Girls, girls, girls

The History of the Girl Band                                       

In the 1960s, something unprecedented, even shocking, happened in the music scene: a band suddenly appeared that was composed exclusively of women, who played all of the instruments as well - and which was moreover a success. For the first time, the male-dominated musical landscape was opened up to women. Until then, women had been treated as little more than talented front singers, or were in demand only for appealing background choirs. Now the world’s first girl group set a new standard: the Supremes with Diana Ross as their fiery lead singer created a sensation. The first girl group not only paved the way for the Jackson 5, but for the black American girl groups of the 1990s as well. Following them were female bands like Goldie and the Gingerbread, The Runaways, the Dixie Chicks, Bananarama, Four Non Blondes, Destiny’s Child, the Sugarbabes, and many others. Today, it is difficult to assess exactly what these bands achieved. In the 1990s, a new wave was set in motion via casting shows, and girl groups became more popular then ever before. Through a combination of sex appeal and vocal quality, a few of them made it onto the charts: in first place came the Spice Girls from England, followed by No Angels and Monrose. In many cases, doubtless, the girl bands still exploit sex appeal and play with the clichéd images of the woman-child, all the way to man-killing vamps. But the difference resides in the way this process of musical emancipation has made these artists more self-confident, more ironic, more provocative. Girl bands play with the images men have long prescribed for them, and they know how to attain success: by using the feminine weaponry. This documentary explores the history and the beginnings of the girl bands, asks how it all began, and how things have evolved up to the present.

---