Once in a while, I will bullet-google (type in names of musicians quickly) and read what they are up to or are offering in new projects, recordings, etc.  This is likened to following your favorite sports team with regularity...  Well, I happen to like the female side of music, immensely...  No man has ever made me cry with his singing (well, maybe Jeff Buckley)... but, a woman... on the other hand... can melt me efficiently...  So, my normal repertoire of search for my "favorites" are Kaija Saariaho, Maryanne Amacher, and Pauline Oliveros (just turned a young 80 yrs old! and anybody that can make an accordian sound cool - is a god(ess)), Laurie Anderson, Laurie Spiegel, and several others in the abstract areas of musics.  And... "gone from earth" epic vocal gems like Lhasa (mine and my wifes favorite - died before her time), Shobha Gurtu, Yma Sumac, and recently Chavela Vargas; along with the living, Mariza (incredible, albeit commercial Fado singer), Lila Downs, my dusty rock favorite -- Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde fame), Diamanda Galas, and Tamia (the exotic, unknown incredible French vocalist on ECM records, not the other U.S. popular one...) fulfills my enquiring mind to some music that really matters.  So...here's to the "girls"  follow the links to find some beautiful music...