In Praise of Singing Women

reflections on singing as an act of resistance.

Margaret Watts Hughes turning voice into painting

Don’t miss inspiring recommendations at the end, and a beautiful playlist curated specifically for this article (all at the end of the essay!)

“In the dark times will there be singing? Yes, there will be singing about the dark times” wrote Bertolt Brecht whilst in exile in 1939. Singing has always been part of the revolution, from the women resistants in French prisons during World War II who formed choruses to challenge Nazi authorities, to the powerful voices of the Civil Rights Movement like Nina Simone, whose 1964 song Mississippi Goddam became an anthem of frustration and determination. The tradition continues through grassroots groups like the Red Berets in 1980s Toronto, who rewrote sexist lyrics and created songs addressing workers' rights and anti-racism, to contemporary artists like Faravaz, an Iranian singer in exile whose music boldly defies the regime that silences women's voices.