Female- & Body-Positive Music : Body Image Songs

India Arie broke the mould with her debut single, "Video." Shattering the stereotypes of female R&B singers, she unabashedly proclaimed:

Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't

Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't

---full lyrics here

The success of her first album by no means corrupted India. Her second album did moderately well, but she came back with a vengeance for Testimony: Vol 1, Life and Relationships, thanks to a powerful song called "I Am Not My Hair."

This young British songstress burst onto the music scene with the easy-going, "Girl Put Your Records On." The video (shown at right) is remarkably simple and free of booty-dancing and sex scenes. Corinne herself always looks fresh and natural, emphasizing her music over herself. And, reading her lyrics, you can see they speak for themselves.

Le Tigre is well-known for their politically poignant lyrics. Along with artists like Sleater-Kinney and Bikini Kill, Le Tigre offers gutsy riot grrl music that's sure to get you pumped to face the world. Sometimes the lyrics can get lost, but one of my favorite passages comes from the song, "Keep on Livin'," which talks about experiencing your body, rather than dissecting it.

Man does not live by bread alone... and neither does woman on music. Changing what you listen to can be a positive step in improving your self-esteem and body image, but it's only part of a larger problem. If you haven't already, check out some of the other resources I've provided on body image (listed below), and try to implement a series of small changes in your every day life, in what you read, watch, say, and do. The problem isn't one-sided, and neither is the solution.