lili@ugent.be
music

Playlist II

Older womxn's voices

Female artists remain vastly underrepresented and undervalued in pop music. Music festival line-ups are heavily male; female artists are underrepresented on radio; and music awards nominee and greatest songs of all time lists often contain few female performers. What is true for female singers in general is even more true for older female artists. Older women’s voices are largely absent from mainstream media. Collecting women’s music, and older women’s songs in particular, can then serve as a strategy to quite literally make their voices heard and counterbalance the male-dominated musical culture. We have composed three playlists that each contain eight hours of music made by midlife and older womxn. About 350 singers have been included of around 85 different nationalities and 6 continents. The songs are in various languages and about various topics.

Conditions for tracks being included in the playlist are: (1) the lead singers and/or composers of the tracks identify as women at least part of the time; (2) they were born in 1971 or earlier (and thus will become/became 50 years old or older in 2021, or were already over 50 when they passed away); and (3) the tracks have been released when the lead singers/composers had reached the age of at least 45 years old.

You can listen to the playlist here:

Older women’s voices II
(name singer, date of birth, nationality, song title, date of release, age of singer on release)

  • Maria Farantouri (Μαρία Φαραντούρη) (°1947; Greek) – Wa Habibi (2019; age 72)
  • Tomoyo Harada (原田知世) (°1967; Japanese) – Futarino Hate (with Keigo Oyamada) (2020; age 53)
  • Anna Maria Jopek (°1970; Polish) – W Polu Lipeńka (2018; age 48)
  • Sibongile Khumalo (°1957-2021; South-African) – Grace And Mercy (2016; age 59)
  • Miriam Makebe (°1932-2008; South-African) – Umhome (2000 version; age 68)
  • Melina Kana (Melina Kanata; Μελίνα Κανατά) (°1966; Greek) – Erota Mou Agiatreute (with O Gois Tou Thiseiou) (2014; age 48)
  • Sally Nyolo (°1965; Cameroonian-French) – Say It Loud (with Djeli Moussa Diawara) (2016; age 51)
  • Luz Casal (°1958; Spanish) – Que Corra El Aire (2018; age 60)
  • Molly Johnson (°1959; Canadian) – Boogie Street (2018; age 59)
  • k.d. lang (Kathryn Dawn Lang) (°1961; Canadian) – I Confess (with The Siss Boom Bang) (2011; age 50)
  • Tanita Tikaram (°1969; British) – Glass Love Train (2016; age 47)
  • Jocelyne Beroard (°1954; Martinican) – Eti La I Yé (with Kassav’) (2011; age 57)
  • Joan Armatrading (°1950; Kittitian-British) – Natural Rhythm (2021; age 71)
  • Françoise Fabian (Michèle Cortes de Leon y Fabianera) (°1933 ; French) – Tant De Chose Que J’Aime (2018; age 85)
  • Mina (Mina Anna Mazzini Omri) (°1940; Italian) – Un Soffio (2018; age 78)
  • Anna Oxa (°1961; Albanian-Italian) – Parole Al Monde (2010; age 49)
  • Guadalupe Urbina (°1959; Costa Rican) – Marimbalunando (with Bartosz Brenes/Barzo) (2020; age 61)
  • Parva (پروا) (°?; Iranian) – Mano Nashnakhte Bood (2014)
  • Reem Kelani (°1964; English-Palestinian – Babour Zammar (2012; age 48)
  • Hamelmal Abate (ሐመልማል አባተ) (°1965; Ethiopian) - Yene Bite (2019; age 54)
  • Ogoya Nengo (Anastasia Oluoch) (°1943; Kenyan) - Chur (2016; age 73)
  • Bi Kidude (Fatima binti Baraka) (°1910s-2013; Tanzanian) - Machozi Ya Huba (1998)
  • Faytinga (Dahab Faid Tinga) (°1964; Eritrean) – Tsela’ika (2021; age 57)
  • Mísia (Susana Maria Alfonso de Aguiar) (°1955; Portuguese) – Rosa Negra No Meu Peito II (2019; age 64)
  • Suni Paz (°?; Argentinian) - Sueño De Barrilete (2006)
  • Esther Ofarim (Esther Zaied; אֶסְתֵּר זַיֵּד) (°1941; Israeli) – Lu Baat (If You Came) (1998; age 57)
  • Frida (Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad) (°1945; Swedish) – Älska Mig Alltid (1996; age 51)
  • Katia Cardenal (°1963; Nicaraguan) – Aletea (2020; age 57)
