Songs of Empowerment

In Arlan Hamilton’s book, “It’s About Damn Time”, she shares a list of 17 songs that help her feel empowered.

I was recently reading Arlan Hamilton’s book, It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage. In Chapter 2, Part 6, she included tips she’s found helpful when she’s about to give a speech or a talk. The tips are to help combat imposter syndrome and other normal feelings of insecurity. Her first tip 1 is to listen to songs of empowerment and she shared her list of songs. I decided to write the list down and give the songs a listen, and see if her songs empowered me.

Rather than hunt down audio tracks, I searched YouTube and created the list below.


17 Songs of Empowerment

Get Up 10, Cardi B

https://youtu.be/cyskqwwBeNw | 3:51

Battle Cry, Angel Haze ft Sia

https://youtu.be/QvvRNPOJPH0 | 3:50

New Agenda, Janet Jackson

https://youtu.be/9asdotTIEtk | 4:00

Skyscraper, Demi Lovato

https://youtu.be/r_8ydghbGSg | 4:05

Price Tag, Jessie J

https://youtu.be/qMxX-QOV9tI | 4:04

Red Light, Johnny Ling

https://youtu.be/_sWeVoLTczs | 4:05

Follow Your Arrow, Casey Musgraves

https://youtu.be/_vJRufLWaMI | 3:33

Roar, Katy Perry

https://youtu.be/CevxZvSJLk8 | 4:29

Keep Your Head Up, 2 Pac

https://youtu.be/fAJfDP3b5_U | 4:23

Crazy, Kelani

https://youtu.be/2d7U4CX0PHk | 3:18

Fly, Rihanna & Nikki Minaj

https://youtu.be/3n71KUiWn1I | 4:35

All I Have, NF

https://youtu.be/cSeBpKHHwJQ | 4:08

Try, Pink

https://youtu.be/yTCDVfMz15M | 4:09

Chandelier, Sia

https://youtu.be/2vjPBrBU-TM | 3:51

Run This Town, Jay-Z ft Rihanna and Kanye West

https://youtu.be/5TTQhIeFhBk | 5:15

This Moment, Janine

https://youtu.be/jRZvoXt1CI4 | 4:00

Somebody Loves You, Betty Who

https://youtu.be/nKxtHslq9S0 | 3:32

Well, I don’t know how empowered I feel after this list, but I still think this is a great exercise. I should come up with my own list and see what I can create. It would be nice to have a list to listen to before work or any time I want to feel a little push.


There’s more to be found about Arlan Hamilton, her book, and her venture capital firm, Backstage Capital, at itsaboutdamntime.com.