SONiC celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8th! Here are just some of the female SONiC artists that rock.

1. Gwen Stefani of No Doubt

Gwen has been a staple in music and fashion for decades. She wrote “Just A Girl” while frustrated with her father about being overprotective because of her gender. “I wouldn’t trade being female, for anything, but the guys don’t understand what a burden it can be sometimes.”

2. The Beaches

The Beaches are an all-girl group from Toronto. They’ll perform at this year’s JUNO Awards!

3. Sally Shaar of MONOWHALES

Sally Shaar acts as MONOWHALE’s frontwoman. In 2022, she explained her relationship with her Syrian heritage, saying, “For the longest time, I was encouraged to be the most white Canadian person I could be because that’s what my parents told me success would come from. Now I feel like I want to take that back from them; to put my heritage in a positive light to show other immigrants that you can succeed on your own terms.”

4. Aimee Allen of The Interrupters

Aimee Allen is the lead vocalist in the ska-punk band, The Interrupters. The band had lots of success with their single “She’s Kerosene” which according to Billboard, was unexpected. They said, “Contemporary alt radio doesn’t play much punk and is generally slow to play to female singers, across all genres.”

5. Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine

Florence + The Machine’s song  “King” was inspired by Welch’s relationship with gender. She explained, “As an artist, I never actually thought about my gender that much. I just got on with it. I was as good as the men and I just went out there and matched them every time. But now, thinking about being a woman in my thirties and the future, I suddenly feel this tearing of my identity and my desires. That to be a performer, but also to want a family might not be as simple for me as it is for my male counterparts. I had modeled myself almost exclusively on male performers, and for the first time I felt a wall come down between me and my idols as I have to make decisions they did not.”

6. Alanis Morissette

Born in Ottawa, Alanis Morissette was a staple in the 90’s music scene. In 2018, she helped create Jagged Little Pill, a Broadway musical based on her best-selling album.

7. Emily Haines of Metric

Emily Haines is a Canadian singer/songwriter, and the lead vocalist for Metric. Haines has also worked for years with the organization Global Citizen, campaigning on issues relating to health, education, and gender equality.

“So often we are handed really very strict and unrealistic versions of what femininity is,” Haines told Global Citizen in an interview. “It’s either an idealized virginal child, or it’s some sort of disrespected sexual power or it’s the matronly mother or — god forbid — the crone.”

8. Billie Eilish

During her career, Billie Eilish has made powerful statements against body shaming. During her massive debut world tour, she took the opportunity while on stage in Miami to address her body shamers. During the concert’s interlude, a pre-produced video of Eilish played on the screen as she narrated the scene.

“The body I was born with, is it not what you wanted? If what I wear is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I am a slut.

She continued saying, “If I wear more, if I wear less, who decides what that makes me? What that means? Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me, not my responsibility?”.

Eilish had previously discussed her decision to wear baggy clothes on stage and in public to avoid objectification. In a Calvin Klein ad, Eilish said, “Nobody can have an opinion because they haven’t seen what’s underneath. Nobody can be like, ‘she’s slim-thick,’ ‘she’s not slim-thick,’ ‘she’s got a flat ass,’ ‘she’s got a fat ass.’ No one can say any of that because they don’t know.”

9. Amy Cole of The Rural Alberta Advantage

Amy Cole helped found The Rural Alberta Advantage in 2005. Since then, the group has earned several Juno nominations, received a longlist nomination for the Polaris Music Prize, and were awarded the CBC Music Prize for Best Independent Artist. Throughout her 15+ years in the industry, Amy says she has witnessed an increase in representation.

“It used to be that I’d be the only girl in the band, the only girl on the lineup, the only girl on the tour. But that’s not true anymore.”

10. Rezz

Born in Ukraine, Rezz immigrated to Ontario as a kid. She began producing her own beats as a teen while working at the Hard Rock Cafe in Niagara Falls. She has since released four albums, one including a collaboration with Emily Haines of Metric.

11. Kim Deal of Pixies and The Breeders

In 1986, Kim Deal joined Pixies before leaving to create her own girl-group, The Breeders. Kurt Cobain called their album Pod one of his favorite albums of all time.

12. Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin of Mother Mother

Molly Guldemond and Jasmin Parkin are two members of the Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother. Both of them play the keyboard and share vocals with Ryan Guldemond. Music isn’t their only passion either, in her spare time Molly Guldemond makes masks and Jasmin Parkin owns a yoga studio in Squamish, BC.

13. Pussy Riot

Pussy Riot has long been critical of Russia’s government. They consistently use their platform for reform, most recently backing an NFT and raising over $6.7 million for Ukrainian defenses.

14. Lorde

Born Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, Lorde became the youngest solo artist to earn a Billboard Top 100 since Tiffany in 1987 when she released “Royals” in 2013.

