Women are a fundamental part of music, creating smash-hit records, influencing genres and soothing the soul with their art.
From Rockstars to Pop Princesses, Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall have welcomed many iconic women throughout the years. We have loved watching them perform, creating a legacy in their careers by inspiring fans and making a mark for other women within the music industry.
We’ve welcomed artists at the beginning of their careers who have gone on to become well-known legends within the industry and those saying farewell to their fans, passing on their legacy to the next generation of artists.
With artists like Beth Hart, Imelda May, Suzie Quatro and Mimi Webb, and many, many more there are too many amazing women to name individually.
This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating female musicians and shouting about their impact on the music we all know and love.
Read on to find out more about some of the iconic women who have graced the stages of the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall over the last century!
Mitski
12 June 2022 | Ulster Hall
Japanese American indie-pop singer, Mitski, performed her raw and honest songs at the Ulster Hall in June 2022 to a sold-out crowd of dedicated fans.
For many fans, her songs are an articulation of their inner thoughts with lyrics often calling out society’s warped view of beauty, love, and relationships for women.
A career-driven woman who takes pride in her craft, she truly is a representative for young women throughout the world.
Delia Murphy
15 April 1941 | Ulster Hall
Irish Folk singer and County Mayo native, Delia Murphy, performed around the world, bringing Irish folk songs to radio, diplomatic gatherings and even to film, when she appeared in ‘West of Kerry’.
Her most notable performance, however, happened right here in the iconic Ulster Hall back in 1941. Delia fearlessly sang through the night as Luftwaffe bombs rained across the city of Belfast during the Belfast Blitz.
With the grand hall filled with fans whose excitement quickly turned to fear, Murphy famously continued singing to help soothe everyone’s nerves until they could safely leave the venue.
Kacey Musgraves
05 November 2018 | Waterfront Hall
Redefining what country sounds like today, Kacey Musgraves has continuously pushed the norms in country music, honouring past country legends whilst introducing a modern sound to her songs.
Kacey has created a presence for herself within the male-dominated genre despite the criticism she has received for highlighting topics that are typically taboo within country music.
A long way from Golden, Texas, Kacey brought her Southern charm to Belfast, performing on the Waterfront Hall stage back in 2018. She later went on to win a suite of Grammy Awards that put her at the forefront of modern-day Country Music and redefined the role that women play within the genre.
Mary Black
20 October 2022 | Ulster Hall
National Treasure, Mary Black has led the way for women in the Irish folk scene since her debut back in 1983. Her first album, Mary Black, charted at number 4 on the Irish Music charts.
She played her part in redefining the typical sound of Irish folk music and wanted to innovate the genre by breaking the barriers of being strictly one sound.
Mary featured on A Woman’s Heart, singing alongside other Irish female artists. Her participation in the record helped it become one of the most successful records in Irish History with many songs being performed in our venue for beloved fans.
Mary has performed in the Ulster Hall many times over the years and is returning in November 2023 for another spectacular show.
Beabadoobee
05 October 2022 | Ulster Hall
Born in the Philippines and raised in London, Bea Kristi began recording her music in 2017 and has quickly become one of the leading figures in the revival of indie music.
Her songs call on some of the industry’s leading women with notes of Alanis Morrissette and Norah Jones as well as drawing on Filipino artists that she grew up listening to, which formed her alternative rock sound. She has never shied away from her Filipino roots and brings her culture into mainstream music.
At only 22 years old, she has a massive Gen-Z following with songs like ‘Coffee’ and the ‘Glue Song’ blowing up on TikTok.
As the youngest Filipina to play Coachella, Beabadoobee is representing her culture within the industry and inspiring young female artists.
Our vision is to create a world-class stage where people make great things happen and all these women have done just that!
We are so proud to have welcomed them and many more to Belfast over the years, all of whom have had exemplary careers and inspired women throughout time.
P.S. – We don’t want the celebrations to stop here so we’ve made a playlist filled with their songs and other amazing women’s anthems. Give it a listen and celebrate International Women’s Day with us!
