10 Female Punk Rock Singers of the 2000s You’ll Love

Punk rock has been coined as a male dominated genre of music for a lot of its existence. But in today’s article, we’re going to praise some of the best female punk rock singers of the 2000s that made awesome music decades ago and still stand the test of time today!

The Best Female Punk Rock Singers of the 2000s

Mish Way of White Lung

Lets kick this mother trucker off with a major punk rock sensation: The one and only Mish Barber-Way of White Lung.

Mish isn’t just the front-woman of the riot grrrl, punk rock band, she’s it’s founder. This music is her heart and soul. Mish’s stage presence, vocal performance, and all around punk talent wasn’t something someone stumbled upon and worked with, no. She is a foundational, structural component to the band’s existence.

In fact, the LA Times called Mish “…one of the most compelling front women of her era in punk” and I must say, I highly agree. 

Not only does she demonstrate true punk nature with her vocal ability, the prolific and poetic nature of her lyrics (while sometimes brash) stand for something bigger than their face value meanings. The songs are poetry if you know how to listen to them. 

With heavy hitting songs like Kiss Me When I Bleed and Drown With The Monster, Mish gave White Lung it’s very classic punk sound, but she did so by using lyrics that may be a little hard on the ears, but tell a much bigger story. A wonderful use of her background in writing and journalism.

It’s a bummer the band broke up in 2022. Seeing them perform their high energy song, and my personal favorite, Sister in concert would have been a true treat. 

I guess those of us who never saw them live will have to suffice with listening to them on recording only. 

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Gwen Stefani of No Doubt

I debated including Gwen Stefani in this list for a brief moment, only because her current status leans a lot more into the pop world. However, I stand by the opinion that Gwen is definitely rooted in the punk rock sound. So I decided to keep her, and here’s why:

Have you heard this woman sing? The unique vocals preserve that traditional, slightly whiney punk rock vocals a lot of other punk rock bands demonstrate. Additionally, while the voice has that punk rock tinge to it, the lyrics mirror a lot of punk rock music.

And don’t even get me started on this woman’s style. The ripped jeans, the fishnets, the crazy shoes, the wild hair styles. She’s a flavor all her own, that’s for sure, but I think it would be ignorant to deny the punk rock air she has about her. 

Gwen Stefani embraced the resurgence of punk in her earlier years of music and holds tight to those roots throughout decades.

For an excellent demonstration of her punk rock sound, check out her song Staring Problem on No Doubt’s album “Return of Saturn.”

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Alicia Bognanno of Bully

Singer. Songwriter. Lead guitarist. Front woman. Is there anything Alicia Bognanno can’t do? (No. The answer you’re looking for is no.). Ultimatel, Bognanno made my list because she’s truly a one of a kind punk rock musician. 

Not only did she start her own solo project (the OG Bully), she turned that solo project into a full blown band, recorded successful music with them, made a bunch of money, collected a following, and then proceeded to succeed as a solo project again after that band broke up. 

Talk about a strong independent woman who don’t need no man. Hot damn! 

Bognanno’s punk rock musical ability speaks for itself, particularly in her cover of About A Girl by Nirvana, released in 2020. But aside from her ability to cover the one and only Kurt Cobain, Alicia Bognanno’s true punk rock nature continues to shine bright and steady in her 2023 album “Lucky For You.” 

If you have a chance, I highly recommend checking out this new collection of her work, but specifically the song All This Noise for it’s politically powerful lyrics regarding current events. Sobering, empowering, uplifting, and punk rock as hell. 

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Jen Razavi of The Bombpops

Jen Razavi kind of reminds me of the physical manifestation of a “punk rock princess.” But I don’t mean that in the fragile skater poser wearing pink and black Etnies and a tiara kind of way (no that was not a dig at Avril Lavigne.) Rather, I mean it in more of a “punch you in the face with a fist of manicured nails through brass knuckles” kind of way. 

She’s musically equipped to kick the absolute crap out of punk rock music without selling out to that stereotypical, factory depiction of what a lady rocker “should” look like. She stays true to her own look while performing the music she loves. 

Musically, what I really like about Razavi is her vocal adaptability. She has the ability to utilize vocals that sound both feminine and harsh depending on the emotion she’s trying to deliver in the song she’s singing. 

For example, in their song Stuck On Repeat, you can hear the diversity in Razavi’s singing abilities. Her vocals maintain this harmonious, almost angelic reverb, and yet when the song picks up and gets a little more intense, you can hear as she’s able to shift gears accordingly. 

One of my personal favorite songs that also demonstrates this exact vocal phenomenon is their song Dear Beer. It’s a very real world song about self loathing, but the song maintains a great tempo that makes you want to either jump into a mosh pit, or just dance around the living room in your underwear.

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Stephanie Byrne of Cheap Perfume

If you need that classic punk rock sound, superpowered by feminism and human equality, look no further than Stephanie Byrne and her punk rock band Cheap Perfume.

Stephanie Byrne is so much more than just a badass punk rock chick, she’s a musician who empowers her listeners through her highly feminist punk rock style music, changing the lives of those impacted the most by abuse and sexism, one album at a time. 

Her music grants permission to punch Nazi’s, take pride in female slut game, and points out the reasons why feminism gets such a crappy reputation in society. 

Bryne’s ability to address highly controversial topics such as female oppression is truly impressive. She manages to use witty verses and catchy tempos to deliver important, unifying messages. 

One of my favorite songs by Byrne and her band is Feuxminism, not only for it’s direct response to people who pervert what feminism stands for, but people who pervert human rights movements in general. 

