Inspiring Manchester women are all around us. They are our mothers, our sisters, our friends.
International Women’s Day helps remind us of this, as well as encouraging us to think more broadly about those who’ve made a big impact on our city, our country, and the wider world.
Of course, Manchester is no stranger to inspirational women. Our history is built on them – as is our present.
From famous campaigners like Lydia Becker, Marie Stopes and Emmeline Pankhurst, to writers like Elizabeth Gaskell and Carol Anne Duffy, whether they were born here or drawn here for centuries women have been shaping the course of history for those to come long before we had the vote.
But today, we’ve taken a little time to focus on those making the city what is today – shouting out ten inspiring Manchester women from all walks of life.
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From actors and musicians to athletes, businesswomen, chefs and even local politicians, Manchester women continue to be at the forefront of history in 2022 – and we’re damn proud of them.
Figen Murray
Image: Supplied
2022 started in a big way for Figen. The inspirational campaigner and educator was named on the New Year’s Honours list and appointed OBE, recognised for her services to counter terrorism.
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The mother of Martyn Hett, who was tragically killed in the Manchester Arena at just 29 years old, Figen has chosen to honour his memory by embracing and championing peace.
Since 2017, she had been fighting tirelessly to make venues safer with her Martyn’s Law campaign whilst also completing a Master’s degree in Counter Terrorism from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
Her efforts have since led to the rapid progression of the Protect Duty, a new piece of legislation that would see certain public places required to be prepared for, and protected against, terrorist attacks.
Mancunian-based marathon runner and personal trainer Amy Hughes made history in 2014 as the first woman to run 53 marathons in as many days – beating not just the women’s record, but the men’s record too.
Not content with bursting into the record books just once, the Shropshire-born athlete did it again in 2020 – raising £12,400 for NHS Charities Together by running for 26 hours straight on a treadmill. She has since founded Sculpt In Haus pilates studio, based on Lloyd street.
Karina Jadhav
Image: Karina Jadhav
The North West’s youngest independent female restaurant operator and owner, Karina Jadhav founded her current concept Menagerie in August 2016 after moving away from venues Neighbourhood, Victors Hale and Southern Eleven.
Hugely successful, over the years her venue Menagerie has become a hotspot for the city’s glitterati crowd and is a great place to visit if you’re in the mood for some celeb spotting.
DJ Paulette
Image: DJ Paulette
As the first female resident to take on the decks at The Hacienda, DJ Paulette is an icon of the city’s dance music scene.
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A familiar face around Manchester’s restaurants and bars and a key fixture at cult queer club night Homoelectric, she also has her own radio show and is currently in the process of writing a book about her experience in the music industry – due to be released next year.
A powerhouse of Manchester’s music and events scene, for years now Sophie Bee has been behind the programming at Bavarian party palace Albert’s Schloss – putting together the house band and live entertainment that has made it such a go-to-spot for anyone and everyone on a night out.
A Creative Producer for the multi-concept operator Mission Mars, she also works on events like La Discotheque, Audio Farm and Homoelectric, oversees similar programming at Escape To Freight Island and has organised stages at Glastonbury in the past.
Mary Ellen McTague
Image: Mary-Ellen McTague
As the chef-owner and The Creameries in Chorlton and co-founder of restaurant-backed charity Eat Well Manchester, Mary-Ellen is a hospitality force to be reckoned with.
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From cheffing in Michelin-starred kitchens to writing columns for The Guardian and, most recently, battling food inequality in Greater Manchester, she’s not just a great chef but a community-minded philanthropist too.
Mobilising quickly at the start of the pandemic to use restaurant food headed for the bin, alongside her partners through Eat Well MCR she’s provided over 50,000 meals to people in need since March 2020.
Julie Hesmondhalgh as Hayley Cropper in her famous red anorak, with on-screen husband David Neilson. / Image: ITV
The Corrie queen who gives back in spades, actor Julie Hesmondhalgh is known for her 15 years on-screen as Hayley Cropper – but her off-screen work makes her even more of a notable figure.
As well as making history with her groundbreaking role as the first transgender character on a British soap, she is the patron of a number of UK charities including Trans Media Watch, which is dedicated to improving media coverage of trans and intersex issues.
As the first new Manchester Council leader in for 25 years, and the first openly-gay woman to hold the position ever, Bev Craig is definitely an inspiration to many.
And whilst she hopes, in time, that these two facts will become the “the least interesting thing” about her, we still think it’s a feat that deserves celebrating.
This year, she will be launching a commission around tackling misogyny and violence against women and girls in Manchester – asking people to input their views and their feelings on the matter in light of an increase in incidents since the start of the pandemic.
An actress and narrator, today Maxine Peake is at the forefront of British acting – putting Manchester on the map with appearances in a host of mainstream TV shows and films such as The Real Anne Williams, Black Mirror, Dinner Ladies and Peterloo.
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After living in London for years, she moved up to Salford in 2009 to give herself freedom to choose more risky roles and take lower-paying jobs in theatre.
In recent years, she’s also become somewhat of an activist – using her fame to speak out at the Peterloo Memorial Peterloo Memorial march and the anti-Tory protest and calling for a coup in the Guardian.
