• by MaryLeigh Bliss , Columnist, January 8, 2016

Millennial females are a generation of women more educated than their male counterparts, beginning to even out the wage gap, and bringing a different set of expectations to the brands they buy, and the media they consume. They are without a doubt a powerful group of consumers, regardless of their life stage.

Teen girls, highly connected to online communities, have the power to get major brands to make major changes. Older Millennial females are getting married and starting families, shifting both institutions, and influencing the brands that cater to them. Across age groups, they’re fueling social movements and trends. Knowing their passions is key to understanding them, and communicating authentically to them. Luckily, we asked them exactly what those passions are, right now.

We surveyed a nationally representative sample of females 13 - 33 years old to find out what they are most passionate about right now. Their top responses: Music, food, and fitness.

One out of five Millennial women surveyed named music as one of her biggest current passions. Of course, music has been a passion for young consumers for generations, but Millennial females are interacting with music, and musicians, in drastically different ways that arguably make it an even larger driver for them. They feel an ownership over music thanks to the technology that allows them to carry their entire music collection with them at all times, and they have unprecedented access to artists.

It should come as no surprise that these female members of the foodie generation have food trailing closely behind music on their top passions list, and rank cooking/baking above beauty. The lesson here? Food is not just a social media trend for Millennial females. It is a real interest, and something that evokes strong emotions for them. 

Fitness ranked at number three on the list, and we've been tracking the rise of that passion for some time. Millennial females' health-consciousness has spun out into a new realm. Workout gear has infiltrated the fashion world where athleisure is on fire. Fitness queens have taken over Instagram, where hashtags like #fitspo and #belfie connect communities of young fitness enthusiasts, and accompany endless images of six packs and Spandex-clad booties. Exercise plans have become almost cult movements, and in our Q1 2015 trend report, we found that 25% of females 13 - 32 years old follow a “fitness guru” on social media. For Millennial women, fitness isn’t just about working up a sweat anymore. It’s a culture.

Beyond the top three passions, the list is a diverse range of interests, from work and school to travel and gaming. How can your brand feed, support, and spotlight one of Millennial females’ biggest passions?