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There is no question about it — women are currently taking the pop-music industry by storm. Of course, women have produced remarkable pop hits for decades but no era has found itself so saturated with the voices of women as the one we are in today. Not only are female artists laying down ambitious yet singable vocal tracks over exciting beats, they are creating a powerful dialogue about what it means to be a woman. In contrast with the “modern woman” of the mid-20th century, the new modern woman is independent, sexually liberated, confident, bold and unwilling to let anything hold her back from achieving her goals.

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More than ever, songs that celebrate femininity and push forward the idea that women do not need a romantic partner to feel complete have been topping charts and playing hourly on radio stations across the country. This is a huge leap from the weepy post-breakup or man-centered songs by stars like Cher, Celine Dion, Madonna and Billie Holiday. This is not to say that these women were not powerful advocates of the feminist message — only that this message has evolved. As Robin Morgan wrote in the anthology that helped define feminism's Second Wave, Sisterhood is Powerful, "The women's movement is a non-hierarchical one. It does things collectively and experimentally.”

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It appears that feminism in pop-music has evolved rapidly. Stars, like Carrie Underwood, Britney Spears, and Taylor Swift, who were widely popular and influential earlier in the 2000s have been swept below the wave of Rihanna, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande who consistently put forward a message of self-love, fearlessness and confidence. The latter stars have definitely recognized this shift and have made recent changes to their music and public image. Taylor Swift has shifted from “Teardrops on My Guitar” to the self-empowering message of “Look What You Made Me Do,” while Carrie Underwood transformed her “Before He Cheats” into “The Champion,” a song that gives a female voice to the narrative of determination and resilience that countless men have written before. Although these women have landed back on top-100 charts with these songs, no one currently matches the momentum of Ariana Grande.

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Just this week, Ariana Grande’s music video for “thank u, next” broke Youtube and Vevo records by reaching over 46 million views in under 24 hours. The song portrays a woman who has loved and lost but has come out stronger, smarter, and hopeful for the future — a testament to the new modern woman. In addition with her smash hit, “God is a Woman,” Ariana Grande has used her platform to push forward the message that she, and women in general, are a force to be reckoned with and will no longer conform to masculine romantic ideals. Now when a star writes a song about a past love, she includes a message about her growth instead of one about longing for someone who wronged her. This message is especially powerful coming from Ariana, who is often decked out in frilly, sparkly costumes, always celebrating her femininity to the fullest. One might think that being provocative and girly may take away from her message because it appeals visually to male viewers; however, I think this only makes her message more potent. She benefits from this appeal but it is not her goal. Her true goal is to reflect the free feminine spirit who does what she wants without being concerned with how she is perceived.

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When viewed alongside songs like Janelle Monaé’s “PYNK”, Kesha’s “Woman”, Cardi B and SZA’s “I Do”, and countless tracks by Beyoncé and Rihanna, it is clear that the pop music scene is becoming a place where women are valued by the strength of their characters and not just as counterparts to men. The popularity of these songs and artists reflects a pervasive shift in American culture towards loving and respecting women as powerful leaders and thinkers. In a society and era where consumer choices are heavily politicized, it is delightful to see famous women using their platforms to convey a message of empowerment and even more-so to see how much people are loving it.

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Feminism is a word that carries negative connotations, but it should not have to. Feminists advance their ideas in a wide variety of ways, spanning from participating in protests and lobbying, to writing books and smash-hit songs. Regardless of negative stereotypical interpretation, feminist ideologies have permeated the minds of Americans and resulted in this current era of the divine feminine. This coincides with current political movements, such as ‘#MeToo’ founded by Tarana Burke, which enables women to candidly share their sexual assault stories in order to highlight the massive societal problem of sexual violence. 2018 has been monumental for badass women in pop to be at the forefront of female empowerment through music. Where once it was a hindrance, femininity is now a weapon.