Happy International Women's Day!: 10 Songs Celebrating Our Fabulousity
In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month Parlour is celebrating our womanhood and women of color with ten songs that makes us twerk, bogle and sometimes look at our reflection in the mirror and see Foxy Brown instead. Get into it while you celebrate your ovaries today and the rest of March. Rawr.1. India.Arie's "Video"
Sometimes we paint our toes, sometimes we shave, sometimes we don't. India tells ya'll to deal with it in the smoothest way. Message: Love yourself.
2. Erykah Badu's "Tyrone"
Any song that starts with "I'm gettin' tired of your $#!+" deserves to be some type of anthem. Badu demands all she deserves on "Tyrone" but poor Tyrone? He couldn't even use the phone.
3. Beyoncé's "Run The World"
Though most of Beyoncé's discography could arguably fuel a women's empowerment movement by itself — except for "Cater 2 U," we know and we forgive her — the foot work display alone in "Run The World" deserves a shout out.
4. Eurythmics ft. Aretha Franklin "Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves"
Mix the "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin with Eurythmics power house Annie Lennox and what do you get? A fantastic pop anthem steeped in women's liberation and hair gel, what's not to love?
Bonus: This song was included in one of our favorite movies about women, The First Wives Club, if you haven't seen it, rent it late boots.
5. Whitney Houston's "Queen of The Night"
Whether you're singing Whitney's "Queen of The Night" alone in your room or belting it out at karaoke night with your girls, it's tough not to feel empowered by this song. And that silver headpiece in the video with the pearls? Stop. Rest In Peace, Nippy.
6. Queen Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y."
"Who you callin' a Bitch?" Latifah's "U.N.I.T.Y." deals with misogyny, domestic violence and girl-on-girl violence, not to mention, doesn't the groove make you miss the 1990s? *bogles*
7. Destiny's Child's "Independent Women"
We mentioned Beyoncé's discography already and here's Destiny's Child's "Independent Women," another classic, pulled from when Bey was the queen of three. All my women who independent! *throws hands up at my desk*
8. Alicia Keys' "Superwoman"
Superman who? Alicia's "Superwoman" song reminds us that we're all amazing whether we are a teacher, astronaut, writer (*ahem*), or a stay-at-home mom. We've all got our genius and when we engage that, we're unstoppable.
9. Sir Mix A Lot's "Baby's Got Back"
Surprised? Don't be. While this song may not be all about girl power — and made by the dude who release "Posse on Broadway," which decried domestic violence, holler — we can't overlook Mix A Lot's uncut glorification of curvaceous women. In a time where fashion media loves a thin woman, we live for Mix A Lot's out-of-church testimony for self-love, "Well Cosmo says your fat, well I ain't down with that." So, go on shake it, shake it, shake that healthy butt.
10. Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful"
If someone would've said that Christina Aguilera would've been more sane in 2013 than Britney Spears back in 1997, they'd have been laughed out of the lunchroom. But Ms. Aguilera, minus some public slip-ups, has kept it together and delivered "Beautiful" as the fruit of her Hollywood scars. After you're done peeling away the layers in this song, and maybe cry a little — just us? Oh. — there is nothing left but strength, confidence, and empowerment.
What are your women's empowerment anthem?