Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale delivered an inspiring speech celebrating the trailblazing women of heavy music at the opening of the new Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name exhibition at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The exhibition officially opened in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday 10 July 2026 and highlights the artists who have challenged conventions and helped shape the history of metal. Hale attended the launch alongside Halestorm guitarist Joe Hottinger, with the pair performing an acoustic set during the opening event.
Lzzy Hale honours metal’s female pioneers
Addressing attendees, Hale reflected on why rock and metal resonated with her from an early age.
“I grew up loving rock and metal because those genres never asked permission. They were rebellious, fearless, emotional and unapologetic. They made room for anger, joy, heartbreak, power, vulnerability and everything in between.
“What I didn’t always see was someone who looks like me. But there were women. There were always women.”
She then paid tribute to the female artists who fought against industry barriers and stereotypes.
“Women who carved out their own path. Women who climbed through windows when the doors wouldn’t open. Women who were told they were too loud, too aggressive, too emotional, too ambitious, too feminine, too masculine, too much of something or not enough of something else.
“And every single time that someone just assumed she was the girlfriend or the merch girl. Every time the radio said that they wouldn’t play their song because they already had their token ‘female artist’.
“Every time a record label turned her down because women in metal were not ‘on trend’ at the moment.
“She cranked up the music and she did it anyway. With blood in her teeth and dirt under her nails, she held the gate open for the women fighting behind her.”
‘The story of women in metal is not a side story’
Hale also argued that women have always been central to the evolution of metal music.
“The story of women in metal is not a side story. It is the story. It’s the story of singers who refused to soften their voices. Guitar players who refused to stand in the background. Drummers who hit harder than anyone expected. Bass players who held entire bands together. And songwriters who transformed their pain into power.
“Also the fans who turned up wearing black boots and battle jackets and proved that metal belongs to everyone.”
She added that every generation of artists has a responsibility to make space for those who follow.
“I am deeply honoured to be included in this exhibit but I stand here knowing that none of us arrived alone. Every woman represented here is standing on the shoulders of someone who came before her. And if we’re doing this right, we’re also creating new shoulders for someone else to stand on.”
Lzzy Hale’s message to young women entering music
The Halestorm singer concluded with a message aimed directly at young women and girls who may feel they do not fit the traditional mould.
“Because the future of metal does not belong to a specific gender. It does not belong to a specific country. It does not belong to a specific scene. It belongs to anyone brave enough to create something honest, powerful and true.”
She continued:
“Tonight I want to thank the pioneers, the outcasts, the rule breakers. The women who carried this torch when carrying it was a much lonelier thing than we have today.
“And I want to speak directly to the young girl who might walk through this exhibit tomorrow. Maybe she’s holding a guitar for the first time. Maybe she’s writing songs in her bedroom. Maybe she’s being told that she doesn’t fit the mould. Good. Because metal was never built for moulds. It was built for the people who refuse to fit inside them.
“So take up space, make noise, write the song, start the band, miss the note, try again. But don’t ever give up. Because when someone dares tell you that you don’t belong here, remember something. We are not asking for a seat at the table, we are building the next table.”
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