Clinton sings praises of role model female pop stars

Hillary Clinton praised female musicians who offer young girls a positive role model, writing that none of these singers “had success handed to her” in a Thursday op-ed for Billboard magazine.

The Democratic presidential front-runner says she’s a fan of artists including Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Demi Lovato and Missy Elliott, women whose “talent is dazzling” and matched by their work ethic.

{mosads}“They all had to keep at it, even in the face of failure and discouragement — they kept singing, kept writing, kept getting better and better,” Clinton wrote.

“They did it because they knew they had something special to offer the world. They knew their stories and points of view were worth sharing. And they were absolutely right about that.”

Clinton also lauded some of the world’s best-selling pop stars for their work promoting social improvements outside of their performing careers.

“Wonderfully, many of these women are channeling their success in thoughtful and generous ways,” she wrote. “They’re starting foundations, mentoring girls and enthusiastically advocating for causes close to their hearts — everything from improving mental healthcare to registering people to vote.”

Clinton argued that celebrities like Gaga, Del Rey and Selena Gomez are potentially inspiring the next round of chart-toppers across the globe.

“My hope is that women and girls around the world will hear these artists’ songs, learn their stories and feel a greater sense of possibility for their own lives,” the former first lady said. 

Clinton’s op-ed serves is a preview for the Billboard’s Women in Music event taking place in New York City on Dec. 11 before airing on Lifetime as Dec. 18. Del Rey, Gaga, Gomez and Lovato are all performing.