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In Lesley Chow’s debut, the Australian music critic pays tribute to a dozen pioneering female artists who have meaningfully altered the pop landscape. From Janet Jackson and Nicki Minaj to Taylor Swift and Azealia Banks, Chow takes a deep dive into the careers of women who defied convention, whose “strangeness” could be characterized as an adherence to themselves and their visions—and in doing so, created music that changed how we view the world. Make no mistake about it, though—this is not a collection of artist biographies, but a meticulous and enthralling excavation of their music, lyrics and style; Chow is one of the most keenly observant music writers working today.
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