This freedom seems particularly important for women artists who don’t fit into the narrow box laid out for women entertainers. A quick look at some of the women whose careers got a boost from the event is evidence of that. Janelle Monae had already gained a Grammy nomination by the time she performed at SXSW in 2009. She was known amongst R & B and neo-soul aficionados, but her explosive performance catapulted her into mainstream American success. Amy Winehouse officially became an international superstar when she crossed the pond to hit the 2007 SXSW stage. The same can be said of M.I.A. and her 2005 collaboration with LCD Soundsystem in Austin. It generated enough buzz to capture audiences before she released her catchy single “Paper Planes.” Grimes, with her tiny voice and big bag of musical tricks, ended up being signed to Jay Z’s label after she mesmerized a SXSW crowd in 2011.