Angela Rayner
Image: Commons Wikimedia
Stockport -born politician Angela Rayner is the current MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, Droylsden and Failsworth and deputy leader of the Labour party. A former care worker, throughout the pandemic she was outspoken when it cam to championing the efforts of key workers.
As a key player in the Shadow Cabinet, she recently said on the record that she is “doing the groundwork now: to make sure that the party’s next leader is a woman.
She recently told Times Radio: “I think the Labour party is ready and I’m doing the groundwork now to make sure it’s ready by supporting other women and saying you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.
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Five Greater Manchester-based artists we’ve been listening to this month | January 2026
Danny Jones
Happy New Ye—ah, never mind, we’re well past that; however, we’re never past soaking up new music and song recommendations from the best music city in the world – we’re pretty sure that’s why they really call it Greater Manchester…
If 2026 does happen to be your first year with us, this feature is pretty self-explanatory: every month, we round up some of the best tunes and Manc-based artists you may not have heard before.
Or maybe you have, and you’ve just forgotten about them. You don’t have to be a big name or an up-and-comer here at Audio North; you make it on this list if you’re good. It really is as simple as that.
So, without further ado, let’s get stuck into our very first collection of regional artists you need to try of the year…
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. Spangled
First up for 2026 is a group we’re expecting big things from this year, and hopefully plenty of new music to back it up. They’re playing a huge Ritz headline show with some other Manc bands at the end of February, and it’s sure to be a party, especially when that new single ‘Barracuda Cadillac’ kicks in.
Spangled is a name you may have already come across, and they’ve certainly been working hard over the past half a decade, but we’ve got into a real groove with them of late. Post-punk, alt-rock, or straight-up Manc indie in moments; they’re given all sorts of labels – we just call it full-tilt rock and roll.
They’ve got a great swagger about them. Frontman Ben Johnson has a bit of Rob Damiani about him; the guitar work is excellent, they do a good music video, and they’ve even got a track that sounds like ‘The Only One I Know’ by The Charlatans. We’d say start with ‘Little Tom’, ‘Human’ and ‘Drift Away’.
Ok, off to a strong start, and while we’re hoping for those lads to finally release their first full album in the coming months, we’re hoping to see fellow rising rock project, PAVÉ, drop a proper lengthier sophomore LP sometime soon. If you fancy taking things up a notch in terms of heaviness, these are just the ticket.
Mixing plenty of distortion, electronics and wider effects to their overall sound, this four-piece (which was also formed in 2019) is great for anyone trying to keep their nu-metal and grunge-soaked younger selves alive, and they definitely know how to write a radio-friendly chorus.
Alanya Jade’s vocals soar over hard-hitting riffs and rapid drumming patterns, and the lyrics are appropriately brooding. We’d recommend their big single, ‘The Weight Of Letting Go’, another fan favourite, ‘Whatever The Cost’, and our personal favourite thus far, ‘aren’t YOU scAREd to be ALONE?’
Sticking with Manc rock but with plenty of US influences, we move on to Gallagher’s Green. Named after a cigarette brand and showing no shame in championing not only some post-Britpop, but unmistakable Americana and even country, this collective has roots in Oldham, the North West, Yorkshire and Ireland.
Their backstory and journey up to this point is as fascinating as it is moving, with founding duo Ian Gallagher and Jon Olphert first meeting whilst serving in Iraq back in 2008, before going to enjoy gigs together and eventually forming a band of musical brothers all their own.
They’ve maintained a clear mix of mainstream transatlantic sounds; it always sounds familiar, but there’s definitely more of a leaning towards the Stateside vibes. Put simply, your dad’ll LOVE these, and we mean that in the best way. ‘Just A Dream’, ‘Not My Day to Die’ and ‘Better Days’ are our standouts.
You’ll get a bit of Oasis, Shed Seven, Feeder, as well as bits of Foo Fighters, Incubus, and much more.
4. CQ Wrestling
Our penultimate pick is, quite frankly, a band that should have been named on our Greater Manchester artists of the month list AGES ago, but given they’ve had a bit of a sea change in the last couple of years or so, we held off to see what we’ve made of it.
We needn’t have worried – if anything, we’re more obsessed than ever. No longer Chappaqua but now simply CQ Wrestling, the local indie turned even grungier and more shoegaze than ever outfit definitely suits this particular writer’s general tastes, but it does help set them apart a bit more these days.
Personally, we will always have a very strong soft spot for older tunes like ‘Football’, though we do enjoy the growing aggression in 2023’s ‘Kulture’, but our favourite track at the moment is ‘Catherine Wheels’, which feels like the perfect advert for their relaunch as an even darker brand of modern alt-rock.
5. Oscar White
Finishing on a much softer note for this month, we head into February with the dulcet tones of Devon-born singer-songwriter, Oscar White, who has such a command of the acoustic guitar that we believe his intricate picking could genuinely lull a baby to sleep. Or, you know, a fully grown man…
This Manchester-based folk artist definitely enjoys dipping into the old Celtic and bardic traditions, so it feels quite quintessential for the genre, and best of all, we’re starting you off nice and easy, because he’s only got two tracks out on Spotify, but there is more to be found on his YouTube and other places online.
