Double the fun
The women in pop are destroying the charts these days on their own terms, but now more are teaming up to double up on the destruction
Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande - these are just a few of the femmes who have been killing it on the music charts in the past year.
You almost have to feel sorry for the guys!
As if the womenfolk weren't dominating the menfolk enough on a solo female-by-female basis, they are now teaming up to increase the pain.
Rita Ora and Charli XCX are but the latest girl duo to launch an attack with their new single Doing It.
And they aren't in a monogamous relationship either - they've been collaborating with other ladies, and those ladies have collaborated with other ladies.
Let's get in on the sista love.
CHARLI XCX & RITA ORA
DOING IT
Charli XCX has been all kinds of successful with her recent single Boom Clap, which went Top 10 on both the UK and US charts. For her latest single Doing It, she decided to juice things up by adding Rita Ora to the mix. The 80s-style pop tune is pure girl power, and the frisky road trip video will drop this week. You can find Doing It on Charli's upcoming album Sucker, out next month.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 7/10
IGGY AZALEA & RITA ORA
BLACK WIDOW
This was undoubtedly one of the coolest tag teams. The song is a slow-burning anthem for femme fatales everywhere and the video is appropriately kick-butt. A homage to Quentin Tarantino flicks such as Kill Bill, it features Ora and Azalea in full-on ninja mode. The song is from Azalea's debut album The New Classic and hit the top of the R&B charts in the US and UK.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 8/10
IGGY AZALEA & CHARLI XCX
FANCY
This song was HUUUUUUGE last year, hitting the top of the charts all over the world, including the US where it became an absolute phenomenon. Australian white chick Azalea knocked the rap world flat with her killer flow (or whatever) and Charli XCX sealed the deal with her Gwen Stefani-style chorus. Sorry, but no dude - or team of dudes - could compete with this in 2014.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 10/10
ARIANA GRANDE & IGGY AZALEA
PROBLEM
Who would have known that the goofy little chick from the Nickelodeon channel was such a major talent? Grande exploded into superstardom last year and Azalea had her back, laying down a superb rap for her mega-hit Problem, which topped charts and won awards like crazy.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 10/10
ARIANA GRANDE, JESSIE J & NICKI MINAJ
BANG BANG
This is surely the Lady Marmalade of our time. Three of the year's biggest divas teamed up to deliver a whole lot of divaness in this mega-hit about, uh, banging. A booty like a Cadillac, you say? Sign me up posthaste!
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 8/10
NICKI MINAJ & BEYONCE
FLAWLESS & FEELING MYSELF
It's kind of a cute story. Beyonce asked Minaj to do a rap for Flawless, and Minaj said she would if Beyonce would appear on one of her songs. You would think that a collaboration between Minaj and Beyonce would set the whole world on fire, but both Flawless and Feeling Myself are slightly too weird to be mass hits.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 6/10
SHAKIRA & BEYONCE
BEAUTIFUL LIAR
It's hard to imagine anything better than Beyonce and Shakira writhing around together on a dance floor, and indeed the video bears this out. These two can MOVE. The sexy, slithery track came out in late 2013 and became a big hit around the world, particularly with clubbers. This is how to do a collaboration right. Pure fun.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 7/10
SHAKIRA & RIHANNA
CAN'T REMEMBER TO FORGET YOU
Shakira proved she can play well with others by cooking up successful collaborations with both Beyonce and her nemesis Rihanna. This fun little ditty was yet another dance club hit, and boasts one of the sexiest videos ever. Just imagine Shakira and Rihanna trying to out-sexy one another while prowling around a fancy mansion. Oh, yes, my friend. Oh, yes.
DOUBLE TEAM RATING: 8/10
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