Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, KD Lang, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Gwen Stefani (No Doubt), Ani DiFranco, Kathleen Hannah (Bikini Kill), Courtney Love (Hole), Joan Osborne, Alanis Morissette, Janis Joplin, Jill Sobule, Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow.

What do these names bring to mind? Music. Many different types--from loud, make-no-apologies punk, to soft, soulful blues--but music all the same. These women and many more have loved music enough to overcome all the challenges they have faced and bring the world their inspiring, danceable, uplifting, tear-jerking music. Following are profiles of various artists.

*Ani DiFranco Began playing in bars when she was 9, and started her own record label, "Righteous Babe Records," at age 18. She is now 25, and has come out with 8 albums on her own label. I really admire her for her strong feminist stand and being able to resist the pressure to sign on with a major label. Her newest album is "Dilate."

*Kostars/Luscious Jackson Luscious Jackson is a hip-hop, funk, jazzy grrl group from New York City. The band is made up of Jill Cunniffe, Gabrielle Glaser, Kate Shellenbach, and Vivian Trimble. Their latest album is "Natural Ingredients." Also, two of the members--Jill Cunniffe and Vivian Trimble-- started Kostars, as a side project. Their first album, "Klassics With a K," is more acoustic than Luscious Jackson, but just as good.

*Alanis Morissette Of course you've all heard of Alanis Morissette, the angry-grrl singer that has made it to the top of the charts. But did you know that she used to be a pop singer in her home- land of Canada? Or that before that she was on the Nickleodeon television show "You Can't Do That On Television?" Or that she dated Dave Coulier? She is supposed to be coming out with a new album soon, but her newest and first album is "Jagged Little Pill."

*Tori Amos Tori Amos is so cool. Her newest album, "Boys for Pele," has some really strange lyrics, but they make a whole lot of sense. She has an amazing voice, and I think it's really great that she was able to take her rape and sing about it, and make other people aware. Also, did you know that in the '80s she fronted for a heavy metal band called "Y Kant Tori Read?"

*Joan Osborne Joan Osborne is great. Her voice is raw, raspy, and rich, and she sings about everything from religion to love. She has played for "Rock for Choice," and looks really cool with her nose ring and wild hair. She is coming out with a new album soon, but her current album is called "Relish."

*Fluffy Fluffy is a new all-grrl punk band from England. It is made up of: Amanda Rootes, bandleader/guitarist/singer/lyricist; drummer Angie Adams; rhythm guitarist Bridget Jones; and basist Helen Storer. They are pure angry punk-rock, and list among their influences groups like Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear. In an article in "Spin" magazine, when asked if they were feminists, Rootes said: "You've got to be pro-girl, really. We're in a band in England, and we're all girls, and that's something really rare so..." "I guess we are feminists," says Storer.

*Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are one of my all-time favorite groups. Indigo Girls is Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, and they are a folk band from Georgia. Amy's songs are rawer and more angry, and Emily's are softer and more soulful, but all the songs Indigo Girls sing are great. They are really into environmental causes, and their newest album is a two-CD album called "12,000 Curfews."

*Fiona Apple Fiona Apple's first album just came out. She has really powerful, poetic lyrics, and her dusky voice is so powerful you wouldn' t think it could come out of her--considering she is only 18! She plays piano, and has since she was very young. She says her sole influence is Maya Angelou. Her album is called "Tidal."

It can be really empowering to listen to music sung and played by strong women. I know this for a fact, because most of my favorite bands are all-girls, and most of the CDs I have are female solo artists. The beauty of listening to any of the women that I mentioned above, is that they will make you feel so empowered that you will want to make your own music!! So go to it--break out that drum set, keyboard, or guitar, and share your heart-break, joy, pain, elation, and inspiration with the rest of us!! You go grrl!

(There are many great Web sites relating to female music artists. If you'd like to find some of them you can check out my music page. If the one you're looking for isn't there, use a search engine and surf around!)