So, stick on ‘Debts and Dry Land’ and ‘Spencer The Rover’ – both of which show off that fingerstyle guitar, but also do a good job of showing two different ways he deploys his raspy voice – but do check out YouTube for his live version of ‘All Turned Out’ at The Whiskey Jar in NQ. Simply gorgeous.
A legend in leopard print – Magic Miles Kane at Albert Hall, Manchester | Gig Review
Harry Quick
There’s something poetic about seeing Miles Kane perform in a venue like the Albert Hall.
Beneath the stained glass and towering arches, he felt less like a veteran gigger and more like the high priest of British indie showstoppers – sharp-suited and equipped with what appeared to be custom, heeled adidas three stripes with a fully leopard print set to match. Carpeted floor, drum kit and all.
You can tell from the outset that, city rivalries aside, the scouser is adored by his Mancunian fanbase. His opening track, ‘Electric Flower’ – taken from his latest album, Sunlight in the Shadows – made for the perfect start.
Kane emerged to a roar. The track’s shimmering melodic edge got the two-tiered crowd quickly accustomed to Kane’s newest style of sound, and things kicked on easily from there.
It was a confident opener (not a greatest hit in my humble opinion, but a statement) before snapping straight into ‘Rearrange’: more familiar territory for most, which sent the floor bouncing within minutes.
From there, the set unfolded like a guided tour of Kane’s career, past and present blending seamlessly.
‘Troubled Son’ and ‘The Wonder’ leaned into his grittier side, while ‘Without You’ felt inspired by a similar jangly riff of ‘Long Cool Woman’ by The Hollies, famously setting the rhythm to a particular Britpop classic. If you don’t know already, look it up!
By the time ‘Coming Down the Road’ and ‘Love Is Cruel’ rolled around, Albert Hall was fully warmed up — and personally won me over on the new album with the latter.
It carries a softness that you don’t tend to expect with a Miles Kane track, but maybe that comes with a creative maturity approaching your 40s (sorry, mate).
Regardless, Kane stalked the stage with trademark swagger, feeding off the crowd and grinning like a man who knows he’s exactly where he belongs and continues to do so.
Then came one of the night’s first real eruptions…
Ahead of the show,‘Inhaler’ was one of my most anticipated listens. It hits like a shot of adrenaline from the opening chord, and the crowd sing every word back at him as if it were 2011 all over again. If you’re a Miles Kane fan, my money is on ‘Inhaler’ being high up your list.
‘Blue Skies’ followed, which shone a spotlight on not only the vocals but the complete shredding from the rhythm guitarist in the final breakdown. Having stood in the top tier of the Albert Hall, I got a prime view of the audible freedom he had to play with!
Mid-set, Kane doubled down on newer material with ‘One Man Band’ and ‘I Pray’, both sounding huge live – proof that his recent output more than holds its own alongside the classics.
The emotional heart of the night arrived with my favourite, ‘Colour of the Trap’. This track has been etched onto my playlist for longer than I care to mention. You felt it coming. The room softened, phones lit up, and for a few minutes, Albert Hall felt like a shared memory rather than a venue.
It’s almost as if he didn’t want it to end himself, with an echoing chorus of la la la la going on for a good few minutes after the band’s final instrumental chime. ‘My Love’ and ‘Walk on the Ocean’ kept that reflective mood rolling before ‘Better Than That’ nudged the energy back upwards.
From there, it was full throttle. ‘Coup de Grace’ and ‘Never Taking Me Alive’ were delivered with venom and volume. Straight from his 2018 catalogue felt like one for the dads, or at least it resonated with the 50-year-old bloke pointing his fist in the air with one hand and holding a double pint in the other. Legend.
As the main set drew to a close, ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’ fittingly carried us into the encore — defiant, anthemic, and shouted back word-for-word by a crowd that had been banging this tune out long before they heard it on FIFA 14 (like me).
It was exactly the type of tune that made me whip my phone out and record it for the boys, saying, ‘remember this one?!’, to a chorus of thumbs up in the group chat. And when I mention the encore, it didn’t mess about.
Kane and the band picked up where they left us with a high intensity ending to ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’ before the title track, ‘Sunlight in the Shadows’, gave the tour its emotional centrepiece: rich, expansive, and glimmering amongst camera flashes between bums on shoulders.
And then, the inevitable closer. By far his biggest song, if Spotify streaming numbers are anything to go by, ‘Come Closer’ sent Albert Hall into one final frenzy.
We saw bass guitarist Nathan get his special birthday moment when Miles and the band brought on a chocolate cake to celebrate, blowing out the candles – mid belter. Just ending the night on a euphoric high that left smiles plastered across sweaty faces.
Miles Kane at Albert Hall wasn’t just another date on the tour calendar. It was a reminder of just how deep his catalogue runs, how legendary in the indie rock game he is, and how effortlessly he can still command a Manchester crowd despite hailing from Merseyside. We don’t mind them, really!
The Manc -
8th March 2022 
