Words by Kelsey

Crushes on musicians are inevitable. Whenever talented, passionate people, get up on stage and do something they are good at, you can’t help but swoon. And while I’ve dated my fair share of bros with guitars, female musicians are just as swoon-worthy. Below is a list (in no particular order) of some of the chicks in music I adore, occasionally try to emulate, and would really just like to hang out with (Besides Kelly and Dani from Big Hurry of course).

1. Feist

Feist / Brandy Alexander

We’ll start with the obvious. When I was in college, I saw Feist play at the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, and it was the first concert I’d been to that actually made me tear up. I hadn’t been a devoted fan of hers before that show, more of a casual listener, but she was so charming, and talented, and downright likable, that you couldn’t help but be enraptured by her. I think I listened to her everyday for a couple of months after that show.

Her songs are pretty, but never overly sweet. Her lyrics can be gut-wrenching, but are straightforward. She’s great. Her solo stuff is great, her group stuff is great. She is an all around cool chick.

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2. Charlotte Gainsbourg

Charlotte Gainsborg / Jamais

I mean, with Jane Birkin as your mother, and Serge Gainsbourg as your father, you’re pretty much destined to be talented. And pretty. Which is exactly how Charlotte ended up on this list. 5:55 came out right before I left to study abroad in France, and was therefore a substantial part of my soundtrack during that summer.

With her breathy voice, and interesting instrumentation, Charlotte is, for a self-proclaimed Francophile such as myself, the perfect thing to listen to when waxing nostalgic for Nantes, croissants, and a certain je ne sais quoi.

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3. Florence Welch

Florence and The Machine / You’ve Got the Love

Florence Welch was not one of the redheads that originally inspired me to start dyeing my hair. But, once when a guy hit on me at a bar by suggesting I looked like her, I was so pleased with the comparison, I almost let that line work.

I first heard “Kiss With a Fist” while listening to The Sixty One. I remember stopping the work I was in the middle of, so that I could listen to this song, and find out who was singing it. A couple minutes later, I had bought her album, Lungs. Her voice is awesome, her songs are gripping, and even if “The Dog Days are Over” was used to promote “Eat, Pray, Love”, you can’t help but feel triumphant when listening to that song.

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4. Justine Frischmann

Elastica / Hold Me Now

I totally have a thing for British singer chicks (Kate Nash would be number 6 on this list). There’s something about the accent that makes every word they sing sound brilliant. Elastica was the girl band I’ve always wished I was in.

Making Justine even more intriguing is the fact that she broke the heart of Blur frontman Damon Albarn, after which, Blur came out with one of their most successful albums. Yea, I admire the girl who inspired “Coffee and TV”.

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5. Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor / Us

Oh, Regina. Her songs range from sweet to strange. Her lyrics are smart and interesting. She has a lot of music, and I like all of it. She never stops surprising or delighting, and she can pull of bright red lipstick. She’s also a fantastic piano player, an instrument that in spite of 9 years of lessons, I never became more than mediocre at.

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Kelsey is definitely right – crushes are inevitable. Who are some of your favorite musicians, male or female, that make you sweat? Which artists can do no wrong in your book? Who would be impossible to talk to in person (more than the average celebrity)? Leave us some comments and let’s let it all hang out.

Filed under: Lists