Despite only being three months in, 2023 is truly the year of great women making great music. And what better time to celebrate the endless talents of women within the music industry than during March, Women’s History Month?
February blessed our ears (and eyes) with a number of successfully slayful releases, with March slated to drop some major records from artists like Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey. No need to scramble to your calendars to lock these release dates in, here is a curated list of nine iconic records and upcoming releases from women within February/March of 2023, in a release order for your convenience.
My 21st Century Blues - Raye
Released on the 3rd of February, My 21st Century Blues acts as Raye’s first independently released project. A studio album that boasts fifteen tracks including the TikTok mega-hit ‘Escapism’ (featuring 070 Shake), is described as a mix of house, pop and dancehall. If you are unfamiliar with Raye, you may recognise her vocals featured on ‘You Don’t Know Me’ by Jax Jones, and ‘By Your Side’ by Jonas Blue.
Let Her Burn - Rebecca Black
The uninitiated will recognise her name from the infamous YouTube song ‘Friday’, but Rebecca Black has earned her place within the music industry through her debut studio album Let Her Burn, self-released on February 9th. Submerging herself into the realms of electro and hyper pop, the record made it onto countless ‘most anticipated LGBTQ+ albums of 2023’ lists, including Queerty and Them.
This Is Why - Paramore
Speaking of highly anticipated albums, pop-punk masterminds Paramore have returned to the scene after six years with their record This Is Why, released on February 10. Headed by Hayley Williams with her infamously insane vocal range, the album received critical acclaim from Metacritic for its mature and eloquent songwriting and post-punk sound.
Desire, I Want to Turn Into You - Caroline Polachek
An acclaimed hit for alternative-pop fans alike, this record is Polachek’s fourth studio album and was released on Valentine’s Day! Truly a gift for the girls, she labelled the album as ‘maximalist’. Elements of the electronic and new-age genres and even a dash of humour make this an engaging listen throughout.
Red Moon in Venus - Kali Uchis
R&B fans are sure to love Uchis’ third studio album, Red Moon in Venus, which was released on the 3rd of March. With tracks originally recorded back in 2020-21, the soulful record includes features from the likes of Don Toliver and Summer Walker and is already universally acclaimed by Metacritic.
Endless Summer Vacation - Miley Cyrus
At the time of writing, Miley Cyrus’ highly anticipated eighth studio album has only been out in the world for sixteen minutes, but is already being hailed a masterpiece by fans, with
READY TO BE - TWICE
As if March 10th couldn’t get any more exciting, K-Pop superstars TWICE have just dropped their twelfth (!!!) mini album Ready To Be, alongside Miley’s release. The music video for the title track ‘Set Me Free’ features the girls living out their cyber-space racer fantasies, in a track which will hopefully be performed when they set foot in Sydney in May.
Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd - Lana Del Rey
Originally slated for a March 10th release date (the chaos that would have ensued…), Lana’s ninth studio album is set to be released instead on March 24th. Undoubtedly going to be snatched up by TikTok sped up audio creators, the record has been referred to as “effortless” and having “spiritual elements” by Lana herself.
The Record - boygenius
The current rise of indie-rock has paved the perfect path for boygenius’ return, a supergroup consisting of legendary sad girls Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. Set to release on March 31st, The Record will be the trio’s first project since 2020, with all songwriting credits shared amongst the three. With a group name inspired by "a male artist who has been told since birth that their every thought is brilliant," it's the perfect record to round up Women’s History Month.
Patricia Byrnes is a current second-year student studying a Bachelor of Media (Comms. And Journalism)/Arts. She is an enthusiast of all things pop culture, specifically Bill Hader movies, former members of One Direction and attends every single concert she physically can. You could most likely find her constructing her own album tier lists in her bedroom, for her own enjoyment.
