Six LGBTQ+ artists to listen to during Pride Month
by Richard Howlett
• Published 08/06/2023
Here at Reach Plc we are celebrating Pride Month, which takes place annually throughout June. This year, as well as covering all the events in our newspapers, we are using our voices to share LGBTQ+ stories through two of our podcast series; The Out Crowd and D&I Spy.
With that in mind, I thought I would introduce you to some more incredible LGBTQ+ voices, who all let their music do the talking for them.
boygenius
This LGBTQ+ supergroup comprises Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus, who are all superb individual artists in their own right. There is so much talent within this trio, and to have such a tight group of friends out there representing bisexual, lesbian and queer women is very powerful.
Mal Blum
American singer, songwriter and musician, Mal Blum, is openly transgender and queer. Their lyrics are always open and honest, and their sound ranges from stripped back folk songs to full indie rock anthems.
Christine and the Queens
Christine and the Queens, or simply Chris as he now tends to use, have a unique French synth-pop sound that is somehow both great for chilled out background music, but also to get up and dance to. Chris himself puts on a great show when he’s performing, and dances all over the stage to keep you engrossed at all times.
Alex the Astronaut
Alex the Astronaut is a new favourite of mine. This Australian folk-pop singer-songwriter is witty and clever when singing about even the most mundane of occurrences, but then incredibly honest and emotional on the bigger subjects. Watch this video for Haircut and really listen to the lyrics; I think it will resonate with a lot of people who have questioned their own identity.
Ezra Furman
If you have watched Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’, then you will already be familiar with the music of Ezra Furman, as her back catalogue was used as the soundtrack for the show, as well as some new music she created especially for the show. Giving a bisexual, transgender woman such a big platform for her work to be heard is such a great thing, and hopefully something we continue to see happening.
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara are a Canadian indie-pop duo, who also happen to be twins, and both openly gay. Their music spans pop, indie rock, and folk, with the duo aso having a book, TV show and even a comic book made about their experiences growing up.
If you like what you’ve heard from the above artists and want to explore more LGBTQ+ artists, then give this great Spotify playlist a try:
Queer As Folk Lyrical. Legit. Folk, Americana, and Singer-Songwriter music features LGBTQIA+ acts and allies.
