A Subjective Top Ten — The Best Empowerment Anthems
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag? You know, just drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
We all have days when we answer Katy Perry’s philosophical questions with “hell, yeah”; days when we need a wise popstar to remind us that we have the power to make people go “oh, oh, oh” as we shoot across the sky-y-y.
Let’s prepare ourselves for those tough days by taking a closer look at ten particularly great empowerment anthems.
(Don’t worry, neither “Firework” nor “Roar” have made the list.)
10. “Up” — The Saturdays
“I don’t want protection, life is better off the line.”
With its monotonous synthesised backing, this robotic disco-pop track balances on the thin line that separates exciting from annoying.
“Up” was released back in 2008 as the second single of British girlgroup The Saturdays and became a massive hit in the UK. The song deals with relationship dynamics in a particularly empowering way. The Saturdays declare that they’re “ready to be in control” and that “the ground isn’t good enough for [them].” In a world where girls are often taught that they have to follow their boyfriends’ lead, these lines are extremely important.
And even if you’re not a teenage girl trying to take control of her first relationship, the catchy chorus and the energetic pre-choruses make you feel like you are the confident, undisputed leader of the pack. So hold your head up high and proudly proclaim, “I’m ready for the big jump, keep up with me!”
9. “Lunatic” — Andy Grammer
“You can do this, you are not a lunatic.”
Andy Grammer has released several empowerment anthems in his career — from the dreamy “The World Is Yours” to the dancy “Keep Your Head Up”. But the best of them is “Lunatic”, taken from his self-titled debut album.
There are few songs that ooze with positivity as strongly as this one does. “A new chance coming every time I blink, sunset dripping off the thoughts I think,” Grammer sings in the first verse, turning even the most pessimistic moaner into a starry-eyed optimist. “Maybe I should care more about safety,” he continues, “but I can’t ignore or betray these voices singing: you can do this!”
Whenever you wonder whether you should actually go through with something; whenever you doubt that you can succeed: this is the song you need to hear. Because you can do it. If Andy Grammer is sure of it, who are you to disagree?
8. “Kings & Queens” — Brooke Fraser
“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve got the energy.”
Having originally been known for laid-back folk pop, New Zealand singer-songwriter Brooke Fraser made the switch to electronic pop with her 2014 record Brutal Romantic. She promptly dropped the best single of her career, the pulsing mid-tempo masterpiece “Kings & Queens”.
What makes this song such a great empowerment track is that it’s realistic rather than naïvely optimistic. Fraser acknowledges that life can be tough at times and that everyone has a long journey ahead of them. Her message is that it’s not going to be easy, but that we all have what it takes to succeed nonetheless.
The chorus lines “we’ve come a long way, you know, living inside a dream, waking to the fact that we are kings and queens” stress that it can take a long time to learn to love yourself. But once you’ve finally gotten there, there’s nothing that can stop you.
7. “Ugly” — Sugababes
“And if I’m ugly, then so are you.”
This unlikely girlgroup single is different from any other Sugababes hit. The band — in all its different line-ups — wasn’t exactly known for making meaningful statements (do you remember the poetic “Get Sexy”?), but “Ugly” is the one impressive exception.
In the verses, the pop/R’n’B ballad tells personal and intimate stories about being othered. Then a chorus that is beautiful in its simplicity kicks in, putting things into perspective. The central message is that “people are all the same,” and that “we only get judged by what we do.” Quite possibly the most important line of the song, the most important realisation for anybody in this world, is the following: “There will always be the one who will say something bad to make them feel great.”
“Ugly” is honest, down-to-earth, and uncharacteristically raw for a pop production. It makes it easier for you to tackle the immense task of learning to love yourself. And it remains the absolute highlight of the Sugababes’ discography.
6. “Masterpiece” — Jessie J
“I’m perfectly incomplete.”
Released in the gigantic shadow of the pop behemoth “Bang Bang”, “Masterpiece” is a severly underrated gem. It combines powerful verses with a sing-along chorus and compelling lyrics. While Jessie J’s first attempt at an empowerment anthem, “Who You Are”, came off a little heavy-handed, “Masterpiece” without doubt deserves its title.
If you suffer from a lack of attitude, a few spins of this song will give you the confidence to show your middle finger to everyone who dares to cross you. After all, “those who mind don’t matter, those who matter don’t mind.”
In addition to its catchiness and refreshing bluntness, what makes “Masterpiece” special is the way it addresses artistic aspirations. The lines”you haven’t seen the best of me, I’m still working on my masterpiece” can be interpreted as a metaphorical expression, but they can also be read as a literal statement uttered by a young artist trying to cope with rejection.
Just like Brooke Fraser’s “Kings & Queens”, this song makes it clear that there’s a long way to go for everyone. You may not be living your dreams just yet, and that’s okay. You can still be proud of how far you’ve come already.
5. “Fire Under My Feet” — Leona Lewis
“You can’t keep me down in my seat.”
