Girl Power! The 13 Best Metal Frontwomen of the 21st Century

While the heavy metal genre has been a longstanding male-dominated genre, the past couple of decades has introduced rise in female-led metal bands. These powerhouse figures have made their mark on the genre and played a crucial role in expanding diversity and innovation within the metal genre. While people are used to hearing male voices and songs from the male perspective, the introduction of inclusive voices and female perspectives has changed the genre forever.

With this list, we'll explore some of the best and most influential metal frontwomen of the 21st century. While this list can't contain them all, it's a good start to give recognition for the important work that is being done by women in the metal genre.

13. Su-metal (BABYMETAL)

After their 2014 debut, Babymetal rose up in the ranks to win over dedicated metalheads. The Japanese band from Tokyo led by Su-metal (aka, Suzuka Nakamoto) features powerful vocals, charisma, and a brand of cute fun. They've even collaborated with artists like Tom Morello and Electric Callboy.

12. Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation)

Known for doom & gloom symphonic metal, Within Temptation wouldn't bring the power it possesses without its lead vocalist Sharon den Adel. After debuting in 1997, the band was well received and started appearing at festivals in the Netherlands and around Europe.

11. Tati Shmayluk (Jinjer)

Mixing soul with classic metal growls, Tati Shmayluk has led the metalcore band Jinjer into the souls of metal fans worldwide. Her versatility has resonated with audiences since their breakout in 2016. Shmayluk and her bandmates even became Ukrainian Cultural Ambassadors in 2022.

10. Otep Shamaya (Otep)

A self-proclaimed poet, Otep Shamaya has led the metal band Otep since 2000. After being noticed by Sharon Osbourne, the band was a regular fixture at Ozzfest and hit the mainstream in 2004 with their album, House of Secrets. Otep Shamaya has also managed to tie activism into her powerful vocals including appearing at the 2008 Democratic National Convention and being nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist in 2009. As of 2024, Shamaya announced her retirement from the music scene, but her vocal legacy and power will live on.

9. Lzzy Hale (Halestorm)

Halestorm has risen to become one of the most popular metal bands of the late 2000s and beyond, and that is mostly thanks to the powerful vocals of Lzzy Hale. Forming in 1997 with her brother Arejay, the siblings took the band to becoming Grammy winners in 2013. The win made Halestorm the first female-fronted band to win and be nominated for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. Lzzy most recently performed as part of the Back to the Beginning farewell concert for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.

8. Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil)

With the classic combination of goth and alternative metal, Cristina Scabbia has led Lacuna Coil to global success, thanks in part to her amazing vocals. Debuting back in 1994, the dual-vocalist Italian metal band hit the mainstream in the mid-2000s and even toured with Ozzfest. Scabbia's vocal talent has continued to grow and the band released their most recent album, Sleepless Empire, in 2025.

7. Courtney LaPlante (Spiritbox)

Spiritbox exploded onto the metal scene with a blend of classical vocals and crushing metal growls. Since 2017, Courtney LaPlante delivers a mixture of clean vocals and screams which listeners have complimented, as it takes you on an emotional journey. With LaPlante leading, the Canadian band has explores subgenres such as metalcore, nu-metal, and alternative metal along with Billboard success.

6. Maria Brink (In This Moment)

After hitting the scene in 2005, Maria Brink and her band In This Moment quickly rose to prominence after the bassist for Ozzy Osbourne discovered their music page on MySpace. With Brink's powerful, unique vocals backed with intense metal sound, In This Moment went on to perform at Ozzfest, Mayhem Festival, and the Hottest Chicks in Metal tour. They've also toured with bands like Mudvayne, Five Finger Death Punch, and Papa Roach. Brink has also been nominated twice for the "Rock Goddess of the Year" at the Annual Loudwire Music Awards.

5. Morgan Lander (Kittie)

Kittie hit the scene in 2000 as a rare all-female metal band from Canada. Lead singer Morgan Lander and her sister Mercedes forged the way through and even landed an opening spot touring with Slipknot. With quite favorable reception, Lander's intense metal vocals earned the band attention and continued success into the late 2010s. After the band's bassist, Trish Doan, passed away, the band went on hiatus with an uncertain future. Lander and Kittie returned to the stage at the When We Were Young festival in 2022 and released a new song, "Vultures," at the Sick New World festival in 2023.

4. Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy)

Despite being the second vocalist for the band Arch Enemy, Alissa White-Gluz has filled the shoes of her predecessor, Angela Gossow. Despite Gossow's success, the band reached peak mainstream success with White-Gluz and she's been considered to be one of the best female metal performers of all time.

3. Angela Gossow (Arch Enemy)

The 21st century saw an explosion of female-led metal bands, and Arch Enemy had a major influence in this genre shift. Starting with Angela Gossow, the German singer paved the road for female metal vocalists with her mezzo-soprano range mixed with death growls. Although she left Arch Enemy in 2014, her metal legacy lives on and she's continued to serve as a business manager for the band.

2. Tarja Turunen (Nightwish)

Most metal listeners wouldn't guess that operatic singing would fit with metal, but Tarja Turunen proved everyone wrong. Growing up singing in Finnish church choirs, Turunen studied at the Sibelius Academy after being inspired by Sarah Brightman in The Phantom of the Opera. In 1996, she joined the band Nightwish and continued her vocal studies in Germany at the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. Despite leaving Nightwish in 2004, Turunen has continued her operatic dominance as a solo artist

1. Amy Lee (Evanescence)

White some might argue that Evanescence isn't heavy metal, the Grammy-winning band led the charge for the nu-metal scene of the 2000s and the band's success was 100% due to Amy Lee at the helm. Since the band's formation in 1995, Lee has showcased her mezzo-soprano vocal range and classical piano training mixed with heavy rock sounds. Aside from Evanescence, Lee has ventured into solo projects partnering with violinist Lindsey Stirling as well as contributions for The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Chronicles of Narnia, War Story, Devil May Cry, and Ballerina. The band also contributed to the soundtrack for the video game Gears 5.

Lee also used her voice in partnership with several other female artists in the genre, including Lzzy Hale and Sharon den Adel, to encourage Americans to vote and has been an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness.

Who is your favorite female metal singer? Let us know in the comments!