To conduct this study, I selected and examined 20 sets of female empowerment song lyrics of songs released by solo female artists between 2015 through 2018. I conducted a qualitative content analysis, using neoliberal feminist ideological principles to form a coding scheme to see if female empowerment song lyric messages are truly becoming more neoliberal, and, therefore, less critical of patriarchal gender ideology and lacking a structural analysis of sexism. Findings include nine emergent themes: negating female objectification from the male gaze; women asserting themselves and taking charge of their circumstances; pushing economic boundaries and breaking barriers; reversing gendered power dynamics; women as strong and powerful; rebranding beauty standards; encouraging women to practice self-confidence; celebrating the various qualities common to women; and, standing up to sexual assault.
Results indicated 80% of the sample of 20 song lyrics communicated neoliberal feminist messages, while only 20% communicated second-wave feminist messages, demonstrating that female empowerment song lyrics do not appear to be becoming more feminist, but instead more neoliberal.
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