15. JJ Wilde

JJ Wilde is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Kitchener, ON. She released her song “Best Boy” with the message, “For me, this song is about trying to change the narrative that society has accepted about women. It is clear, especially in the music industry that women are viewed more like objects a lot of the time rather than actual humans — seen not heard type of thing. Well, I want that to change – what women “should and shouldn’t do”, what society deems acceptable, what women are shamed for. All of the above. We are beautiful creatures. And I don’t think we should feel ashamed to express that. This song is taking a stab at what men have always been free to talk about in songs — doing whatever they want with whoever they want — but from a woman’s perspective.”

16. Arlo Parks

British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks released her solo debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams in 2021. It was met with critical acclaim and won the 2021 Mercury Prize.

17. Karen O of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Born in South Korea, Karen O immigrated to New Jersey at a young age. Yeah Yeah Yeahs formed in 2000, and their first gig ever was opening for The White Stripes.

18. Courtney Love

Courtney Love solidified herself as a part of the grunge movement with her band Hole. According to her, “I am not a woman. I am a force of nature.”

19. Danielle McTaggart of Dear Rouge

Danielle McTaggart is originally from Red Deer, Alberta. She formed the Vancouver-based electronic rock band with her husband Drew in 2012 but before that, she was working as a solo artist. The band she played with was also in a way named after her hometown. It was called Gaetz Ave, after a street in Red Deer.

20. Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!

Laura Jane Grace is the founder, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Against Me! She is known as being one of the first highly visible punk rock artists to come out as transgender. She’s been living her authentic life since 2012.

21. Jaycelyn Brown of Said The Whale

Jacelyn Brown is a member of the Canadian indie rock group Said The Whale. In 2011, the band won the Juno Award for Group of the Year.

22. Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was an English singer/songwriter with unique soul and jazz qualities. Her work was inspired by many early female blues artists such as Big Mama Thornton, Ethel Waters, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith. However, Winehouse always stood out as being unapologetically herself.

The Guardian put it well when it said: “Here was a woman who refused to conform – not in the eccentric mad woman in the attic mold of Kate Bush or Björk, but a woman who chose to live a little wild, follow her heart and sing of the simple stew of being female.”

23. Tegan and Sara

Tegan and Sara Quin formed their first band at only 15 years old called Plunk, without a guitarist or a drummer. Nowadays, they’re known as Tegan and Sara. The two have accomplished many things together from releasing a memoir to recording at Sound City Studios, where Tom Petty, Pat Benatar, Fleetwood Mac, and Nirvana have all recorded.

Although the duo is known not just for their music, but also for their mission to work towards “economic justice, health, and representation for LGBTQ girls and women.”

They’ve created the Tegan and Sara Foundation to support this movement.

“Tegan and Sara have openly identified as queer since the beginning of their career in 1998, and have been outspoken feminist advocates for LGBTQ equality and gender justice.”

24. Feist

Feist was once a member of Broken Social Scene before going solo and making it big with her hit “1234”. She has received four Grammy nominations and 11 Juno Nominations.

25. Shirley Manson of Garbage

Shirley Manson has been the frontwoman of Garbage since 1993. Manson gained media attention for her forthright style, rebellious attitude, and distinctive voice.

26. Leah Fay of July Talk

Leah Fay is the co-founder of July Talk and an outspoken feminist. She credits artists like Stevie Nicks for paving the way for other female musicians. As a part of July Talk, she uses her platform to increase awareness about sexual and racial equality.

In 2016, Leah called out a sexist heckler at a July Talk show who told her to “show her tits” saying, “Do you listen to our music? Do you have any idea what this band is about?”.

28. Ruby Waters

Ruby Waters is a Metis singer-songwriter using her platform to highlight important causes. In 2021, she began selling new merch, with proceeds going to provide clean drinking water for Indigenous communities.

29. Meg White of The White Stripes

Meg White helped form The White Stripes in 1997. She is best known for her shy personality and simplistic drum style.

30. Noelle Scraggs

Noelle Scraggs is the co-lead singer of Fitz and the Tantrums. She has worked with numerous artists, including the Black Eyed Peas, Dilated Peoples, and more.

31. Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries

Dolores O’Riordan is recognized as having one of the most recognizable voices of the 1990s. She acted as The Cranberries’ frontwoman from 1990 until she passed away in 2018.

32. girl in red

Marie Ulven Ringheim, better known as girl in red, is a Norwegian singer-songwriter. She is best known for being vulnerable and writing about her own mental health struggles.

33. WILLOW

Willow Smith is the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. In 2010, she released her debut single “Whip My Hair”. In 2021, she was named as one of Time magazine’s Most Influential People in the World.

34. Wet Leg

Wet Leg is a UK-based duo. They rose to fame after the release of their debut single, “Chaise Longue” and won two Grammys in 2023!