Pride Month LGBTQ+ Artist Spotlight
This Pride month we want to celebrate LGBTQ+ people making waves in the music industry right now. To kick things off here at Tongue Tied, we’re highlighting some of our current favourite queer artists!
Rachel Bochner
A future queen of electro-pop, Rachel Bochner is following in the footsteps of her idols Lana del Rey and Billie Eilish. The NYC-based songwriter released her debut EP '“2AM” in January of 2021 and it’s already getting her noticed in the industry. Her tracks have featured on multiple Spotify editorial playlists such as Fresh Finds. “Ultraviolet,” one of the songs from Bochner’s EP, explores the singer’s bisexual identity. She hopes that the lyrics, and the vulnerable new music video that accompanies them, will resonate with fans who’ve had similar experiences. This will be the first time Bochner has featured this part of her identity in her music - ‘Bisexual people often face a lot of invalidation, and I hope that in some way I can help fight that.’
John Roberts
The sounds of John Roberts’ album “Lights Out” are as bright as Pride’s rainbow colors. The songs are classic 80s-influenced dance tunes, and I’m sure that post-pandemic we’ll hear them in nightclubs until the early hours. The album’s title track even features rock icon, Debbie Harry. “Lights Out” is Roberts’ first project as a singer, but he is already well-known in the acting world for voicing Linda Belcher on the animated TV show Bob’s Burgers.
For more about John Roberts, check him out here on Twitter
eJH
As with their identity, eJH’s (Enrique Jess Hernandez) music defies labels and categorization. Industrial rock grit adds some edge to the catchy upbeat melodies, while spoken word sections strut alongside belted sung vocals. Their latest single ‘Violator’ takes back power and rallies against toxic dynamics in our lives – ‘I hope this track inspires all of us to reflect on our relationships with people, places, governments, institutions - all of it.’ eJH is as much a visual/performance artist as a musician, and the ‘Violator’ video is no exception. Clad in a baby blue suit, fishnets and long black gloves, it is impossible to take your eyes off them. But there is a very real message underneath the video’s flashy aesthetics: Hernandez is a committed activist working against domestic abuse, which is tackled in the song’s lyrics.
Check out more on eJH via Instagram here!
Sug Daniels
Now to slow things down a little, we turn to Delaware native Sug Daniels. She grew up in a Southern Baptist church and writes heartfelt, folk-influenced songs about her community. Daniels’ debut EP Franklin Street, featuring the single ‘Heavy’, will be released later this summer. ‘Heavy’ covers a quintessential experience of growing up gay: catching feelings for a friend but not knowing if they feel the same way.
For more on Sug Daniels, check out her Instagram here!
Brittan Smith
Brittan Smith is creating a sci-fi cyberpunk dimension with a soundscape of dark, seductive pop. The production of his music videos, set to become their own cinematic universe, is truly out of this world. His newest single ‘Peach’ is being released on June 18th and promises to explore the glitch between his closeted past and his true self. This is Bladerunner if it was directed by Lady Gaga, and we cannot wait to see what Brittan creates next.
Explore the world of Brittan Smith at his YouTube channel here.
Abigail Fierce
‘Scream it to the Whole World’ is the soundtrack to the queer indie movie that you wish you had growing up. Somewhere between Wheatus’ ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ and Avril Lavigne’s ‘Sk8r Boi’, it tells the story of a girl who wants to stay closeted and our narrator who is head over heels for her. Abigail Fierce is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in LA, who says it ‘means a lot for [her] to be able to release this song during Pride month’. As well as making music, she also plays Wendy in Hulu’s Love, Victor.
For more on Abigail Fierce, check out her Instagram here!
Eraste
From church group leader to experimental pop artist, Eraste is truly one-of-a-kind. Her debut EP “crashing every party” is, in a word, eclectic. Sonically the tracks are the equivalent of neon makeup running down tear-stained cheeks – hard-hitting emotional lyrics that bounce along a current of bright electronica synths. Eraste is also a fully self-taught musician, which inspires her rejection of stylistic boundaries. A strong LGBTQ+ activist and proud singer-songwriter, Eraste’s music encapsulates ideas of forbidden love, self acceptance, and more.
For more on Eraste, check out her Instagram and website here.
Mae Krell
Finishing up this amazing list is our very own founder and editor-in-chief, Mae Krell! At Tongue Tied we have multiple LGBTQ+ people on our team (hi!) so Pride month is especially important for us to celebrate. Mae is a folk-pop artist from NYC whose collection of emotive singles is often more like a poetry anthology than a discography. Their lyrics are intimate and personal but end up being relatable, in a way that grabs your heart and forces you to pay attention. Mae’s most recent single ‘snow’ asks a haunting question, both to themself and to the listener – ‘Am I scared to be alone / or am I scared of being loved?’ Their new track ‘colorblind’ will be released on June 25th to line up with Pride being celebrated.
For more on Mae Krell, check out their website and Instagram!
The music industry has come a long way in accepting LGBT+ artists but there is still a lot of progress to be made, especially in genres outside pop. Although Pride Month is an amazing opportunity to spread awareness, the queer community faces issues year-round, not just in June. This is doubly true for trans people and queer people of color.
An amazing space to learn more about the queer music industry is QReview the LGBT Music Network. Check them out if you are an ally wanting to support the community, or identify as LGBT+ yourself and want to connect with others in the industry.
Article by: Eleanor Taylor
