There are many artists who very strongly support the LGBT+ movement. However, many artists who are part of the community are either overshadowed by more popular artists, or very underrated. These artists inspire young people to be true to themselves and stand up and act as a voice for themselves and their listeners. It is important for mainstream artists to promote other artists who are a part of the LGBT+ community to help them gain support and visibility to the general public. So, here are five artists that are by the gays, for the gays.
Kevin Abstract
Kevin Abstract is one of a seven-piece rap group called BROCKHAMPTON (which I highly recommend listening to as well as the other artists here). Kevin Abstract raps about sexuality on a regular basis, and he pushes normalizing queerness in the hip-hop community. In the hip-hop community, being queer or in support of the LGBT+ community has been a taboo subject. A prime example Quavo of Migos, who thinks that being gay is “wack, bro.” Recommended tracks: “Miserable America” and “American Boyfriend.”
Tegan and Sara
Tegan and Sara have been the goddesses of LGBT+ music since 1998. These identical twins from Calgary, Alberta bring a tsunami of queerness to the indie-pop community. They have spoken out about the hardships they faced as young queer people, and they stand up against the injustices that face the LGBT+ community. In 2016, Tegan and Sara refused to boycott North Carolina for their transgender bathroom ban. The artists recognized that playing the show would raise awareness and visibility for the community and show support to those who live in areas that openly oppose LGBT+ folks. Recommended tracks: “Walking with A Ghost” and “Boyfriend.”
Angel Haze
Angel Haze is an agender, pansexual rapper who actively fights homophobia and rape culture through activism and their music. In 2013, they dropped a remix of Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet,” with lyrics written about a number of sexual assaults that they experienced. They describe the pain they went through during that time, and how they came to cope with their trauma afterward. Recommended tracks: “Werkin Girls” and “Echelon.”
BØRNS
BØRNS is an indie pop artist from Michigan, and brings a whole new style to the music scene. Regularly fashioned in women’s clothing, he fights gender stereotypes by expressing himself through his music and his clothing. He wears women’s clothing to express how it is okay to wear whatever you want, and your appearances don’t have to fall into a certain gender role or stereotype. He also has never come out and gave an insight to his sexuality (at least not to my knowledge), and he prefers to keep it that way. “Music doesn’t have a gender,” he says. Recommended tracks: “Holy Ghost” and “American Money.”
Peach Pit Peach Pit, a group of high school friends, is a small indie pop band from Vancouver, Canada. This band has written songs about long lost loves, creepy relationships involving, true teenage heartbreak and a variety of other subjects. This band is relatively young, and they appeal to the young LGBT community with their songs about men and women. Recommended tracks: “Tommy’s Party” and “Seventeen.” That concludes the list of my favorite queer musicians, what are your favorite queer musicians from this list? Not from this list? Let us know !