Well, perhaps not completely for themselves but 2007 is shaping up to be the year for women to take some measure of control over their musical careers. Allow me to introduce you to (or update you on) five women described as "fierce," "confident," "in charge," "brazen" and "taking control."

Her Nebraska?

Kelly Clarkson reportedly has followed up her previous hit album by refusing a $10 million offer from label honcho and star maker, Clive Davis, to remove songs from her new album (My December - released today) that he didn't think were hits, firing her manager and canceling her summer tour. Clarkson wrote or co-wrote all the songs on her new album and it is deeply personal to her. After selling 15 million CDs worldwide she's unconcerned with sales for this her artists statement which she likens to Bruce Springsteen's lower selling but highly respected Nebraska - "the kind of daring album an artist can make only once".

Out of a whole career of albums I'm going to have, you're worried about one? I'm not worried about it! And I'm obviously not going to want to put out s---. I obviously don't want to fail. I'm not an idiot. Like Nebraska from Bruce Springsteen — that's one of my favorite records, and it's not the most well-known. But it's an artist's record.

(Read the entire Entertainment Weekly article here)

The first single, "Never Again" is the "You Oughta Know" of the Aughts. I doubt the label needs to worry about selling a few copies of this one.

Femtique, who provides "feminist critique of pop media" however is not enamored with the video calling it a misogynistic housewife stereotype.

Profit Taking

Female rockers The Donnas split with their major label because

the group ultimately wanted more control and profits from its records. The new Redeye deal guarantees a 50/50 split from sales, plus co-ownership of the masters and a record-to-record contract.

Lead singer Brett Anderson describe the band's return to its indie punk rock roots this way:

"We've always been a wild card, being girls and being rock'n'roll," Anderson said. "But now, if people don't buy our record, we'll at least know we did what we wanted."

Gossip Girl

After posing naked and unshaven on the cover of NME recently, Beth Ditto, self described "fat, feminist lesbian from Arkansas" and lead singer of Gossip, has been gaining fans on both sides of the pond, pleasing Germaine Greer, inspiring body image envy from Keira Knightly, and offending gay men. The latest fangirl crushin' on Ditto is Rosie O'Donnell who witnessed Gossip playing on Cindy Lauper's True Colors tour on which O'Donnell serves as an occasional opening act and back-up drummer. Take a look at Rosie's fan letter in pictures.

They tried to make me go to rehab and I said no, no, no

Seriously contending for anthem of the year, another O'Donnell fav is Amy Winehouse whose voice has been described as "part Suicide Girls and part Aretha Franklin." If you haven't heard this track, take a listen and see if you can stop singing it.

Her appearance at the recent Glastonbury Festival has won some rave reviews from festival goer Lisa Devaney. And Femtique gives the video for "Rehab" a more positive review, calling it "empowering."

Show me what you got Lil Mama

Lil Mama has insisted that the music business pay attention to her from the age of 13 and now she's got a lot of lip gloss and a fan in Avril Lavigne.

What makes Lil Mama shine?

According to Jive Records president of black music Mark Pitts, the young MC's brazenness is undoubtedly part of her charm. "(Mama) has such a presence it just makes you believe in her. She's an entertainer, and she has no fears, no shyness. You can't be mad at that."

No, indeed you can't.

Since every musician these days has one, here are links to these women's My Space pages:

Kelly Clarkson
The Donnas
Gossip - Beth Ditto
Amy Winehouse
Lil Mama