by Kimberly Foster (@KimberlyNFoster)

Janelle Monáe is a decidedly political artist. She’s the kind of creative voice we need. Someone whose work helps you make sense of yourself and the times. What sets her apart is not a willingness to speak but an ability to deliver multilayered analysis of complicated social issues. Since her mixtape days, she has, sonically, lyrically, and aesthetically articulated a vision for liberation.

The music Black women create speaks to every mood. While they can tap into our deepest sorrows, they also remind us of the joy that surrounds us. I, personally, owe my favorite artists an enormous debt of gratitude for their contributions to my life. Thy've carried me when things got hard. And here's a list of 20 of the songs that have the power to life any mood. Turn on one of these songs the next time you're feeling down.

I recently spent an afternoon on YouTube watching pop and r&b music videos from the 80s. I shooped and snaked along with two of my favorite female artists of all time: Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, I made my debut in time to catch only a few months of the 80s, so the unfamiliarity of the 80s aesthetics caught my eye. I studied the big hair, bright makeup, and the fashions. Both of these incredibly successful black women performers wore, essentially, street clothes in their videos and performances. And when they opted for flashier attire, their costumes were downright demure. Strikingly, both ascended to international superstardom without sartorial references to their sexuality.