Courtesy of Transgressive Records
Pride Month
June marks the month when LGBTQIA+ individuals are celebrated. This month represents the hardships endured and the pride that took generations to create. Pride month is important because of the fight for gay freedom and liberation. To celebrate this incredible month, we wanted to show some incredible LGBTQIA+ artists that deserve recognition!
Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan identifies as gay and has been making music since 2014. After a successful YouTube career, he started by releasing TRXYE which featured the popular song, “Happy Little Pill.” In 2016, Sivan released his debut album, Blue Neighbourhood, which talked about his sexuality and his partner wanting to hide from his sexuality. Multiple music videos told the story of Sivan with his partner who had a homophobic dad. In the end, Sivan and his partner separated. Fast forward to 2024, Sivan has released a dance club album, Something To Give Each Other.
This album was Sivan’s most successful. “Rush” was considered the gay pop anthem of the year. The track trended on TikTok, playing all over the world. The “One Of Your Girls” music video sees Sivan dressed in drag with Ross Lynch as the star. Lynch sits in a chair while Sivan dances around him. The artist has been expressing the struggles and best parts of his sexuality since the very beginning. Sivan came out as gay in a YouTube video and has been a massive advocate for LGBTQIA+.
The songs that should be on your Pride Spotify playlists are “Rush” and “One Of Your Girls.” “One Of Your Girls” talks about the feeling of being gay and liking a straight man, so the love isn’t reciprocated. If that man ever gets desperate, though, Sivan will be “one of your girls.” It is very relatable and brutally honest.
MUNA
MUNA is a group of three people who all identify as queer, with Naomi McPherson identifying as non-binary. Firstly, this group has been making music since they went to the University of Southern California together in 2016.
Finally, after signing to Pheobe Bridger’s label, Saddest Factory, the group has been soaring ever since. Their most popular song is “Silk Chiffon,” which features Bridgers’s incredible vocals.
This band is known for their amazing synth pop records with Katie Gavin is the lead singer. Generally, the group has been writing and producing their music since debut. They talk about the many feelings and perspectives they have as queer people, ranging from heartbreak, love, lust and many more. MUNA is a multitalented group that sounds even better live. I had the privilege of seeing them play the 2023 All Things Go Festival in Maryland. Their energy was contagious as every member put it all into that performance.
“What I Want” is the perfect song for your Pride playlist. They talk about wanting to dance in the middle of a gay bar and get crazy. While people worry about the little things, MUNA wants to live their lives to the fullest. No one is holding them back anymore and they can make their own decisions as LGBTQIA+ individuals. A contagious chorus ensures the song will get stuck in your head instantly.
SOPHIE
SOHPIE, a transgender artist, needs to be talked about more in the media. She sadly passed away in 2021 due to a tragic accident. Her legacy must live on because of how many incredible things she did in her career. As a producer, she has worked on iconic hit songs like “Vroom Vroom” by Charli XCX and “B**** I’m Madonna (feat. Nicki Minaj)” by Madonna.
As an artist herself, SOPHIE had released music since 2013. Bending genres and breaking barriers, her music was one-of-a-kind in the industry. There were many sounds and genres she covered, including her only full-length album. In 2017, OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES came out. An example of two different-sounding tracks are “It’s Okay To Cry” and “Faceshopping.” “It’s Okay To Cry” is the ballad opener of the album. The piano ballad talks about seeing someone cry for the first time and letting them know it’s okay to cry. “Faceshopping” is the complete opposite of “It’s Okay To Cry.” The song can be best described as if a rave met crazy, eccentric electronic sounds. It can be described as loud and chaotic, showing the versatility of SOPHIE as an artist.
Charli XCX was a frequent collaborator and had a lot to say about SOPHIE’s legacy. According to The Face, Charli shared, “There was a lot of distance between us because I was in awe of her and wanted to impress her.” She continued, saying, “She believed in me in ways that I didn’t believe [in] myself. But I felt like I would never be interesting enough to operate in her world outside of the studio, which was the safe space where we could connect and bond over music.”
“Immaterial” is the Pride playlist choice, as its infectiousness deserves to be heard.
