The unique experiences of LGBTQ+ artists have long translated into powerful, moving artistry. From Elton John to Sam Smith, musicians that identify as queer have navigated being mainstream music icons and holding the torch for LGBTQ+ activism.
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To kick off this year’s Pride Month, we’re celebrating just a few of the many LGBTQ+ artists you need to be listening to. Whether you’re into dance-pop, folk, rock or hip hop these artists are the newest additions to your summer playlist.
1. St. Vincent
Annie Clark, better known by her stage name St. Vincent, has been reigning over the alternative rock scene since 2007. Her synth-led, ’80s pastiche has long pushed the boundaries in the genre and earned her the top spot on the charts. Her latest release, Daddy’s Home, clinched the No. 2 spot on the Billboard rock charts upon its release.
St. Vincent explained her sexuality in an interview with Rolling Stone back in 2014. She stated she didn’t “identify as anything” but rather believed that gender and sexuality were fluid. “You can fall in love with anybody,” she said.
2. Kim Petras
Though her music hasn’t seemed to catch on with the mainstream yet, Kim Petras is heralding a new gen of pop stars. Petras has been blazing a trail in pop since “I Don’t Want It All” in 2017. Since then, she has solidified herself as the go-to artist for bubblegum pop-laced party hits. Her 2021 single “Coconuts” made the rounds online, quickly becoming a viral sound on Tik Tok.
Petras spoke about her transition with Billboard in 2018 saying: “I think the ultimate goal for me is if a transgender person can be known for anything but being transgender. There are still too many people who think being transgender is very freaky. And they think you can’t live a happy life and try to tell their kids not to transition because they’re afraid their life will be harder.”
3. Brandi Carlile
The folk singer delivers stunning performances again and again with her crushing vocals and wistful lyrics. Along with her lauded solo releases, Carlile formed an all-female all-star group with Amanda Shires, Maren Morris, and Natalie Hemby, called the Highwomen. The Grammy award-winning quartet released its eponymous debut album in 2019.
Many of her songs are inspired by her wife, Catherine Shepherd, and their two daughters. Since 2012, Shepherd has acted as the executive director of the Looking Out Foundation – a non-profit Carlile founded to support advocacy groups.
4. Kevin Abstract
The founder of rap group Brockhampton, Kevin Abstract is the natural successor to artists like Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, and Kanye West. His new wave production and unique lyricism have long excited rap fans and casual listeners alike. While building up his supergroup, Abstract has shared several solo ventures, charting his course from staunch Mormon to an out and proud gay man.
While several artists—like the aforementioned Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator—have successfully garnered fame in the rap community while also coming out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Abstract says he feels an onus to change Hip Hop’s “homophobic space.”
“I have to exist in a homophobic space in order to make change and that homophobic space would be the hip hop community,” he shared with BBC’s Radio 1. “So me just existing and being myself is making change and making things easier for other young queer kids.
5. King Princess
King Princess, real name Mikaela Strauss, is a relatively fresh face in the music industry. The 23-year-old singer dropped her debut single “1950” in 2018 with the help of Mark Ronson’s label, Zelig Records. The song immediately found widespread commercial success when fellow pop star Harry Styles tweeted the song’s lyrics to his millions of devoted fans. Since then, King Princess has carved out a space in the pop sphere while becoming an LGBTQ+ icon.
Speaking to Cosmopolitan, the singer said: “What I love about the time we are living in now is that you can express gender queerness, that you’re gay, that you’re a lesbian, a girl dating girls. Because I am a girl who dates girls and I have been for a long time. So I am a lesbian. But sometimes I feel like a gay man, you know? Just in my spirit. I’m learning how to be comfortable in between.”
Photo by Zackery Michael / Nasty Little Man PR
