Gay music icons
LGBTQ+ Musicians: 60 Pioneering Artists You Need To Know
28: Laura Jane Grace (1980-)
Born in Fort Benning, Georgia, Laura Jane Grace had a tumultuous time growing up (significant events involve dropping out of college and being arrested for challenging a police officer over a petty crime), before finding inspiration in the music of mythical British anarcho-punk band Crass. By her mid-teens, the seeds had been sewn: she was punk through and through, and she formed her own band, Against Me!, in 1997, living with the organization on the fringes of society until their critically acclaimed debut album, Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose, was released in 2002. Grace had been making allusions to organism transgender through her tune as early as 2005, and came out in 2012, with full aid from friends, family and the band. One of the most pioneering Queer musicians of her generation, she continues to create music today, and remains politically active, having notably hosted the 2019 Thick Music Awards in Kentish Town, London, and endorsing the music charity Nordoff Robbins.
Must hear: True Gender non-conforming Soul Rebel
The 20 Greatest LGBTQ+ Artists in Music History
We expect you're having a excellent Pride Month! Last week, we introduced you to 10 rising LGBTQ+ artists we believe will accept the world by storm. This week, we're reflecting upon LGBTQ+ artists already in the public eye. Legendary musicians who own inspired, advocated, and conquered.
Whether they've been open about their sexuality and gender expression for years or kept their label veiled throughout history, we think the 20 artists below have created impenetrable sonic works while also modifying the world's view of the LGBTQ+ community for the better.
We've had to limit this list to only 20 people (we know there are so many other great Diverse musicians out there!) but we have chosen the artists we've chosen because we believe their legacies have stood – or will stand – the test of time. We not only salute these musicians during Pride Month, but every day. Without further ado, here are our honorees.
1. Lady Gaga
Gaga came out publicly as bisexual back in 2010 after a 20/20 interview with Barbara Walters. Even if she had decided to keep her sexuality a secret, we comprehend she would still possess the humongous LGBTQ+ tracking she has
Queer Artists Who Shaped Music History
If this playlist seems like an abbreviated history of accepted music from the last 200 years, that's because it is.
Looking closely at musical trends, it’s not hard to find a queer artist at the forefront, even if many of those artists had to hide vital aspects of their sexual and/or gender identities. While we live in a second in which queerness is far more present in the cultural consciousness (with still quite a prolonged way to go), the queerness of numerous artists throughout history has often been harder to substantiate definitively. The artistic impact, however, is unmistakable.
Queerness by nature is not effortless to define. In evidence, that may be a feature, not a bug. As the poet Brandon Wint has described it, “Queer like, escaping definition…. Queer like the fearlessness to imagine what adore can look like…and pursue it.” Given that fearlessness and imagination are crucial attributes of any designer, it’s not surprising that queer artists, for whom fear and fearlessness are daily facts of existing, have given the nature such gifts of imagination.
As we celebrate Pride Month, take a listen to the following playlist, and hear a s
Today, the LGBTQ+ community can look to several queer musicians for inspiration, but that wasn’t always the case. Several pioneering openly gay singers paved the way from a period when sexual orientation wasn’t a topic for common discussion.
Indeed, these famous queer musicians faced tremendous backlash and damage to their careers because of their honesty and openness.
As we explore queer performance art, we pay homage to those who came before us. In this piece, we’ll list some of the most influential names in the queer art movement and their impact on our past and present.
Being an Openly Queer Musician
Undoubtedly, the entertainment industry has come a lengthy way in accepting and representing LGBTQ+ individuals. However, it wasn't always this way, especially for musicians.
Coming out as a homosexual musician in the 20th century was no little feat. It required extreme courage and determination, especially when the music industry was predominantly hetero-normative.
Sexuality was not only a taboo topic for public discussion but could also product in alienation from fans and even cause harm to one's career. As such, many gay musicians chose to keep their sexual orientation hidden
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