Celebrate Your Girls With This Galentine’s Day Soundtrack
You may not know it but there is an alternative to Valentine’s Day – a day that often seems as much a referendum on the state of your love life as it is a celebration of love. If you’re in a relationship, you shouldn’t have to show up for it on just one day and if you’re not, you shouldn’t have to be shamed because your social media feed isn’t laden with gifts from Gucci and Venus et Fleur.
Thanks to Leslie Knope, there is a day you can embrace. Knope is the Parks and Recreation character played by Amy Poehler who ‘created’ the Galentine’s Day holiday on an episode of the same title during the second season of the popular comedy in 2010. Galentine’s Day falls on February 13, so BET.com put together a playlist to commemorate your crew. Whether you’re headed to a virtual art exhibit, online film festival or Zoom champagne toast with your besties, here’s a playlist you can celebrate to.
GOOD AS HELL- LIZZO
Do your hair toss and check your nails. Lizzo’s 2016 feel-good anthem from Barbershop: The Next Cut soundtrack is the uplifting song you need, no matter what your relationship status. It’s a track made for brush mics and Instagram Lives while belting it out with your favorite gal pal.
PICK UP YOUR FEELINGS- JAZMINE SULLIVAN
He’s gone and you want him to take his feelings out the door along with his tacky sweatshirts and his funky Jordan 1’s, because you’re doing just fine. This song, from Sullivan’s new album Heaux Tales is for the celebratory drinks you’ll have with your girls post-breakup, because they thought you should have dropped him ages ago.
B*TCH FROM THE SOUF (REMIX)- MULATTO, SAWEETIE, AND TRINA
What would a good girl’s night be without one (or two) rachet bops? Despite the problematic name (which she says she’s changing) Mulatto, Saweetie and Trina murder this 2019 track from Mulatto’s Big Latto album about girls who hail from the dirty ‘souf,’ and in Saweetie’s case, the West. Here’s to interstate friendship!
I LIKE THAT- JANELLE MONAE
Monae’s 2018 track from her third album Dirty Computer encapsulates what it means to accept yourself completely whether or not the world agrees. When she says, ‘I always knew I was the s---’ she spoke to a whole generation of young women who felt the same. This track belongs on any female empowerment playlist.
CHEERS (DRINK TO THAT)- RIHANNA
Who else but Rihanna would make a song that honors the weekend’s possibilities while also ensuring her bestie doesn’t wallow in anything but Jameson? This classic track, from her 2010 album Loud is the companion to any good weekend. Thanks Rih, that’s what BFF’s are for, and so is this song.
TRY AGAIN- AALIYAH
he late Aaliyah was known for her sweetness, her fashion sense and for inspiring the next generation of female artists. Her 2000 hit from the Romeo Must Die soundtrack still resonates today with its message of perseverance, something any good galentine will always encourage.
SAVAGE (REMIX) - BEYONCÉ X MEGAN THEE STALLION
Beyoncé. Meg. Houston. They were on that demon time in 2020 and it came along just when we needed it most. Arguably the feisty feel-good anthem of the year, Beyoncé showed you the real definition of multitasking, pivoting smoothly from Disney’s Black Is King to the Third Ward. On Galentine’s Day this track is just one more reason to twerk in a new TikTok video with the girls who always have your back.
LADIES NIGHT (NOT TONIGHT REMIX)- LEFT EYE, LI’L KIM, MISSY ELLIOT, ANGIE MARTINEZ, DA BRAT
The 1997 anthem that appeared on the Nothing to Lose soundtrack is the ultimate pre-game song whether the pre-game is for the club, private party, day party or anytime you’re hanging with the full squad. We’ll get there again, but in the meantime, we got us and the memories we’re going to make on Galentine’s Day.
BEST FRIEND- SAWEETIE F/ DOJA CAT
Last month, Saweetie and Doja Cat dropped what is already this year’s BFF anthem. In the vividly colored video, shot by acclaimed director Dave Myers, the two blow off misogynistic men so they can hang with each other, because hey, what’s a bad b----without another one by her side?
I’M EVERY WOMAN- WHITNEY HOUSTON
A classic so timeless two superpower vocalist from two different eras recorded it. First Chaka Khan in 1978, then Whitney Houston in 1992. Graciously, not only did Houston shout Chaka out, she, along with the group TLC and songwriter Valerie Simpson made an appearance in the video. (Bobbi Kristina was there, too, as Whitney was pregnant with her at the time.) We’re always here for one queen celebrating another - cause that’s what we’ll do on Galentine’s Day!
