Top 5 Female Artists of 2019

Music can really make an impact on a persons life. The artists behind the songs can too, maybe even more. With 2019 over, it's time to recognize the top five (not in any particular order) strong and inspiring female artists that made an impact last year, not only with their sound but also with their words.

Top 5 Female Artists of 2019

1. Ariana Grande
2. Lizzo
3. Normani
4. Lana Del Rey
5. Billie Eilish

1. Ariana Grande

Born: June 26, 1993 (age 26)

Full Name: Ariana Grande-Butera

Label: Republic

Genre: Pop, R&B, Trap-Pop

Ariana Grande is naturally one of the biggest stars of 2019. She dominates the charts, pumping out hit after hit. Sweetener, her 4th studio album, debuted at number one on the the US Billboard 200, and won her a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. Ariana then went on to release another album, thank u, next, in 2019 only one year later.

Not only is she a successful and strong woman, she also promotes equality for all genders. She inspires young women to become independent strong women in the future and encourages them to dream and do what they feel like. Not only that, but she also is a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and has been an ally her entire career.

2. Lizzo

Born: April 27, 1988 (age 31)

Full Name: Melissa Viviane Jefferson

Label: Atlantic Records, TGNP, Nice Life

Genre: Pop, Hip-Hop, R&B

Lizzo is one those artists that you just have to love. She's charismatic, fun, and genuinely cares for her fans and supporters. Though she's been around since 2010, her boost to stardom began in 2016 when she signed to Atlantic Records and released Good As Hell on March 8, 2016 as the lead single for her EP Coconut Oil (which then released on October 7, 2016). Most critics were very positive in their reviews and mostly for the outstanding message of body positivity and self-love that was embedded in the lyrics.

Since then she has promoted body positivity and self-love in all of her music. Her newest release and third studio album, Cuz I Love You, was a major turning point in her career and got her more mainstream attention. The song Truth Hurts, on the deluxe version of the album, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for seven weeks. In turn this caused the album, Cuz I Love You, to get more attention and remain on the top 10 of Billboard 200 for months.

3. Normani

Born: May 31, 1996 (age 23)

Full Name: Normani Kordei Hamilton

Label: Syco, Epic, Keep Cool, RCA Records

Genre: R&B, Pop

Normani has come a long way from her Fifth Harmony days and God are we grateful. After going solo, she has released bops for us to enjoy, including collabs with Khalid, Calvin Harris, Sam Smith and Khelani. All of which were hits, specifically Love Lies with Khalid and Dancing With a Stranger with Sam Smith.

Her solo career really took off when she released Motiviation (her first single without a feature), that was co-written with Ariana Grande, after she was a supporting act on the first leg of Ariana's Sweetener World Tour. She took over 2019 with this outstanding single and mesmerized us all with her VMA performance of the energetic song.

4. Lana Del Rey

Born: June 21, 1985 (age 34)

Full Name: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

Label: Polydor, Interscope Records, 5 points, Stranger Records

Genre: Baroque Pop, Dream Pop, Rock

Lana Del Rey is the aesthetically pleasing goddess of our dreams. With an angelically soothing voice and dreamy sound, it's hard not to love her or her music. She's been in the industry since 2005 but her career really took flight in 2011 with the song Video Games, which she wrote, recorded and uploaded to YouTube with a home-made music video, all on her own. She was then signed by Stranger Records to re-record and release it as a single. After, she signed a joint deal with Polydor and Interscope Records for the release of her sophomore album Born To Die in 2012. It sold 3.4 million copies and was the fifth best selling album of the year, charting on the Billboard 200 for almost 36 weeks.

She has only grown since then with the releases of her next five albums, Paradise, Ultraviolence, Honeymoon, Lust For Life, and Norman F***ing Rockwell!. The last two albums receiving wide spread critical acclaim, Norman F***ing Rockwell! (released 2019) being nominated for two Grammy Awards.

5. Billie Eilish

Born: December 18, 2001 (age 18)

Full Name: Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell

Label: Darkroom / Interscope Records

Genre: Alternative Pop, Indie Pop, Electro Pop

Billie Eilish is one of the fastest growing artists of recent years and a very young one at that. She was only fourteen years old when she released Ocean Eyes to Souncloud, a song she wrote with her brother and recorded in his bedroom. After Ocean Eyes was a hit, she went on to get signed by Darkroom and Interscope Records and re-released the song under their label, as well as four remixes of the song. She continued on to release her EP Don't Smile At Me, containing the hit songs, Watch, Bellyache, and Copycat. Because of this album, Apple Music named Billie Up Next artist.

Her newest release When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was released March 29, 2019 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making her the first person born in the 2000's to have a number one album in the US.

Conclusion

I'm sure there are many wonderful and inspiring female artists that I missed but these are the five that greatly inspired me and many others. Comment any more that you think should have been on the list!