When you think of queer musicians, you may think of the queens of pop that have always been at the very top of the Pride playlist like Gaga, Britney, and Madonna. Yes, they are icons and will always remain beloved by those who can lip-sync for their lives. Yet, there have been so many incredible queer artists who have been taking the music industry by storm. They follow in the footsteps of the musicians that we all grew up listening to in the back of car like Freddie Mercury and George Michael, amongst several others. Music always expresses more than words can and even a music video with LGBT representation reflects progress. Also, some of the songs are absolute bangers anyway and should be part of your session mix regardless. Uplifting, inspirational, and fantastically cool, these are some queer artists you should be listening to.
Troye Sivan
Making his name as a Youtuber, Troye Sivan always kept music close to his heart – it was the reason why he began making videos initially. After being signed to EMI records, he wrote his first EP, TRXYE (which is read T-R-X-Y-E, not Trixie as Sivan has exasperatedly corrected interviewers and fans many times before.) The eclectic pop that is Sivan’s sound is incredibly smooth with his unique voice taking centre stage. After resounding success, he followed TRXYE with WILD, an EP which was succeeded by his debut album, Blue Neighbourhood. The themes of adventure-filled youth and exploring new love are reminiscent of Lorde’s music and you can see that Australasia is producing some gems.
Recently, he has been advocating for marriage equality in Australia and has become someone to look up to as an openly gay artist. His coming out video has racked up over 7.6 million views, and in his most recent video he talks about his first Pride parade. Sivan is someone I’ve grown up with, and seeing him producing music that resonates not only with the LGBT community but with young people across the world is amazing to see.
Recommended song: ‘BITE’
Christine and the Queens
Although she is one herself, Héloïse Letissier did not include herself in the queens that make up her stage name, Christine and the Queens. Beginning her career in London, she was inspired by and became friends with drag queens in Madame Jojo’s, a bar in Soho. They lifted her up from a devastating break up and triggered the beginning of Christine and the Queens. Her debut album caught the attention of radio stations with the single, ‘Tilted’.
She speaks unapologetically about the oppression of women as they are constantly judged by how they act and are told to tone everything down. Her shows are minimalist and her songs are bursting with expression, urging her listeners to be themselves. She is currently in the process of making her second album, as is Sivan. Hopefully, it will be as progressive and filled with her abounding creativity, just as the last was.
Recommended song: ‘Science Fiction’
Dodie
Recently playing the Button Factory on her You tour, Dodie has gathered a devoted following from her Youtube channel. Her songs are full of memories and lessons learned from her mishaps in love but also deal with mental health. Composed with little more than a ukulele, the humble beginnings of most her songs are just as emotional as the produced studio versions. Within in the last year, she has released her debut EP, Intertwined followed by her You EP. Her emotions are laid out in front of you, confronting you with heartrending lyrics and comforting you with her soothing voice.
Her music video for ‘Sick of Losing Soulmates’ features gay characters, radiating with queerness. This is a topic that Dodie does not shy away from with multiple videos made addressing her bisexuality. She has become beloved by her fans and is fast becoming an icon for queer women.
Recommended song: ‘Absolutely Smitten’
Frank Ocean
Elusive but bursting with musical prowess, Frank Ocean made his comeback in 2016 with Blonde. Before this highly anticipated second album, Ocean had become missing in action after his much-loved debut Channel Orange. Running up to the release of Blonde, Ocean was closely followed by his fans as he broadcasted live streams. He marked his long-awaited return with pop-up shops across the States that were decorated in the theme of his new album.
Although he is being known for being reclusive, Ocean opened up about his sexuality just before Channel Ocean dropped. He funnelled the pain from his first love into his music and has become renowned in the Hip Hop world. He has recently become embroiled in a lawsuit with his own father in which he was being sued by him for defamation. Ocean posted on Tumblr recounting a time when his father had used a homophobic slur when he was a child. Ocean beat his father and the post which discussed the shooting at Pulse nightclub remains on Tumblr.
His representation, though quiet, is incredibly significant in Hip Hop and Alternative R’n’B. The discussion about homophobia in Rap and R’n’B is still ongoing, as slurs are still being used in songs without consideration for those in the community.
Recommended song: ‘Pink & White’
