Queer Artists for Your Playlist
As we near the end of Pride Month, I've compiled a playlist of some of my favorite queer artists. Below is just a handful of admirable stories behind the music, and I encourage you to learn more about the people who create the art we love. Of course, this list is not all inclusive, but perhaps you'll learn something about an artist you already know or find a song that strikes your fancy.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Who cares?”. It may not matter to you whether an artist is gay, straight, or somewhere in between, but an artist’s identity is vital to their work. Those who choose to step into the public eye as their true selves represent the quiet listeners at home who feel alone in the world.
Listen to the complete Pride playlist on Spotify
Scene Queen
Scene Queen released her debut EP Bimbocore in April, a biting, hyper-feminine metal record that rages against the patriarchy. Her unsuspecting appearance, blonde, covered in pink, and otherwise traditionally feminine, is perhaps her greatest asset. Scene Queen continues to break down any preconceived notions of her by dominating every song on the EP, especially "Pink Panther," which she claims helped her come out as bisexual.
"I'm no longer listening to anyone… it's the most exciting thing in the world for me to finally have that freedom in music. And you can tangibly tell that a girl had an influence on it because … look at it!" she told Kerrang! earlier this year.
Tracks of Choice: Pink Panther, Pink Rover
Cub Sport
You guys already know I love Cub Sport. To read more about their journey as queer artists, read Record Roulette: Cub Sport
Tracks of Choice: Oh Lord, Come on Mess Me Up, Party Pill
Greyson Chance
You might remember Greyson Chance as an adorable preteen from Oklahoma singing Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Now he's a full-fledged artist taking back his public image. After releasing Hold On' Til The Night in 2011, Chance seemingly faded into obscurity as most viral sensations do. He publicly came out on Instagram in 2017, and since then, he's become the artist he was meant to be. "It just finally felt like such a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Now being able to walk freely around in the industry and as an artist—to be known for who I truly (am)—was so important to me," he told Out in Jersey.
Chance released his second album, Portraits, in 2019 after a decade of sporadic singles and followed up with 2021's Trophies. If you haven't checked in with Greyson Chance since his first brush with fame, you're in for a treat. He's a phenomenal artist; his story just warms my little musical heart.
Tracks of Choice: Boots, shut up, Hellboy
Peach PRC
Whether calling out her ex by name or poking fun at God's priorities, Shaylee Curnow, AKA Peach PRC, is creating a catalog of pop anthems. And she's just getting started. Her recent single "God is a Freak" went viral on TikTok earlier this year- initially a tongue-in-cheek song that struck a chord within the LGBTQ+ community, especially those coming to terms with their religious upbringings. "It was meant to be this silly song making fun of the ridiculous concept that it is to me. But to see so many people share these vulnerable stories, talk about their religious trauma and the way they've overcome — that has been so moving," Curnow told Billboard. Amid the outpouring of support for "God is a Freak," Curnow publicly came out as a lesbian on social media, joking that "the closet was made of glass."
Peach PRC is on the cusp of sparkly pink pop stardom, and her songs are definitely scream-at-karaoke-worthy.
Tracks of Choice: Josh, Blondes, God is a Freak
Frank Ocean
We know Frank Ocean. We love Frank Ocean. He publicly came out as bisexual in 2012 after channel ORANGE's release, on which he sang of his first love- a boy. In just a few short sentences, Ocean unknowingly opened the door for queer hip-hop artists across the globe. There's a lot of love in the music community for Frank Ocean, and we're all just waiting for that next album to drop.
Tracks of Choice: Solo, Bad Religion, Crack Rock
Janis Ian
Janis Ian began her career as a young ingenue in 1967 with "Society's Child," a controversial song (at the time) about an interracial romance. A few years later, she won a Grammy award for her song "At Seventeen" (one of my Top 50 All-Time Favorite Songs) and has been openly gay since 1993. As an already established artist, she used her platform to come out of the closet and provide a role model for young teens in the queer community.
To learn more about Janis Ian, read her interview with The Guardian, which details her life as a young star in the 70s up to her final album, The Light at the End of the Line
Tracks of Choice: At Seventeen, Sweet Sympathy, Insanity Comes Quietly To The Structured Mind
Orville Peck
Orville Peck is an openly gay, South African country singer, which is not something you hear every day. Peck opened for Harry Styles' Halloween tour dates at Madison Square Garden this past year, and more recently, he's been popping up everywhere from music festivals to Season 2 of Euphoria. He's got the soulful voice of Elvis Presley with a southern twang and maintains a sparkly collection of masks to shield his identity from the public. In an interview with NPR, he said, "it's funny 'cause the mask actually has allowed me to be the most vulnerable and the most sincere that I've ever been in my life."
Peck is bringing back the true heartache-crooning roots of old country and folk, effectively making country music cool again.
Tracks of Choice: Dead of Night, Bronco, Fancy
Allison Ponthier
Texas native artist Allison Ponthier has been taking New York (and the world) by storm recently, most notably opening for Bleachers on their 2022 tour. Ponthier varies from country pop to folk-rock- She opens her first EP, Faking My Own Death, with the track "Cowboy," an alluring song about queer love, and "Undoin' the weavin' of the old roots," from her Bible Belt upbringing. Gay Times said the track" falls somewhere [between] a Phoebe Bridger's confessional padded out with the country seal of Kacey Musgraves."
Tracks of Choice: Cowboy, Late Bloomer, Hollywood Forever Cemetary