Lately I’ve been noticing a shift in the music industry, specifically for female artists.

A few years ago the charts were inundated with gorgeous, plastique girls who looked absolutely stunning on camera but whom were manufactured so heavily it was unclear whether or not they could actually carry a tune.

They had the moves, the money, the famous producer, the pretty back-up dancers, but they were lacking something vital - they were totally uncool.

Pour example: Britney Spears. Remember when she first came out? Now, I’ll admit I liked her music. It was catchy! Hit Me Baby One More Time? Classic. But was it cool? No. Was she nice to look at? Yes. She was a success.

It wasn’t until she went completely bonkers that she started to gain a bit of cool cred.

Nowadays we are seeing stronger females who understand the art of music, who embrace their own quirky styles and run with it no matter what the critics think… and they don’t need to marry Kevin Federline, have babies and shave their heads to start making better music .

Luckily, the critics are loving this new breed of female, as am I.

Remember when Mandy Moore released her first single way-back-when? Ouch. It was actually painful for me. Bleached blonde pre-teen singing about candy and love. The bleach didn’t totally brainwash her, thank goodness. She ditched her record label and started writing her own music, which is actually really good.

She’s now a brunette with a mildly successsful recording career - and she married Ryan Adams. She embraced her inner cool.

Some more examples of my favourite females - Elly Jackson of La Roux, Florence from Florence and the Machine, LadyHawke and let’s not forget, Lady Gaga.

These are not barbie dolls. But they are totally cool. They have a wicked sound and the best part, they created that sound themselves. They should be part of the successful side of the music industry - and they are.

Let’s hear it for ‘em! I hope this trend is here to stay.

Tags: General Lori-ness //