For artists and labels around the world, Bandcamp sales have represented a much-needed lifeline during the pandemic. The online music platform’s initiative to waive their usual 15% cut of download sales and 10% cut of physical and merch sales on certain dates has meant proceeds from purchases go directly to musicians, and Bandcamp’s first four fee-waive days have already resulted in revenue of more than $20 million. Now, Bandcamp Fridays are becoming a regular fixture, taking place on the first Friday of the remaining months of 2020.
Today marks the first Bandcamp Friday of the fall season, and we wanted to highlight 10 women-led acts from Latin America, the U.S., and Europe, spanning pop, indie rock, experimental electronic music, and more. From up-and-coming singers to cutting-edge producers, these women represent only a sample of the endless talent you can find on Bandcamp. Check them out and if you like what you hear, consider opening up your wallet and sending some support their way.
Linda Diaz (USA)
Linda Diaz, the most recent winner of NPR’s Tiny Desk competition, is a New York City native and Afro-Latina artist who has already won over audiences with her velvety brand of pop and R&B. Both her 2019 EPs Magic and V, available on her Bandcamp page, document how determined and laser-focused she’s been throughout her career, which will sound promising to any fan from the very first note.
Catnapp (Argentina)
Amparo Battaglia, also known as Catnapp, has been in the game for over a decade. The Berlin-based artist from Argentina has a healthy, forward-thinking discography, with her latest addition being the 2020 EP Damage. On the release, she blends club genres like rave and hardcore with chrome-plated sounds while also showing her taste for pop and hip hop.
Aún No Hija (Venezuela)
Born in Venezuela and currently based in Ecuador, artist Aún No Hija has fun making it impossible for listeners to put their music in a box. They have a handful of singles under they belt so far, which they produce with a minimalistic avant garde edge, often populating them with words filled with an almost erotic intimacy. Aún No Hija an artist in their own lane.
Elysia Crampton Chuquimia (USA/Bolivia)
Elysia Crampton, an artist of Aymara origins who has also made music under the names E.E. and Chuquimamani-Condori, is a force that’s in constant evolution. Her politically charged releases often find her balancing sounds and rhythms from ambient genres, reggaeton, huayno, or cumbia, all heightened by her unique sensibility. If you don’t know where to begin, her 2019 release American Drift is a great starting point.
Mabe Fratti (Guatemala)
Wielding her cello and sharp electronic production, multi-instrumentalist Mabe Fratti makes vivid sonic landscapes in which listeners can easily lose themselves. Based in Mexico City, the Guatemalan artist recently released her latest EP, Se Parece A, made up of three compositions that overwhelm the senses with their careful textures and stunning vocals.
Melenas (Spain)
The Pamplona foursome Melenas combine the best indie rock, garage, and jangle pop from the past decades and distill it into one strong concoction. Their new album, Días Raros, is already shaping up to be one of the most buzzed-about releases to come out of Spain, thanks to crunchy guitars, catchy melodies, and a whole lot of emotion.
Lia Nadja (Chile)
Hailing from Concepción, Chile, Lia Nadja is a prolific artist who uses electronic hardware and folk instrumentation to craft lo-fi fantasies that she inhabits with her ethereal voice. Her Bandcamp page is a goldmine that includes her latest release, VvV, an adventurous 11-track album that feels like a playground of sound.
RSNNC (Mexico)
Mexico City’s Nicole Luján is the woman behind RSNNC (formerly Resonancia,) a moniker she uses to create music that feels like dark, nostalgic visions. She produces and sings on tracks that blend trip-hop and experimental influences. On her first EP, 1, she displays her impressive ability to deliver stewing, controlled chaos through seven cinematic songs.
Orieta Chrem (Peru)
Red Bull Music Academy alum Orieta Chrem, who is from Lima, Peru, splits her time between her own club productions and the hip-hop trio Menores. Chrem’s music is a universe of its own, informed by bass sounds from around the world and rhythms directly from Peru, including Andean traditions, Afro-Peruvian percussion, and indigenous chants. Her Matraca-released EP Tótems is a high mark in her career so far.
Loli Fuji (Costa Rica)
Loli Fuji is a mysterious project from San José, Costa Rica that hops genres with ease and whimsy. From the nostalgic, autotune-drenched reggaeton track “Frío de Costa Rica” to the trap stylings of the anxiety-ridden “Buscona,” it’s hard to predict what Loli Fuji are going to do next, and that’s exactly the basis of their appeal.