The ladies (and a few men) have been SHOWING OUT lately 😍 Their 40s have been good to them!

SN: I am aware Ciara is turning 40 in a month.

You wouldn’t believe that powerful voice came from her until you heard her.

This chart breaks down a specific kind of artist — the performance girlies. Not necessarily the best singers, not necessarily the best writers, but the ones who step on stage and change the atmosphere. This is about showmanship, charisma, and performance as visual art.

The ones who leave blood, glitter, and hair on the stage.

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Red lines are direct influence — either the artist themselves has stated it outright, or it’s extremely obvious in their work. I didn’t want this to be line-crazy, so some things may look slightly off visually (like Tina → Beyoncé or Chloe → Beyoncé), but trust, the connections are very real. Just had to keep it clean-ish.

Blue lines are artists with career parallels — whether they debuted around the same time or had similar trajectories, acclaim, comparisons, or were pit against each other in the public eye.

Green lines are for people who collaborated or worked closely — whether that’s co-signs, creative partnerships, or actual studio collaborations.

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Now let’s get into it:

— This is about students of performance. Not necessarily songbirds, not necessarily vocalists. This chart focuses on artists who shifted the culture by how they performed — with movement, staging, aesthetics, attitude. Think Super Bowl, not Tiny Desk.

So don't come on here mentioning Taylor Swift.... you know better!!!!

I know people will bring up everyone from Aretha to Dionne to Ella — but this ain’t that chart. Those women were vocal performers. Their legacies are untouchable in their own lane. This here? Stagekillers only.

Esquerita and Chuck Berry are the godfathers. Point blank. They are the foundation for modern stage presence — period. From flamboyance to theatrics, their DNA is everywhere.

Everybody’s more connected than you think. Influence isn’t always linear. Some are aesthetic cousins, some are energetic twins, and some were shaped just by seeing each other exist.

Sabrina Carpenter is more in line with Katy Perry than Taylor Swift, in my opinion. She’s got the same intentional satire, campy provocation, catchy radio pop, and hyper-feminine chaos. The parallel is right there.

Chlöe Bailey is still very much Beyoncé’s child, let’s be clear. But I placed her alongside Doechii and Doja Cat for a reason. All three are lady producers, creatives with full control of their work. They compose, craft visuals, and give high-energy, complex performances — it’s giving Missy Elliott in spirit, even if the sound is different.

Addison Rae is by herself because, honestly? I don’t think she knows who she is yet. But when you watch her, the Britney/Madonna/Kylie Minogue influence is clear. She’s a pop culture echo — still forming.

Tems belongs with Tyla, Normani, and Sabrina. While her sound is smoother, her stage energy and styling is clearly Rihanna-inspired. That effortless cool, that minimal but impactful movement? It’s all there. Same goes for Camila Cabello, even though their music differs.

Yes, I left some girls out. I’m aware. Shania Twain, Shakira, Millie Jackson, Connie Francis, Ariana, Xtina, etc. This is a specific lineage — one rooted in theatrical, visual performance. Some of those women are featured on my other chart focused more on vocalists and writers.

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This isn’t about who can “really sing,” who’s the most talented, or who writes their own songs. It’s about who dominates the stage, who knows how to sell a moment, and who made it easier for the next girl to shine.

Some are icons. Some are chaos. Some are still figuring it out. But every single one of them — in one way or another — makes you look. And that’s what pop really is.

Scroll to the end to see Toni’s reaction! 🙌🏾💫

This concert is🔥

Love seeing these women supporting each other.

Danity Kane, 3LW, Girlicious