkly voice, cool, diverse arrangements, nice vibe.  This is reviewing "Archandroid" (the only album of hers I have).  I dig it.

Completely different and lovely - Eva Cassidy.   Best one is the Live at Blues Alley.

Any Bonnie Raitt is good any time, day or night.

I'm sure you must have Heart.  If not, shame on you!!!   

[jammindude]

Janelle Monae - kinda prog r&b, if there is such a thing.  Beautiful,  sparkly voice, cool, diverse arrangements, nice vibe.  This is reviewing "Archandroid" (the only album of hers I have).  I dig it.

<snip>

Absolutely THIS!  Janelle Monae is the most original R&B artist on the scene (IMO) since Prince first hit the scene.   Very diverse.   Almost "prog R&B".   I mean, seriously....who else in R&B has released a full blown CONCEPT ALBUM???!!!   

Her new one is coming out soon...I can't wait.


EDIT:  I also second the motion on Heart....but avoid the 80's stuff.   Start with Dog and Butterfly.  And for a good taste of their "post AOR" stuff....try Jupiter's Darling.

[sueño]

Yep!  See here:  https://m.jmonae.com/#news

This one will be more commercial, I think.  A lot of mainstream exposure.   First video release is a song with Erykah Badu - another interesting vocalist.

[sueño]

Absolutely THIS!  Janelle Monae is the most original R&B artist on the scene (IMO) since Prince first hit the scene.   Very diverse.   Almost "prog R&B".   I mean, seriously....who else in R&B has released a full blown CONCEPT ALBUM???!!!   

Just had to pop back on this with the fact that Earth Wind &Fire and Parliament were doing concept albums before Miss Monae was born.     No one's done it in awhile, but she's not the first (I daresay she was inspired by them!   

[SoundscapeMN]

Janelle Monae
Kimbra
Warpaint (maybe the best all-female band currently active)
Imogen Heap
Renaissance
Brooke Waggoner
Timbre
Tokyo Jihen (and Shiina Ringo if you get into them)
Pure Reason Revolution (Chloe Alper is 1 of their 2 lead vocalists/multi instrumentalists)
Hiromi
Amanda Palmer

[senecadawg2]

iMOGEN HEAP (I Megaphone) was a step up from Alana Davis, for me. It's got more punch to it, musically, and the electronica influences grab my attention in a very pleasant way. I'll be sure to listen to the second album too, and check out the third too (though if it's poppy like you say, I might have issues). Thanks jammindude

[SoundscapeMN]

for Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself is the best record to start with.

[senecadawg2]

for Imogen Heap, Speak For Yourself is the best record to start with.

I'll definitely come back and give it a full listen after I've checked out all of that ^^^

[ColdFireYYZ]

One more that I'd like to recommend: Jolanda. She describes herself as an avant-garde singer-songwriter and I really enjoyed her album Aubade. Here's a link to a stream of the complete album:
https://jolanda.bandcamp.com/album/aubade

[Big Hath]

check out Harvest.  I bookmarked them when someone else around here recommended them (zook, maybe?).  It may be a little too atmospheric/soft for your tastes, but who knows.

https://harvest-band.bandcamp.com/music

[ColdFireYYZ]

check out Harvest.  I bookmarked them when someone else around here recommended them (zook, maybe?).  It may be a little too atmospheric/soft for your tastes, but who knows.

https://harvest-band.bandcamp.com/music

I'll definitely second them...both of their albums are very good. In Debris features Steve Rothery from Marillion.

[Lolzeez]

Renaissance
Fiona Apple
My Bloody Valentine
Joni Mitchell
Bjork
Grouper (Liz something...)
Hiromi

[Zantera]

Kimbra
Björk
Eisley
Susanne Sundfor
Beach House
The Knife
Laura Stevenson and the Cans
Cat Power

[Zook]

check out Harvest.  I bookmarked them when someone else around here recommended them (zook, maybe?).  It may be a little too atmospheric/soft for your tastes, but who knows.

https://harvest-band.bandcamp.com/music

Yeah, my thread is decaying like 5 or 6 pages back. It might even be only bones at this point.

[Bolsters]

Shania Twain?

[Zook]

Shania Twain?

[Lowdz]

For straight ahead prog

Magenta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NgBQgx0WLU

Some female fronted power/prog/gothic metal bands

Mind Maze

MorningStarlet

Nemesea

Triosphere

Within Temptation

Hard Rock bands/artists

Saraya- the When The Blackbird Sings album is quite Queensryche Empire-ish sound to it.

Joanna Dean- bluesy hard rock

Heart- if the 80s stuff doesn't do it for you the Little Queen and Dog & Butterfly albums might

and I used to love an all-girl British metal band in the early 80s called Rock Goddess. Jody Turner (v and g) did something strange to the teenage me  and her sister on drums was cute

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsyvtfoJWXg