Mickey Guyton’s inspiring rise to fame struck a personal chord for London singer Yola. “Guyton’s faultless voice and the hyper-relevant subject matter of her songs would ordinarily be enough to earn her critical acclaim and popularity, but being a woman and Black in country music has meant she has had to stand up for herself in an environment that has struggled with sexism and racism,” Yola tells Apple Music. “She is the figurehead of a vanguard of Black female country artists, ensuring she will not be the last.” With this special playlist for International Women’s Day, the country-soul singer also sang the praises of another true original: Sister Rosetta Tharpe. “She was a singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist who helped create what we know as rock 'n' roll,” Yola says. “The entire landscape of popular music would be missing its most famous and celebrated sons and daughters without Tharpe’s influence.”