Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale performed and delivered an inspirational speech at the opening of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's new exhibit, 'Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name.' The exhibit highlights key female figures in the metal genre, celebrating women who have challenged traditional gender roles and made pioneering contributions to the music industry.

At the event in Cleveland, Hale and her bandmate Joe Hottinger performed an acoustic set before Lzzy delivered a heartfelt speech honoring female musicians and encouraging young girls to pursue music.

She stated: "Hey, hello Cleveland! Standing here tonight is one of the strangest, most humbling and most beautiful moments of my life because when I was a little girl growing up in farmland Pennsylvania, in the middle of nowhere, I could have never dreamed of being in a museum.

But I dreamt about being loud.

I dreamt about being in a band with my best friends, standing on a stage, shaking the walls and shaking a few expectations loose while I was at it." Lzzy emphasized the resilience of women in metal, noting: "Every time someone assumed she was just the girlfriend or the merch girl, every time the radio said that they wouldn't play her songs 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." She continued: "Tonight, we celebrate these women, not as exceptions, not as novelties, but as musicians.

Not female musicians, just musicians, as artists, as architects of this music we love and have given our lives to." The exhibit features artifacts from a wide range of influential women, including Lita Ford, Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM), Alissa White-Gluz (ARCH ENEMY, DRAGONFORCE), Taylor Momsen (THE PRETTY RECKLESS), and Courtney LaPlante (SPIRITBOX), curated by Rock Hall assistant curator Haley Cronin.

Cronin said: "We are excited to tell the stories of those women who stand firmly and courageously at the forefront of innovation and acceptance, and through their raw power pave the way for all girls who just want to rock." The exhibit underscores that the story of women in metal is not a side narrative—it is central.

Hale concluded by urging young girls: "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." The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame described the exhibit as a celebration of inclusivity and innovation, emphasizing that metal belongs to everyone who dares to create something honest, powerful and true."