Leona Lewis’s comeback single is a great example for a massive hit that wasn’t meant to be. It’s by far the best song of her career, yet it failed to make an impact on the charts. The record buying public works in mysterious ways.
“Fire Under My Feet” recalls the darker times of Lewis’s career, then stresses how she overcame them to return even stronger. “This may not be perfect,” Lewis admits in the bridge, “but I’m happy and I’ve earned it.”
Then there’s the soulful, anthemic, larger-than-life chorus. It’s impossible to sit still when it kicks in and Leona Lewis’s vocals turn from great to unbelievably amazing. These are lines you have to dance — or at least clap — along to. They radiate energy, self-confidence and zest for life. Whenever you’re feeling down, this is the hook you need to get back up.
4. “Shine” — Take That
“Your time is coming, don’t be late.”
When a song begins with the line “you’re such a big star to me,” how can you not feel empowered already? “Shine”, the follow-up single to Take That’s triumphant comeback song “Patience”, is Gary Barlow and co. at their best. A pop-rock anthem with Mark Owen on lead vocals, “Shine” can turn any frown into a smile.
The song directly addresses its audience, with Take That acting like “empowerment” was a subject at school (it probably should be) and they were your teachers. They give you helpful advice (“stop being so hard on yourself, it’s not good for your health”) and tell you exactly what you need to do to make things better (“you only have to open your eyes”). Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
“Shine” is a fun uptempo track, the sound of which matches its optimistic lyrics. No matter how bad you may feel, no matter how bad your day may be: once you turn this song on the sun will immediately “shine” again.
Fun fact: Lily Allen stole the chorus melody of “Shine” when she wrote “Who’d Have Known”, which is among the best love songs of all time.
3. “King Of Anything” — Sara Bareilles
“Who cares if you disagree? You are not me.”
We’ve made it to the top three, and the third best empowerment anthem is Sara Bareilles’s “song about people who should mind their own f*cking business,” the beautiful midtempo gem “King Of Anything”.
Everyone knows somehow who loves to give unsolicited advice, acting like they know exactly what is best for you. Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles was fed up with that kind of people, so she wrote “King Of Anything” about — and for — them. “I hate to break it to you babe, but I’m not drowning,” Bareilles clarifies. “There’s no one here to save.” Then she adds, “You’ve got the talking down, just not the listening.”
The song in general and its powerful chorus in particular sound happy and sweet instead of angry. Indeed, this track is the sassy musical equivalent of smiling brightly while throwing shade at somebody. It gives you the confidence and the right kind of attitude you need to tell the know-it-alls that their opinions don’t matter to you at all.
2. “Secrets” — Mary Lambert
“I don’t care if the world knows what my secrets are.”
The almost-best empowerment anthem is a song by American singer-songwriter Mary Lambert. If you are now wondering whether she’s related to either Adam Lambert or Miranda Lambert — no, she’s not. But you still know her, because she’s the one who sang the heartfelt chorus on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s lgbtq anthem “Same Love”.
The optimistic and light-hearted midtempo song “Secrets”, released as Lambert’s first major solo single, impressively addresses the fact that people “tell us from the time we’re young to hide the things that we don’t like about ourselves inside ourselves.” Consequently, we strive for perfection as defined by society and attempt to be someone we’re not.
What, then, could be more liberating than just shouting all your secrets out loud and exposing your authentic self? Indeed, this is probably the purest form of self-empowerment. Whether you’re overweight, wear cat earrings, are scared of the dark, or simply cry a little too often: why not follow Mary Lambert’s example and take pride in all your scars and quirks? If everyone did it, this world in which other people’s opinions are way too important would be a much safer place.
1. “Ooh Lala Lala” — Ginger Minj
“What d’you want me to say? None of your shade gonna ruin my day.”
You may be surprised that the best empowerment anthem wasn’t released by a pop superstar but rather by a hard-working, trash-talking drag queen. Then again, is this really a surprise? Ginger Minj herself said it best when she told The Typewriter that “as drag queens, we have gone through and seen a lot of shit.” Consequently, it seems only natural that someone from a subculture based on self-expression, self-acceptance, and creativity, would know best how to write an empowerment anthem.
“Ooh Lala Lala” is direct, witty, and fun. It’s an energetic lyrical masterpiece with a true killer chorus. Indeed, the “I hear you say ooh lala lala” bit is certainly the catchiest hook on this entire list.
Together, straightforward melodies, rock and gospel influences, a healthy dose of sass, and Ginger’s powerful vocals create a sonic shot of adrenaline. “Ooh Lala Lala” gives you the energy and the confidence you need to tackle any situation; to stand up to anyone who dares oppose you.
“You’ve got to love yourself,” Ginger sings in the bridge, “can’t live for nobody else.” It’s easier said than done, of course, but if you listen to “Ooh Lala Lala” at least once a day, you’ll get there sooner than you think.
