Everyone's Favorite '90s Alternative Female Stars: Where Are They Now?
The 1990s was a wild decade filled with a whole variety of genres of music that took over the soundwaves. There is no denying that it was a decade of girl power. There were R&B divas such as Brandy, Toni Braxton, and Janet Jackson, and pop princesses Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Another genre that was incredibly popular was alternative, which saw performers release material outside of the mainstream sound.
The '90s saw a lot of females who fronted rock bands. These women were feisty songwriters who pushed the boundaries. Along with bands, there were also many solo artists who separated themselves from your average pop star.
Here are 15 of the most popular alternative ladies who you probably remember watching on MTV. Where are they now? We're here to tell you.
15 Icelandic's Very Own, Bjork
In the 1990s, Bjork became of music's most iconic names. She released a total of three albums -- Debut, Post, and Homogenic -- in the decade and became an instant icon. To date, the Icelandic queen has earned herself five BRIT Awards and 15 Grammy Nominations.
Where is she now? Still releasing music and touring. Her most recent album, Utopia, was released in 2017.
14 Gwen Stefani, When She Was Just A Girl
Gwen Stefani rose to fame as the lead singer of the ska-punk band No Doubt. Their 1995 album, Tragic Kingdom, became their breakthrough record and it essentially changed her life.
Since the band, Gwen has embarked on a solo career, released her own clothing line, and became a TV talent show judge. The "Hollaback Girl" hitmaker married Bush rocker Gavin Rossdale in the 2000s and had three sons with him.
Where is she now? Divorced but happily in love with country singer Blake Shelton who she recently released a duet with. She is currently headlining her own Vegas show, "Just A Girl," and remains a relevant pop culture celebrity.
13 You Oughta Know Alanis Morissette
If you didn't own a copy of Jagged Little Pill then something was wrong with you. Alanis Morissette became an instant star after the release of the album. The angry anthemic songs resonated with her audience and it ended up becoming one of the most successful records of all time.
Where is she now? Married to rapper Souleye who she has three children with. Later this year, she plans on releasing a new album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road.
12 Grunge Queen, Courtney Love
Courtney Love was easily one of pop culture's most candid females of the '90s. The Hole frontwoman was part of the grunge scene and married the late Kurt Cobain who she had a daughter with. There is no denying that Courtney went off the rails at the height of her career but she seems to be in a better place now.
Where is she now? As of February 2020, she announced she was 18 months sober. She picked up an NME Icon Award earlier this year and has been releasing music as a solo artist.
11 Skinhead Skin
Skin kickstarted her career as the lead singer of British rock band Skunk Anansie. In the '90s, Skin became the first female singer to headline Glastonbury with her band.
In the early 2000s, Skin embarked on a solo career before getting back with Skunk Anansie.
Where is she now? Touring and recording new music with her band. She also recently took part in the first season of The Masked Singer in the U.K. earlier this year.
10 Supervixen Shirley Manson
You can't talk about female-fronted bands without mentioning Garbage. The lead singer, Shirley Manson, became an important figure during the peak of their success and has influenced many artists since. The Grammy-nominated band achieved global success and have sold over 17 million albums.
Where is she now? Still performing and recording with Garbage. In 2018, she was honored with an NME Icon Award.
9 PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey, also known as PJ Harvey, became one of the U.K.'s most credible names during the 1990s and still remains an applicable name in the industry. To date, she has been nominated for eight BRIT Awards and won two Mercury Prize Awards, becoming the only artist in its history to have received the award twice.
Where is she now? Her last album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, in 2016 topped the charts. The singer has yet to announce a new LP. However, she did release a new song "Sorry For Your Loss" in 2018.
8 Cornflake Girl, Tori Amos
After the release of Tori Amos' debut album, Little Earthquakes, in 1992, she became a prominent artist for that era. Her most famous singles include "Cornflake Girl," "Winter," and "A Sorta Fairytale," to name a few. To date, she has released 15 studio albums and has embarked on numerous world tours.
