Five of the most underrated women in modern indie music
Indie and alternative music has always been dominated by men, from the genre’s inception in the 1980s led by The Smiths to 1990s Britpop catapulting the likes of Blur and Oasis into the limelight, to 2000s indie spearheaded by the Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. The biggest names in the scene have, more often than not, been bands fronted by men.
The indie rock canon is full of males, with little room for women’s contributions to the scene. Though they have often gone unnoticed, women have engineered some of the most innovative moments in alternative rock, from Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell and My Bloody Valentine’s Bilinda Butcher and Debbie Googe leading ’90s shoegaze to an increasing wave of introspective, arty indie music from the likes of Julia Jacklin and Weyes Blood.
The contributions of women of colour to indie and alternative have been overlooked further still, often dismissed as R&B, soul, or hip-hop artists. Indie pop artist Arlo Parks’ inclusion in High Snobiety’s list of female hip-hop artists earlier this year is just one example, to which Parks herself took to Twitter to respond, “All I will say is that if you are a black person make whatever you want to make regardless of the boxes that people try and fold you into – you’re on the right path.”
Though women are increasingly gaining more recognition and respect in indie, there remains a gender disparity in the path to success in these scenes. So, with that, we’ve collated five of our favourite underrated women in contemporary indie and alternative scenes, spanning bouncy indie pop, dark post-punk and angry nu-metal.
Five underrated women in modern indie music:
Pom Pom Squad
Pom Pom Squad, also known as Mia Berrin, makes punky cheerleader pop that is equal parts heavy and tender. Berrin previously supported folk songwriter Fenne Lily, as well as punk favourites PUP, proving her cross-genre range. Inspired to start making music by Courtney Love and Kathleen Hanna, her debut album Ow is a fun-sized introduction to her angry punk-inspired sound and juxtaposing cheerleader aesthetic.
Follow-up record Death of a Cheerleader takes listeners by the hand further into Berrin’s world through soft refrains, heavier guitars, and even a cover of ‘Crimson and Clover.’ It’s an impressively coherent record, fun, shimmering, and sure to leave you red with love.
Pearl Charles
Pearl Charles’ music is the ultimate summer pick-me-up. The closest we have to a modern-day ABBA, Charles makes vintage, glittery indie pop for a contemporary audience. With bold piano, playful synths, and ethereal vocals, she charts one-night stands, self-esteem, and summer loving.
Combining influences from disco, country, and pop, her second album Magic Mirror has gone criminally underrated since its release in 2021. Pairing radiant and breezy instrumentals with vulnerable lyrics, Charles’ music is Americana hedonism with an edge.
CHAI
Donning pink outfits with the aim of redefining “kawaii”, CHAI are a Japanese four-piece that makes fresh experimental pop. Their range is unparalleled – they effortlessly switch from the distorted noise of tracks like ‘THIS IS CHAI’ to the soothing, synthy indie-pop of ‘Donuts Mind If I Do’. Often surrounding themes of self-love, their music is inescapably danceable and endearing.
Their live performances see them coordinate pink instruments and outfits, throwing their limbs around with energy only matched by their music. On softer tracks, they harmonise with ease. CHAI are one of the most coherent current bands, with a number of impressive collaborations already under their belt alongside the likes of JPEGMAFIA, Gorillaz and Duran Duran.
SASAMI
SASAMI’s debut self-titled album was an indie-pop daydream, written and recorded on the road while she toured with Cherry Glazerr. Intimate and familiar, it’s almost like reading her diary, ending with the comforting line, “Thought I was the only one, turned out I was everyone”. Sonically, it’s understated and soothing, with minimalistic instrumentation inspired by indie, shoegaze, and dream-pop.
But with her follow-up album Squeeze, SASAMI takes a harsh left turn into heavier territory, incorporating industrial and nu-metal influences. On her second LP, anger replaces the contemplative mood that dominated her debut, but SASAMI excels at both.
Drahla
The Leeds music scene, past or present, would be nothing without post-punk, and no one is doing it better than Drahla. Formed in the mid-2010s, the quintet have been leading the genre’s resurgence in the city for years and has shared stages with post-punk stalwarts Parquet Courts and METZ.
After a 992-day hiatus, Drahla returned to stages and streaming in 2022 with their enticing and danceable single, ‘Under The Glass’. Led by Luciel Brown, they pair dark guitars with Brown’s distinctive, delicate vocals. The follow-up track ‘Lip Sync’ is glitchy and unpredictable but with dependably endearing vocals from Brown. Amidst a torrent of post-punk, Drahla’s defective grooves are a cut above.