  • Amina Alaoui (أمينة العلوي) (°1964; Moroccan) – Ya Laylo Layl (2009; age 45)
  • Amália Rodrigues (°1920-1999; Portuguese) – O Fado Chora Se Bem (1983; age 73)
  • Reshma (ریشماں) (°1947-2013; Pakistani) – Hai O Rabba (2001; age 54)
  • Kjuregej (Kjuregej Alexandra Argunova) (°1938; Yakutian-Icelandic) – Seagulls (2011; age 73)
  • Teresa Salgueiro (°1969; Portuguese) - #alegria (2019; age 50)
  • Linda Perhacs (°1943; American) – Eclipse Of All Love (2017; age 74)
  • Umka (Anna Gerasimova) (°1961; Russian)/band: Umka & Bronevik (Умка и Броневик) – Нет никакой другой (2011; age 50)
  • Hilda Lizarazu (°1963; Argentinian) – De Nada Sirve (2018; age 55)
  • Fredda (Frédérique Dastrevigne) (°1969; French) – Femme Bisolaire (2020; age 51)
  • Juliette Gréco (°1927-2020; French) – Le Solitaire (2009; age 82)
  • Frederique Spigt (°1957; Dutch) – Verwarm Mijn Hart (2008; age 51)
  • Suzanne Vega (°1959; American) – Lover, Beloved (2016; age 57)
  • Dani Klein (Danielle Schoovaerts) (°1953; Belgian)/band: Vaya Con Dios – Look At Us Now (2014; age 61)
  • Siobhan Fahey (°1958; Irish) & Marcella Detroit (°1952; American)/Shakespears Sisters – All The Queen’s Horses (2019; age 61 & 67)
  • Sharon Robinson (°1958; American) – Feathers (2020; age 62)
  • Pura Fé (Pura Fé Antonia Crescioni) (°1959; Native American) – Mohomoneh (2015; age 56)
  • Lisa Simone (Lisa Simone Kelly) (°1962; American) – Right Now (2019; age 57)
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg (Charlotte Lucy Ginsburg) (°1971; English-French) – Waking Up (2021; age 50)
  • Akiko Yano (Akiko Suzuki; 鈴木 顕子) (°1955; Japanese) – Stars Afar, Light Journey (2021; age 66)
  • Viktor Lazlo (Sonia Dronier) (°1960; French-Belgian) – Debout (2017; age 57)
  • Dolores O’Riordan (°1971-2018; Irish)/The Cranberries –All Over Now (2019; age 47, released posthumously)
  • Patricia Kaas (°1966 ; French) – Adèle (2016; age 50)
  • Flora Purim (°1942; Brazilian) – Less Than Lovers (2005; age 63)
  • Lena Platonos (°1951; Greek) – Min Kles (feat. Tatiana Zografou) (2021; age 70)
  • Yungchen Lhamo (°1966; Tibetan-American) – Good Times Will Come (2013, age 47)
  • Lata Mangeshkar (°1929; Indian) – Ki Betha Aache (2014; age 85)
  • Elena Kamburova (Елена Антоновна Камбурова) (°1940; Russian) - После дождичка небеса просторны (2006; age 66)
  • Sylvia Tyson (Sylvia Fricker) (°1940; Canadian) – La Fille De Roi (2011; age 71)
  • Natalie Dessay (°1965; French) – Toulouse (2019; age 54)
  • Susana Rinaldi (°1935; Argentinian) – Balada Del Alba (2015; age 80)
  • Annette Peacock (°1941; American) – Mia’s Proof (2000; age 59)
  • Joan Baez (°1941; American) – Another World (2018; age 77) (cover of Anohni’s song)
  • Beatriz Pichi Malen (°1953; Argentinian-Mapuche) – Grito Del Zorro (2014; age 61)
  • Inga Juuso (°1945-2014; Norwegian-Sami) – Juhot Pier Heandarat Piera (with Steinar Raknes) (2011; age 66)
  • Rigmor Gustafsson (°1966; Swedish) – Stop All The Clocks (with Leo Lindberg) (2021; age 55)
  • Sylvie Vartan (°1944; Bulgarian-French) – Je Me Détacherai (with Doriand) (2010; age 66)
  • Isabel Parra (Violeta Isabel Cereceda Parra) (°1939; Chilean) – Destino (2020; age 81)
  • Joan Wasser (°1970; American)/band: Joan As Police Woman – Take Me To Your Leader (with Tony Allen & Dave Okumu) (2021; age 51)
  • Julee Cruise (°1956; American) – My Secret Life (with DJ Dmitry) (2011; age 55)
  • Svetlana Yakovlevna Surganova (Светлана Яковлевна Сурганова) (°1968; Russian)– Жуть (with Monoliza (MONOЛИЗ) (2019; age 51)
  • Sheila (Annie Chancel) (°1945; French) – Tous Yéyé (2021; age 76)
  • Mathilde Santing (Mathilde Eleveld) (°1958; Dutch) – River Man (2019; age 61)
  • Wanda Sá (Wanda Maria Ferreira de Sá) (°1944; Brazilian) - Cala, Meu Amor (2016; age 72)
  • Colette Magny (°1926-1997; French) - Sphinx De Nuit (1989; age 63)