Juliette Lewis of Juliette and the Licks

You might recognize her name from the shows and movies such as Yellowjackets, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Hysterical Blindness, and Cape Fear, but did you know actress Juliette Lewis is also a badass punk rock front woman for the band Juliette and the Licks?!

Here’s the thing guys, she’s not just awesome at acting, she’s got an incredible talent in music as well. 

Lewis captures the punk rock sound as if she’s the one who invented it. Every song she produces is incredible, but my particularly favorite album of hers would have to be “…Like A Bolt of Lightning,” specifically the song Shelter Your Needs. 

Punk rock music is supposed to make you feel something. It invokes rage towards the government, pushes the limits of emotion, and sometimes confuses you with the lyrical summersaults. 

Juliette Lewis checks all these boxes and more. She’s definitely part of my musical rotation and I highly recommend making her part of yours as well.

Hayley Williams of Paramore

Some of you may have seen Hayley Williams’ name and instantly thought “she’s not punk rock.” 

Well guess what, I disagree. I would definitely consider Williams just as punk rock as the rest of these ladies, and in the best way. 

While her music falls under a sub genre of punk rock (“pop punk”) her attitude, stage presence, and lyrics are top tier, grade A punk. 

Williams is well spoken, goes against the grain, speaks out for the underdog, stands up for her fans, and gives a giant middle finger to “the man” in almost every live show. 

She’s known for her strong stance on human rights, her allyship of the LGBTQ+ community, her musical diversity, and her friggin’ incredible sense of “outlandish” style. 

Not only does Williams successfully rep the punk rock scene with the flavors of her music, her physical demonstration of the subculture of “punk” norms are spot on. 

An example being her sense of style in clothing, hair, and makeup. She’s basically the poster child for funky colored hair. If her hair isn’t the famous blazing orange color it started as, it’s usually purple, blue, pink, black, and so on. 

Haley Williams not only dances to the beat of her own punk rock drum, she ignites a sense of self and identity in all her fans.  Check out her song (and my personal favorite) Caught In The Middle for a perfect example of her pop punky fusion of vocals and instrumentals. 

Bianca Halstead of Betty Blowtorch

Brace yourselves. I’m about to tell to you of my personal favorite punk rock ladies – the late lead singer of Betty Blowtorch, miss Bianca Halstead, aka “Bianca Butthole.” 

Bianca is much more than a simple misfit madam with a quirky stage name, she brings a crazy infectious energy with her music. Comparatively the Joan Jet of the modern day, Bianca brings a level of grit not seen often, specially in female singers.  

Just about every song on every album by Betty Blowtorch will leave you a little shocked. The lyrics to each song go completely against the grain, demonstrating shameless sexuality, hilarious analogies, and not to mention the consistent profanities. Regardless, Bianca’s attitude and vocal talent ties it together in such a way, it’s hard to stop listening.

Unfortunately, Bianca’s life was cut short in 2001 at the young age of 36.  However, the impressive punk rock music she created is timeless and still popping off today in 2023.

I thoroughly enjoy many, many of her songs, but I must admit that my top 3 favorites have to be Love/Hate, I’m Ugly And I Don’t Know Why, and Ode To Dickhead. All three of these songs are top tier punk rock songs, and each one leverages lyrics with shocking brashness that will have you questioning if you should be listening to it around other people.

Brody Dalle of The Distillers

Brody Dalle: A badass, a feminist, a musician – an all around badass. There’s no way I’m highlighting female punk rock singers of the 2000s and not mentioning her. 

This woman is a badass, not just in music, but in life. Her punk rock vocals are the sucker punch to the ears you never knew you needed (or wanted for that matter.) and once you know her story, it all sort of starts making sense.

Dalle’s musical abilities existed before the abuse, drug addiction, and bad relationships, but there’s no denying the influence those things had on her musical presence as a punk rock lady. 

She has managed to overcome addition, failed marriages, and even white knuckles an ongoing custody battle that would break anyone weaker. 

Still not sure Brody Dalle is the bees knees? Don’t take my word for it. Go check out her song City of Angels by the Distillers (my personal favorite) and hear it for yourself.

Victoria Ruiz of Downtown Boys

This Rhode Island chick is a force to be reckoned with. 

Victoria Ruiz started the punk rock band Downtown Boys in 2011 and she’s taken the music world by storm since.

Victoria Ruiz is one of the more authentic punk rock women on this list because her limits push much further than the others. For starters, she’s bilingual, so you can enjoy her harsh punk rock vocals in both English and Spanish. Whether you speak both languages, only one, or neither, it won’t keep you from enjoying all the music she creates because the sound is just that addicting. 

Ruiz’s vocals resonate with true punk rock lovers because it preserves that traditional sound, while giving it her own personal twist. 

I absolutely love Victoria Ruiz and I think she’s a sincerely underrated musician. She’s creating amazing music, and also trailblazing an entirely different genre all it’s own: Spanish punk rock. I mean come on! How freaking cool!?

Check out her songs Monstro and Dancing In The Dark for two great example of her punk rock bilingual essence.  You’re sure to get addicted. 

Wrapping It Up 

While many people consider punk rock to be a male dominated genre, it’s clear that the women of the punk rock scene aren’t accepting that narrative any longer. 

My list is just 10 female punk rock singers, but there are countless more out there. I hope reading this article has inspired you to go out and take a deeper dive into the world of lady punk rockers. Your life will be better for it. 

Till next time!

Cheers. 

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This article was written by Paige and edited by Michael.