Drag Queen RuPaul famously said, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”
It’s Valentine’s Day — the day for love, romance and, historically, significant others. This time of the year can be difficult for many, with the looming expectation of finding a date. It can feel like a lonely part of the year, but it doesn’t have to.
Here are the Emerald’s top picks for songs about self love to jam out to this Valentine’s Day.
Grammy winner Lizzo became an icon in the pop music world this year, known for her songs about empowerment and self love. Her track “Good as Hell” encapsulates this, with lyrics that are all about prioritizing yourself over a man. She sings in the notorious hook, “If he don’t love you anymore / Just walk your fine ass out the door,” encouraging women to value their self worth in this upbeat and danceable song.
Doja Cat gained popularity back in 2018 with her viral video for “Mooo!” The video shows her dressed as a cow, sticking fries up her nose and drinking a milkshake. While she has shown herself as a more serious artist with the drop of her album “Hot Pink,” she sticks to her playful roots in the song “Tia Tamera.” Featuring rapper Rico Nasty, the two ladies sing this bass-heavy song about one thing: boobs. The hook goes, “My twins big like Tia Tamera,” referencing the 90s sitcom. In a Genius video, the two artists explain the lyrics. Doja says, “the song is about boobs. I think it’s tasteful, I think we did it right.” The song is meant to be lighthearted and fun.
In this classic empowerment song from 1972, Helen Reddy sings about being able to overcome any obstacles in her way. She belts, “If I have to, I can do anything / I am strong / I am invincible,” among other empowering lyrics. This song became an unofficial anthem of the women’s liberation movement, encouraging women to adhere to the idea of self love.
Back in 2009, La Roux released the song “Bulletproof” which would serve the next decade as a ballad of empowerment. The song is fast-paced, filled with a high energy beat and the lyrics are all about being resilient. “I’m having fun don’t put me down / I’ll never let you sweep me off my feet.”
The song “Video” by India.Arie was released in 2001, and its message is still relevant today with ideas of having self love despite societal norms. She sings, “I ain’t built like a supermodel / But I learned to love myself unconditionally / Because I am a queen.” Much of the song is about India.Arie rejecting standards of beauty and being unapologetically herself, even if that means going against the grain.