Kehlani
Kehlani is a contemporary R&B artist who identifies as a lesbian. She has an incredible voice that is very prominent in her songs, along with incredibly thorough lyrics. In 2014, Kehlani debuted with a mixtape and has released seven projects in total. Kehlani’s fourth album with Atlantic Records and eighth overall project, Crash, is on the way. Last month, she released the single “After Hours,” which is in a different territory for the singer: dance music. The pop record is truly infectious and has been going viral on TikTok with dance challenges made.
Crash will be released on June 21st. The second single, “Next 2 U,” came out on May 31st. With its release, it became clear Kehlani is going for strong, hard-hitting tracks instead of her usual calm aura found in most of her previous works. This song talks about ever-lasting love and how she and her partner will be together and no one will ever get in their way.
Along with making incredible and vulnerable music, she is an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community. According to The Advocate, Kehlani shared, “I have a lot of privilege.” She continued, “I think a lot of artists who we talk about and say, ‘Oh, they had to come out or they had to do this,’ a lot of them can’t hide it. A lot of it is very [much] in how they present. It’s tougher for them. It’s tougher for trans artists…”
With its catchy melody and how much it makes you want to dance, “After Hours” should be added to your Pride playlist.
Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks is a 23-year-old artist with a unique vocal tone and brutally honest lyrics. The Los Angeles-based artist defies regular norms in music by making tracks that tell a story throughout her body of work. She identifies as bisexual and, in “Green Eyes,” she talks about a very prevalent story.
The lyrics describe a relationship with a girl who was not okay with being public in their relationship. Being closeted is a slippery slope, especially if you are in a relationship. Parks was giving up that sense of openness while kind of going backward in the process. “Green Eyes” talks about how Parks felt embarrassed and upset with the situation at hand. I highly recommend this song as something everyone should listen to, especially during Pride month. Clairo gives backing vocals and plays the guitar in the track to help take the song to an even grander scale.
A more upbeat choice to listen to is “Weightless,” which has an indie, soft rock feel to it. This song shows off Parks’ amazing vocal tone to the fullest extent and has an incredible drop in the chorus. Parks flows on the beat effortlessly while singing poetic-like lyrics. According to Genius, the first verse said, “Cardamom and jade as your eyes streamed / On the night you showed your volcanic side / And I’m afraid to need validation / Waiting for the day when you finally try.” These in-depth lyrics create a visual for the listener, which is the best part of Parks’ writing.
Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama defies the norms of pop music, combining multiple genres and new sounds each time she comes back with a project. The pansexual singer creates thought-provoking projects that leave an impact on you. In 2013, she came onto the scene releasing music, and today, she currently has three full-length projects. Sawayama gained stardom with the 2020 release SAWAYAMA. “XS” served as the main single and became an instant hit during the lockdown. A lot of musicians released music during the pandemic and it either helped or didn’t with their career. The pandemic was the year of Rina’s main pop-girl moment with everyone tuning into this album and her discography. Every song was detailed and polished. In SAWAYAMA, there’s a little bit of everything: rock, metal, pop, R&B, indie, etc.
An album that covers so many kinds of music and sounds makes it appealing to everyone. There was a track for everybody and it pushed her over the edge in her career. In 2022, Hold The Girl was released and the main single became an instant Pride track. “This Hell” mocks the people who deem the LGBTQIA+ community as going to hell and doing something wrong. Sawayama reclaims the hell as a dance club where we welcome everyone. As the cherry on top, there is iconic queer slang like “let’s go girls” and “that’s hot” throughout the track.
“This Hell” became an instant hit and became a huge part of the community. Someone who is trying to reclaim such hatred is inspiring and gives us a way to express that hatred. She makes music that holds great meaning and makes you think.
Steven Morea
Steven Morea is a New York City-based social media influencer who identifies as gay. Morea produces and writes his music, and has released it since 2019. Nihilist came out March 1st of this year and is an incredible album that deserves more recognition. It is not easy to produce and write your music just by yourself, but Steven does it all. The album has a dark and eerie feeling to it, which ties into the title of the album. “Not okay” is a perfect song to show the theme of Nihilist. The track discusses how the mind games of a guy are no match for him because he will win at the end of the day. They are going their separate ways because it’s not okay that their relationship isn’t working. The funky, unique production really stands out. Every song is raw and honest, helping you understand Morea’s aura.
“Fast Lane” is the perfect addition to your Pride playlist because of how catchy it is. The chorus is very catchy, and overall, the album is very relatable. Check out Nihilist below as Steven Morea could be the next big thing!
