Gauntlet Mixtape Vol. 16: Her Voice

By Namratha Badawadagi, Ansharah Shakil, Sophia Lopez, Julieanne Acosta, Ava Zardynezhad, Pamela Freeman, Ramiro Bustamante Torres, March 23 2023—

In honour of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating our favourite women in music. Listen to our hand-picked playlist here.

ANSHARAH’S PICKS: VOLUNTEER

“Boy Problems” by Carly Rae Jepsen

“Boy Problems” is one of my favourite CRJ songs, and it’s a fun, catchy celebration of female friendship.

“Queens of Noise” by the Runaways

This song exemplifies how the Runaways paved the way for women in rock, and were unabashed and defiant about their loud personalities and sexualities.

SOPHIA’S PICKS: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Vroom Vroom” by Charli XCX

The lengths I’d go to for this woman I swear. I’d pay to go to a Charli XCX concert, front row, just to hear this one song live. Nothing compares.

JULIEANNE’S PICKS: NEWS EDITOR

“successful” by Ariana Grande

In honour of Women’s History Month, I would like every single one of y’all to know that I was effortlessly in the top two per cent of Ariana Grande listeners in 2022 on Spotify — so here’s an Ariana Grande song for you.

AVA’S PICKS: OPINIONS & HUMOUR EDITOR

“I Love You Bitch” by Lizzo 

This song is a hug and a little kiss on the noggin.

“Paper Bag” by Fiona Apple 

This song is about the uglier parts of the female experience, and a painful one to listen to.

PAMELA’S PICKS: VOLUNTEER

“American Teenager” by Ethel Cain

I have to thank Barack Obama for sharing this song in his favourite music of 2022. This is a quintessential “my life is a movie” anthem with its powerful and sweeping vocals.

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor

Girls just want to dance to “I Will Survive.” I just learned this song won the only ever Grammy award for best disco recording, which is very well deserved.

RAMIRO’S PICKS: LAYOUT EDITOR

“Run the World (Girls)” by Beyoncé

Beyoncé has been a trailblazer for so long, with this song as an example of how she empowers women, especially Black women.

“I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston 

A powerhouse of a singer, there was no way I couldn’t add her. Whitney Houston was and still is an icon to this day. She is every woman.

“Cloudbusting” by Kate Bush

Kate Bush opened the doors for many women in the music industry, she did not fit the usual type that was placed in women. Her eccentricities led to artists like Bjork to breakthrough which led to more women in and felt the freedom to explore music genres.

NAMRATHA’S PICKS: VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

“Teen Idle” by MARINA

Hell is a teenage girl, and this song encapsulates how painful our adolescence can be. 

“Don’t fence me in” by Darla Hawn

Restrictions frame the way I perceive womanhood, at least society’s expectations of it, but this song remains my proverbial green light. 

“SAD GIRLS LUV MONEY Remix” by Amaarae, Kali Uchis, Moliy

The title speaks for itself.