Four Artists You Should Support Pride

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Happy Pride everyone!

As pride month comes to an end, I’d like to highlight some queer artists that I’ve discovered throughout my own journey of self discovery. If you’re looking to add some more LGBT+ icons into your music rotation, check out some of my personal favorites!

Zolita

Zolita, my first lesbian icon. I discovered her in 2015 through her music video for her song Holy and I was hooked. Up until discovering her, the most LGBT rep I had seen online was Cam & Mitchel in Modern Family. Never before had I seen a music video with such open love between two women. Holy and the rest of her EP Immaculate Conception quickly became my personal soundtrack to a day at school.

Since 2015, she has released two full albums: Evil Angel in 2020 (with a deluxe edition in 2021) and her latest album Queen of Hearts, which was released in May of this year. In between albums, she has released multiple EP’s and singles.

Celebrate her newest album on The Queen of Hearts Tour with Meg Smith, which starts in September. Grab your tickets here!

Photo From Zolita’s Instagram

Check Out Zolita on Spotify

SOPHIE

Photo From Last.FM

SOPHIE was a musician unlike many others in the pop world. Taking elements of the pop genre and mixing it with experimental techniques, dance music, and more. This trans artist was featured in Paris Fashion week alongside Louis Vuitton, creating the backing track for Charli XCX’s EP Vroom Vroom, and even had the song Lemonade featured in a McDonald’s ad.

With one studio album released, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, SOPHIE’s music was able to connect with those all around the world. Ponyboy and Faceshopping became my two favorites due to the intensity of each song. The jarring bass, the repeated lyrics that get stuck in your head, and SOPHIE’s voice stuck with me.

Tragically, SOPHIE passed away on January 30th, 2021. It was a shock to everyone, seeing as the artist was only 34 years of age. Recently, SOPHIE’s family have just announced that despite SOPHIE’s passing, a new album will be released this September. SOPHIE’s brother Ben shared that he wanted to do right by SOPHIE and release one last album featuring some of “her most cherished collaborators”.

Keep an eye out for SOPHIE’s self-titled album releasing on September 27th.

Check Out SOPHIE on Spotify

Villano Antillano

Photo From Villano Antillano’s Instagram

“I feel like I did not understand myself as a musician until the point where I understood myself as a woman…” — Villano Antillano

Villano Antillano is a trans Latin rap artist, and she’s been clearing herself a space in the industry. She has gained over nine million monthly listeners on Spotify and joined Bad Bunny on stage as a special guest in 2022.

Her music is energetic and always a fun listen no matter the song. From the trap style beats, the lyrics, and the energy that’s brought to each song just sucks you into it. If you’re looking to get into a different style of rap I can not recommend her enough. Her newest single CamGirl >. is a mix of Spanish and English lyrics that flow smoothly in between each other and deserves to be heard.

Check Out Villano Antillano on Spotify

Dorian Electra

Photo Taken From Dorian Electra’s Instagram

Look up the word icon in the dictionary and you’ll see a picture of Dorian Electra. From flamboyant costumes on stage to mixed genre albums, this gender-fluid artist will always keep wondering what’s next.

When it comes to their music it’s hard to fit it into one box. Some songs like Career Boy are similar to traditional pop songs if they had a bit of an edge to them, whereas songs like M’Lady and Gentlemen give the same energy as if you converted a scene kid’s MySpace page into a song. The switch of style between each song just scratches on itch in my brain every time I listen to them.

I was lucky enough to catch Dorian Electra in D.C back in March and the show blew my mind. The costumes, the choreography, and the sheer energy from fans made it an unforgettable experience. Luckily for those reading this, Dorian Electra just announced a U.S tour starting in September. Get your tickets here!