Alpha

“It is the thesis statement for the album,” Camila Cabello told Zane Lowe about “Chanel No.5”, featured on her just-released record C,XOXO. “It’s playful. She’s in control. She’s putting on her lip gloss. She’s toying with this guy. She’s magical. She’s sensitive.” The track details the power she possesses—and the strength she feels in knowing it—over a love interest. It’s an ethereal experiment she describes as having “pop melodies, but with rap structure”, with twinkly piano and lyrical nods to Haruki Murakami and Quentin Tarantino, spritzes of perfume and chipped nail polish. Many of the extraordinary artists on this playlist are, indeed, history-makers and game-changers. But Alpha’s more than that. These songs touch on every facet of what womanhood might look and feel like, to one woman—or many. Here, you’ll find love and intimacy, hope and validation, intensity and rawness. It’s a place for starting conversations, uplifting one another and challenging notions through the simple matter of being. Now, that’s real power. Check back often, as we regularly update this playlist. If you hear a song that gives you power, add it to your library.