In honour of International Women’s Day, here are seven songs by strong women, celebrating their independence and encouraging you to do the same.

We all need a little boost now and then, and this International Women’s Day we’ve got you covered with seven tracks by some of the women we love, to end the week on a plus and kick off Friday night the right way.

Hana – Avalanche

The second release from her debut EP, Avalanche is an ode to becoming a force to be reckoned with, commenting on the status quo of the patriarchy with lyrics like ’never not the nice one, mustn’t be a bitch, hun, sit and be pretty, learn to live to love to always nod yes’ and eventually taking back control with ‘I’ll sit and be pretty while I learn to be the one to yell no, scream no’.

Little Mix – Joan of Arc

This one went straight on our gym playlist the second it was released. Not only does it bang, but LM come through with strong hooks like ‘I put my own rock on my hand, I don’t need a man, If I’m loving you, it’s ’cause I can’.

Mariah Carey – A No No

The video for this is hot. off. the. press, honey! Mariah isn’t taking any shit from the fuckboys in this one, ‘After everything I already been through, I can’t waste no time, pay no attention to you’. Parlez vous Francais? She said no.

Janelle Monae – Pynk

Best described by Monae herself, ’a brash celebration of creation. self love. sexuality. and pussy power! Pynk is the colour that unites us all, for pink is the color found in the deepest and darkest nooks and crannies of humans everywhere’. What more could we ask for?

Rina Sawayama – Flicker

This absolute bop is straight up a reminder of your own self worth and to believe in yourself, plus the lyric video is gorj. She no longer cares what you think of her, and neither do we. ’When you’re down, feeling low, just remember your name, they ain’t us, they ain’t us, baby’

Lizzo – Juice

No one is celebrating big bodies right now as hard as Lizzo, and honestly we can’t get enough of it. ‘Ain’t my fault that I’m out here makin’ news, I’m the pudding in the proof, gotta blame it on
my juice’

Chrisette Michele – I’m A Star

This is an empowering anthem to getting back up and starting again after being knocked down. Dust yourself of and go again ‘Tell him baby, I’m a star tonight, I’m up in the sky tonight for the world to see I ain’t thinking ’bout you Baby, I’ma do me tonight’