Sertanejo – as brazilian country music is called – is the most heard musical genre in Brazil, according to Spotify data. Despite that, the environment is not so welcoming for those who do not follow the sertanejo fan stereotype: straight cisgender men. “Feminejo” finally brought some visibility to female singers, and now it’s time for another talent group: the LGBTQI+ artists. The new segment that is mixing music with representativeness became known as “Queernejo” and is gaining more and more space in the music market.
Her Campus Cásper Líbero reunited some amazing artists that are turning the national music scene upside down – and you can check them out on the list below. So, go ahead – and we hope you enjoy it!
- Gabeu
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Gabriel Felizardo, better known as Gabeu, was one of the precursors of the movement. Son of the singer Solimões (from the famous duo Rio Negro and Solimões), the artist decided to follow his father’s steps. In 2019, he made his debut with the single “Amor Rural” (Rural Love), whose clip has already reached over 1 million views on his YouTube channel. The lyrics were written in partnership with his boyfriend and portrays the relationship of two young boys from the countryside. The song became a hit, especially among LGBTQIA+ audiences.
In interviews, Gabeu has already said that he likes to mix references from pop music with his country background. This idea was a huge success and he is already considered one of Queernejo’s greatest voices. Also, recently, the artist has already released his second track “Sugar Daddy” – and the videoclip is amazing, it is worth checking!
- Gali Galó
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Since childhood, when she started composing and playing guitar, Gali Galó, 31, dreamed of an artistic career. She already had rock and roll projects before, but it was in country music that she truly found herself musically, inspired, mainly, by feminejo and even Gabeu himself. “These country men seem indestructible, as if they were the kings of cattle. It is the toxic masculinity, which affects not only women, but men as well. In Queernejo, we sing the story of our lives. It is an act of resistance, reframing the style and ourselves. We come out of the closet and have our foot in the field”, said Gali for UOL.
Gali debuted in the country scene with the single “Fluxo (woman of the future)”, in partnership with the Pará singer Aíla. With a lot of concept and visuals full of personality, the artist returns to her country roots and empowers her non-binary identity. Recently, the singer released her second work, “Caminhoneira”, a song that subverts socially imposed gender stereotypes, speaking of LGBTQIA+ pride and freedom. The hit is part of an audiovisual project which will be launched in 10 chapters: a RodieMovie that shows a journey of the hero in search of something – in the case of Gali, in search of gender identity.
Gali also created, in partnership with Gabeu, the Fivela Fest, the first brazilian Queernejo festival! Unfortunately the project was delayed by the pandemic, but you can check it out on YouTube.
- Alice Marcone
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“There was almost no woman, imagine a trans woman”, declared Alice Marcone for Rolling Stones Country magazine.
Alice Marcone, 25, released her first musical work, called “Noite Quente” (Hot Night), in 2020. Before that, however, she already had an extensive artistic career: as an actress, model and screenwriter, she is part of the team of “Noturnos”, a series on Canal Brasil in which the presenters transform lyrics by Vinícius de Moraes into horror stories. She is also one of the judges of “Born To Fashion”, reality show on E! TV channel, which looks for a new trans top model.
Now Alice is determined to rescue her memories and experiences from the countryside and transform it into music. Actually, it is much more than that. The singer wants to promote visibility in the media, so that young LGBTQ+ like her can feel represented. “The sertanejo is in our culture, it is our mainstream! The idea is to promote an alliance between cisgenerity and transgenderity”, said Alice to UOL.
- Reddy Allor
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In January 2019, drag queen Reddy Allor released her first solo music video, called “Tira o Olho” (Take Your Eye Off). With a powerful voice, the artist brings together country and pop music in a fun and colorful mix – which is available on all digital platforms.
The singer’s relationship with Sertanejo, however, is not new at all. Born in the São Paulo countryside, Allor has been singing professionally since she was 12, when she had a duo with her brother. The game changed when the artist came out as gay and discovered the universe of drag art. Influenced by other drag singers, such as Pabllo Vittar, she joined her creative side with the musician, without losing her inner essence.
- Zerzil
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“Member of the world plot to make country music more queer”: this is how Zerzil defines himself on Instagram. Born in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Zerzil grew up surrounded by country culture. In adolescence, however, he distanced himself from his origins by not identifying himself with certain aspects of the genre, as well as many other young people from the countryside. He built a career in pop and dance music, but ended up returning to the Sertanejo due to an unexpected event. A romantic breakup was one of the factors that brought him back to his roots: the famous “Sofrência”. Then he started writing his own compositions of Sertanejo and decided to bet on the movement.
Different from the traditional country, Queernejo allows itself to try it on other rhythms. The movement is not just about a genre, but about drinking from the source of rural music and reverberating in different formats. Zerzil’s music went from northeastern “brega funk” to Caribbean bachada. The main motto of his songs, in addition to empower the LGBTQ+ scene, is also to try new rhythms and sounds. “The more people we have, the better. It is time to make room for LGBT people both as a public and as an artist in the backcountry”, he says.
One of his most recent works is a Brazilian version of the song “Old Town Road”, by the American – and also queer – singer Lil Nas X. In “Garanhão do Vale”, Zerzil appropriates the melody of the original song, but includes several references from the gay universe.
- Tertuliana
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Tertuliana Lustosa owns one of the 2020 carnival hits, “Murro na Costela do Viado”. Born in Piauí, Tertuliana defines herself as a singer, composer and visual artist; in addition she teaches literature workshops at schools and universities. The artist spent most of her life in Bahia, but moved to Rio de Janeiro to study Art History at college. It was also there that her gender transition process began.
Her musical career started at the time when she was still selling brigadeiros in Porto da Barra, Salvador. She became known for her catchphrase “look at the blonde’s brigadeiro!”, and other parodies she did. Then came the project A Travestis. Tertuliana recently released her first solo song, “Amor Encubado” (Incubated Love), which is totally sertaneja.
- Bemti
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Bemti, Luis Gustavo Coutinho’s stage name, grew up on a farm in Minas Gerais. With a more indie sound mixed to electronic music, he seeks to use the country guitar as an element to always return to his origins. As he found no representation either in the traditional sertanejo, nor in the alternative music he listened to, he decided to bring together these two rhythms and found the group Falso Coral. In 2018, Benti started his solo career with the album “Era dois”, a record that also mixes country and electronic characteristics, with collaboration of guests, such as singer Johnny Hooker and the band Tuyo.
About Queernejo, he sees something that resembles a magical encounter. “We were all thinking the same thing, but in separate places. And now we got together. We have this essence of transgressing the ‘caipira’, of being a greater opening to diversity that is not found in traditional country music. We did not consciously start a movement. We were all thinking similar things and we met. I don’t feel that we formed a movement. I think we came together in a movement”.
Do not forget to check out the work of all these incredible artists on digital platforms, so that more and more diversity rules the music universe!
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The article above was edited by Helena Cardoso.
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