Alessia Bisini
Across genres and periods, LGBTQ+ artists have always been at the forefront of music to express the importance of diversity and the exuberant sense of self-love that surrounds Pride month. From punk and ballroom to EDM and voguing, the music and culture of the queer community have helped to shape and inspire our world.
In January, Spotify introduced GLOW, an equality program for LGBTQ+ artists and creators on the platform. Since its debut, the global music programme has both celebrated and amplified queer voices across the globe.
This year, LGBTQ+ listeners and allies from 50 countries have come together to highlight the importance of a virtual space where queer stories and identities from around the world can truly shine and be heard, elevating and providing a platform for historically marginalised voices.
From Tony Award-winner Billy Porter and Italian sensation ASTERIA to LA-based pop star Gia Woods and flamenco idol María Peláe, here’s a roundup of 10 fresh Pride talents you might have missed and should check out!
Urias – Cuntelectual
The Brazilian-born transgender artist has gained a huge following among members of the LGBTQ+ community. Her raw, gritty, cyber-futuristic aesthetic and raspy voice have made her a household name. She began her career in the fashion industry, more specifically on the catwalks of São Paulo, but was encouraged to pursue a career in music by one of her closest friends, singer Pabllo Vittar, who always saw her true potential.
Her debut album, FURÍA, was released to critical acclaim in 2022. It paved the way for her explosive follow-up, HER MIND, in 2023.
Billy Porter – Fashion
American actor, singer, writer, and director Billy Porter is a true force to be reckoned with.
Before starting a solo career as a singer and actor, he achieved fame performing on Broadway shows such as Grease, Smokey Joe’s Café, Five Guys Named Moe and Miss Saigon. Other stage and screen credits include Dreamgirls, Ghetto Superstar (The Man That I Am) and Cinderella with Camila Cabello.
Fashion is his latest song and the third extract from his forthcoming album, The Black Mona Lisa, due for release this autumn. Get ready to strut and blast this track on repeat! With a catwalk swagger, Fashion is a clever wink at the fact that Porter is a celebrity style icon, but ultimately conveys the more important message that love, hope, and joy are always in fashion.
During his iHeart Radio Can’t Cancel Pride 2023 performance, Billy said: “You know I can turn a look, honey, but this song is not actually about fashion. It’s about trusting in the vision for your life, no matter what anyone else says. The things that are timeless – love, joy, peace – those are the things that are always in fashion.”
Sans Soucis – I Know Your Present
Drawing inspiration from a range of genre-bending artists including Frank Ocean, Joni Mitchel, Lauryn Hill, James Blake and St Vincent, Sans Soucis is establishing herself as one of the UK’s brightest voices, fusing traditional songwriting and Congolese sounds rooted in her rich heritage with ease.
Her latest single, I Know Your Present, is a love letter to her sister about the way we see the world and live our personal and intimate relationships.
LEOPOLD – Dust Them Off
LEOPOLD is part of a growing generation of confident LGBTQ+ artists who know how to get noticed and break gender barriers. He is also an activist, constantly fighting for equality, visibility, and acceptance of queer people.
With a striking voice and fabulous stage presence, the artist’s main influences are Prince, Beyoncé, and Janelle Monáe. He released his first EP, Body Language, in June 2019, before releasing his debut album, Unattractive, in 2021, and his third project, Unwanted, in 2022. His latest record, Dust Them Off, is a dancefloor anthem that emphasises authenticity and freedom. You’ll love it!
ASTERIA – PROFUMO
ASTERIA is the electro-melancholic pop project of Anita Ferrari, a young 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Bergamo, Italy. Between pop and electronic sounds, with lyrics that reveal her deepest feelings, she writes and produces songs that touch the heart and soul of Gen Z.
Keep an eye out for her! ASTERIA is one of the freshest voices on the contemporary Italian music scene.
In her latest track, PROFUMO, she explores the feeling we get when we’re hurrying down the street and get caught by a scent that changes how we perceive time and space.
Everything seems to stop and we find ourselves in a dream-like, almost magical dimension that reminds us of an image, a moment, a feeling, and a warmth that we have not felt for a long time. This is how PROFUMO was born, from a collection of mentally photographed moments and sensory perceptions.
The Aces – Girls Make Me Wanna Die
American alt-pop band The Aces are on the rise thanks to their latest album, I’ve Loved You For So Long, which connects them to their Utah roots and allows them to explore their queer identity.
Girls Make Me Wanna Die, one of the singles from the LP, is a nostalgic nod to pop-punk, their youth, and the shared experience of being young, queer, and painfully in love with someone who doesn’t necessarily reciprocate.
María Peláe, Alba Reig – No Me Mires Asì
A flamenco singer-songwriter who has been singing from stage to stage since 17, Maria Peláe has gradually added more ingredients to her stylistic mix, making her one of the most personal writers on the independent scene. Since coming out as a lesbian, she has used her songs and appearances on television and in the press to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community.
In No Me Mires Así, Maria and her girlfriend Alba Reig flaunt the sexual attraction that can exist between two women in love. Thanks to this flamenco-infused track and their unwavering support for queer people, they have quickly become allies in their native Spain and across Europe.
Gia Woods – Lesbionic
Gia Woods is a theatrical pop princess, and her track Lesbionic proves to be the perfect lesbian anthem about celebrating and empowering women everywhere.
Discussing the single with People, Gia said: “It was inspired by the film The Climax. The soundtrack is f-ing incredible. There’s a song on it […] Supernature by Cerrone that inspired Lesbionic, especially production-wise. I’m also going through, like, that phase when you’re getting out of a relationship and escaping your sadness, so this song was a little moment for me to feel empowered again after my breakup.”
Rebecca, Pabllo Vittar, Vivi – AEIOU
After spending a year working on her first studio album, Brazilian rising talent Rebecca has just released AEIOU, her sophomore pop anthem full of sweeping choreographies and featuring the incredible Pablo Vittar and fellow American-Brazilian singer Vivi. The track has been produced by Tropkillaz and it’s certainly paving the way for Rebecca’s future endeavors. We can’t wait to see what she does next.
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Featured image courtesy of Jason Leung on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Alessia Bisini
Alessia Bisini is a freelance writer and publicist based in Milan, Italy. Since 2014, her writing has been mainly focused on music, entertainment, and pop culture. She's also a gender equality advocate, especially in the music industry. Twice a month, she runs a newsletter called "Let's Go Girls!".