It’s Mardi Gras week and while it’s important to celebrate LGBTQI artists all year round, it’s a good time to shout about the community's gigantic contribution to music. LGBTQI artists have shaped pop music for decades and that’s never been truer than over the past few years with artists like Sam Smith, King Princess, Kim Petras, SOPHIE, Kehlani, Frank Ocean and countless others shaping the landscape.
With that in mind, we’re looking at the new crop of songs that are going to shake-up the direction of pop music from intimate, vivid songwriting to experimental, wild cuts. Here are our favourite new songs by LGBTQI artists.
Ryan Beatty - Evergreen
Ryan Beatty’s new album Dreaming Of David is severely underrated and we need to change that. The LA musician has made an intimate, personal record about love and loss that’s elevated by experimental beats and vocal production. Evergreen is the centrepiece, breaking hearts with the hook, “if there’s nothing else around the corner.” Hang around until the drum‘n’bass beat-switch - a thrilling pop moment.
Perfume Genius - Describe
Perfume Genius has finally announced his new album has finally announced a new album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately. Previous drops from the record have been dance-centric but this one is a fuzzy, rock-tinged sizzler that feels both fragile and tough. It’s a difficult juxtaposition to master but it’s one Perfume Genius has spent his career mastering.
Alex Lahey - Sucker For Punishment
Alex Lahey, Australia’s pop/punk master, is back with a new track Sucker For Punishment. Not to be confused with the Suicide Squad track of the same name, this new one holds nothing back. Lahey’s voice is more soaked in reverb than ever before and she’s joined by a grunge-inspired instrumental. You just know that this one is going to slap live.
Chika - INDUSTRY GAMES
It’s only a matter of time until everyone is talking about Alabama-born MC Chika. She’s been chipping away at her career for a while, impressing with her considered and aware bars. INDUSTRY GAMES is one of the her most astute moments yet, taking aim at rappers who are in it for the wrong reasons. “Rapping but they not in love with it,” she raps while simultaneously proving that she’s in it for the art. Don’t sleep on her.
Princess Nokia - Green Eggs & Ham
Princess Nokia is one of the most consistently exciting MCs in the game. After taking an emo route on her last project A Girl Cried Red, she’s back to rap on a new double release Everything Is Beautiful / Everything Sucks. As the titles suggest, we’ve been gifted two projects with very different moods. The opener of the first sets things up nicely, getting perky with some happy keys and some of her most free-flowing verses yet. We’re 100% here for Nokia giving us diverse emotions.
Moses Sumney - Cut Me
Moses Sumney is releasing his new album Grae in two parts. The first already proves it’s going to be one of the best sets of the year and Cut Me shows us exactly why. Opening with an exquisite falsetto, Moses gets soulful with some truly affecting vocals. All the while, the instrumental plods along, introducing brass and jazz piano. The attention to detail is honestly flawless. What an artist.
Kim Petras - Reminds Me
Kim Petras is one route to become one of the biggest popstars on earth and she’s doing so with banger-after-banger. She’s already followed up two records last year with a new song Reminds Me. It’s a dark, heartbreak mid-tempo that delivers one of her trademark choruses. Her voice is so strong that it cuts through over any beat and that’s never more true than on Reminds Me.
070 Shake - Guilty Conscious
At the top of the year, 070 Shake delivered one of this year’s finest records with Modus Vivendi. It’s a dark, woozy set that feels like it was recorded on another planet. That may be the sonic nature of it but the lyrics are full of humanity and Guilty Conscious is one of the finest displays. With those affecting, auto-tuned vocals she takes to an ‘80s-flavoured power ballad like an absolute pro. She may have made a name for herself with Kanye features but she’s made it all about herself now.
Big Freedia - Chasing Rainbows (Feat. Kesha)
Big Freedia is one of the most influential figures in modern music bringing New Orleans bounce to the world. She took Kesha’s Raising Hell to another level last year and now Kesha has returned the favour on Freedia’s new single Chasing Rainbows. As the title would suggest, it’s a positive bop that promotes people embracing exactly who they are. As always, Freedia is full of infectious energy.
Hayley Kiyoko - She
Hayley Kiyoko dropped her dark new project I’m Too Sensitive For This Shit earlier this year and it features this gem. She delivers lyrical zingers like, “She acts like she’s in the 7th grade but she’s actually 20-gay.” It’s all about a girl who is holding back from entering into a relationship but Kiyoko has some advice for her singing, “You’ll be mad you ain’t a part of her life.” Kiyoko coming through with the vivid lyrics.
Rina Sawayama - Comme Des Garcons (Like The Boys) (Brabo Remix Feat. Pabllo Vittar)
Rina Sawayama is prepping an album for this year and she’s proving exactly why she’s one of the most exciting names in pop right now. Comme Des Garcons (Like The Boys) was already a flawless song but she’s added Brazilian drag queen Pabllo Vittar to the mix which is truly the cherry on top. It’s a sleek, effortless pop song that’s tailor-made to be played over sweaty dance floors. Particularly this steely remix.