Where is she now? Next month, she plans on releasing a bookResistance: A Songwriter’s Story of Hope, Change, and Courage. Her most recent album, Native Invader, was released in 2017.
7 Torn Natalie Imbruglia
Australia's very own Natalie Imbruglia rose to fame as an actress. She kickstarted her career in the soap Neighbours and decided to become a singer in the late '90s.
Her debut album, Left of the Middle, gave fans an edgier side of the brunette beauty and was a complete hit for her. The record earned herself three Grammy Award nominations, two BRIT Awards, and six ARIA Music Awards.
Where is she now? Natalie returned to music in 2015 after a break. Last year, she gave birth to her first child with the help of IVF and a sperm donor.
6 Lovefool Nina Persson
Swedish alternative band The Cardigans is fronted by Nina Persson. They released their debut album, Emmerdale, in 1994 and would go on to achieve global success with their 1996 -- First Band on the Moon -- and 1998 -- Gran Turismo -- albums. Their signature hits include "Erase/Rewind," "My Favorite Game," and "Lovefool," which is known for being featured in Romeo + Juliet.
Where is she now? Nina still performs alongside her band members. In 2018, they embarked on a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Gran Turismo.
As for new music from The Cardigans, it doesn't seem there will be any according to Nina.
"There won’t be any more new Cardigans records, I’m pretty sure. But we’ll keep doing little tours and shows as long as it’s fun, as long as we can do it well and feel that it’s something that’s current to us."
5 "B*tch" Meredith Brooks
To a lot of people, Meredith Brooks is considered a one-hit-wonder. The Oregon City-born rocker released her debut single "B*tch" in 1997 which remains her most successful single to date. The song earned her two Grammy Award nominations and peaked at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard 100. The album the track was taken from, "Blurring the Edges," went platinum in the U.S. after it sold over 1 million copies. Her other albums failed to make much of an impact on the charts.
Where is she now? She has kept a low profile over the past few years. However, Meredith was given a songwriting credit on Bebe Rexha's 2018 single "I'm A Mess" as the song borrows some of its melody from "B*tch."
4 Liz Phair
American singer-songwriter Liz Phair is known for her honest and explicit lyrics. In 1993, she released her first album, Exile in Guyville, and has since dropped five more LPs. In 2003, she released her highest-charting single in the U.S., "Why Can't I?" which has been certified gold.
Where is she now? Liz signed a two-book publishing deal with Random House. Last year, she released a memoirHorror Stories. In 2020, she plans on releasing her seventh studio album, Soberish.
3 "Criminal" Star Fiona Apple
Before Jay-Z had a streaming service called Tidal, Fiona Apple had a 1996 debut album with the same name. The "Criminal" hitmaker has consistently released critically-acclaimed records that have inspired a whole generation.
Where is she now? Earlier this month, Fiona released her first album in eight years, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. The LP has a Metacritic score of 100, becoming the highest-rated album of all time on the website.
2 Sharleen Spiteri
Scottish singer Sharleen Spiteri became a household name in the U.K. after she became the lead singer of Texas.
The band released their debut album, Southside, in 1989 but hit it big time during the late '90s with their hugely successful albums White On Blonde and The Hush.
Sharleen went solo in 2010 and released two albums on her own. In 2013, she got back with Texas.
Where is she now? In 2017, Texas released their ninth studio album, Jump on Board. Later this year, they have plans to tour the U.K. to mark the 30th anniversary of their first record. In August, they are scheduled to drop another LP titled Hi.
1 What's Going On, Linda Perry?
Linda Perry is multitalented. She was the lead singer and main songwriter of 4 Non Blondes who are remembered for their smash hit "What's Up?"
In 1995, she embarked on a solo career and became a songwriter for a number of high-profile artists including Pink, Christina Aguilera, and Gwen Stefani, to name a few.
Where is she now? Last year in December, Linda separated from her ex-wife Sara Gilbert. In 2015, she was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
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