  • Sinéad O’Conner (°1966; Irish) – Trouble Of The World (2020; age 54)
  • Chava Alberstein (חוה אלברשטיין) (°1947; Israeli) - ערב אחר (2021; age 74)
  • Christine Salem (°1971; Réunion) – Je Dis Non (2021; age 50)
  • Hawa Boussim (°1971; Burkinabé) – Dolada (2020; age 49)
  • Mamani Keïta (Assitan Keïta) (°1965; Malian) – Yala (with Arat Kilo & Mike Ladd) (2018; age 53)
  • Anna Domino (Anna Virginia Taylor) (°1955; American) – Blood Makes Noise (2010; age 55)
  • Maurane (Claudine Luypaerts) (°1960-2018; Belgian) – Vesoul (2018; age 58, released posthumously) (cover of Jacques Brel’s song)
  • Tina Arena (Filippina Lydia Arena) (°1967; Australian) – L’Ombre De Ma Voix (2018; age 51)
  • Lídia Pujol (°1968; Spanish) – Equilibrista (2021; age 53)
  • Mari Boine (Mari Boine Persen) (°1956; Norwegian Sámi) – Vuoi Vuoi Me (2006; age 50)
  • Norma Winstone (°1941; English) – Lazy Afternoon (1998; age 57)
  • Jasmin Tabatabai (یاسمین طباطبائی) (°1967; Iranian) – Ständchen (with David Klein Quinetett) (2020; age 53)
  • Lisa Ekdahl (°1971; Swedish) – Most Of The Time (2021; age 50)
  • Alison Moyet (Geneviève Alison-Jane Ballard) (°1961; English) – Other (2017; age 56)
  • Rachael Sage (°1971; American) – Cave (2020; age 49)
  • Carla Bruni (Carla Gilberta Bruni Tedeschi) (°1967; Italian-French) – Quelque Chose (2020; age 53)
  • Lee Sun Hee (이선희) (°1964; South-Korean) – Camellia (2020; age 56)
  • Patty Pravo (Nicoletta Strambelli) (°1948; Italian) – Come Una Preghiera (2016; age 68)
  • Liz Phair (Elizabeth Clark Phair) (°1967; American) - Hey Lou (2021; age 54)
  • Nazan Öncel (°1956; Turkish) – Illegal (2018; age 62).
  • Ná Ozzetti (Maria Cristina Ozzetti) (°1958; Brazilian) – Cipó (2015; age 57)
  • Samira Said (°1958; Moroccan-Egyptian) – El Ehsas (2019; age 61)
  • Najat Aâtabou (°1960; Moroccan) - Hram Aalik Akhalti Hnia (2020; age 60)
  • Kiki Saur (°1965; German)/band: 17 Hippies – La Droguiste (2018; age 53)
  • Carly Simon (°1945; American) – Island (2008; age 63)
  • Emmylou Harris (°1947; American) – Lonely Girl (2011; age 64)
  • Françoise Hardy (°1944; French) – Un Mal Qui Fait Du Bien (2018; age 74)
  • Tracey Thorn (°1962; British) – Air (2018; age 56)
  • Ani DiFranco (Angela Marie Di Franco) (°1970; American) - Revolutionary Love (2021; age 50)
  • Amy Ray (°1964; American) & Emily Saliers (°1963; American)/band: Indigo Girls – Change My Heart (2020; age 57 & 58)
  • Mart’nália (Martnália Mendonça Ferreira) (°1965; Brazilian) – Cirandeiro (2020; age 55)
  • Amelita Baltar (°1940; Argentinian) – Los Mareados (2015 live version; age 75)
  • Aldina Duarte (°1967; Portuguese) – Vendaval (2019; age 52)
  • María Pretiz (°1964; Costa Rican) – La Marea (2018; age 54)
  • Maria Bethânia (Maria Bethânia Vianna Telles Veloso) (°1946; Brazilian) – A Flor e o Espinho (2019; age 73)
  • Mary Coughlan (°1956; Irish) - Why Do All the Bad Guys Taste so Good (2020; age 64)
  • Stevie Nicks (Stephanie Lynn Nicks) (°1948; American) – Show Them The Way (2020; age 72)
  • Nancy Wilson (°1954; American) – Daughter (2021; age 67)
  • Shirley Anne Manson (°1966; Scottish)/band: Garbage - The Men Who Rule The World (2021; age 55)
  • Deborah Ann (Debbie) Harry (Angela Trimble) (°1945; American)/band: Blondie – Long Time (2016; age 71)
  • Joan Jett (Joan Marie Larkin) (°1958; American) – Fragile (2013; age 55)
  • Lita Ford (°1958; English-American) – Branded (2012; age 54)
  • Loredana Bertè (°1950; Italian) – Gira Ancora (2018; age 68)
  • Andrea Álvarez (°1962; Argentinian) - Y Lo Dejamos Venir (2015; age 53)

Share your story

Are you a woman over 50 and would you like to share your experience of intimacy and (a)sexuality on this website? Send us your story! We are interested in personal testimonies of women on the experience of their ageing body, and of relationships, intimacy and sex.