#and pink pony club is about chappell wanting to get in on the drag queen life

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

Someone has to say it.

APOLLO LOVES CHAPPELL ROAN🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

[chasingfictions]

the pink pony club -> naked in manhattan -> california -> guilty pleasure run is so fucking insane every time . like. story song about longing for the gay coast from the heartland and then you get there and you'll always miss where youre from and it will always be in you but you'll never go fully back either, the queer freedom you have in santa monica is too good and too much and everything you've ever wanted, it called you here from across thousands of miles. then meanwhile back in real life but also not real life chappell is on the other coast the other major city experiencing a different kind of first taste of queer living, only it's never happened yet, it's a dream song it lives in the almost, she had never kissed a girl yet when the song was written, she was still dating a man and dreaming about what she wanted her life to be, and even in the song, the queer desire is so close, it's in the air, but also you can't tell if it's really happening or if it's just another daydream. and then we're back in california and it's so real this time and it just hurts and the dream wasn't what you wanted it to be, and home is calling to you, home can give you things this place can't and never could and never will, and also you feel like you're letting everyone down by going back, this is supposed to go the other way, and part of that, from the context of the previous two songs is like, well were the desires not enough? is the big flashy life you were supposed to go live in a place that can give you these other things not enough? was this dream about your life being different actually just a dream did it just hurt?

and then ending on a treatise on desire itself, and like, why does the pleasure feel guilty, your home put that in you, your home made it feel like a bad thing to feel, bad thing to want, but you come back to it anyway. and this time the desire is physical in front of you. you're not telling a story about a girl from tennessee who runs away to be a drag queen at a mythical club, you're not telling a daydream about how in new york you're allowed to be gay and maybe some friendship with a girl could turn into more, you're not wistful about all the might-have-beens in california or the midwest you fled to get there. like you are still fantasizing but also you're watching someone try on jeans and their body is Right There. your body is in the room and you can't deny that you feel this. and also while all the three previous songs were so rooted in specific geography, this time you could be anywhere -- learned it on the internet. you could still be home in the midwest, you could be out at some coastline far away, you could be at a million other somewheres.

but no matter where you are, this desire will be there, you will always pursue this want, there's no version of you who wouldn't want this. you were always going to find a way here. and you want it forever. it may be bad for you and you may not be supposed to belong here but you're gonna make yourself belong because you want it forever. i want this like a cigarette can we drag it out and never quit. um!!!!

[sachapopmusic8rat]

Research project sources [1/2]

Hey everyone ! I have been struggling for the past week to find a relevant and interesting topic of research worthy to be an end of semester project but at last, I finally found every sources, or so I hope it to be enough material to cover my topic ! Without further ado, I'm proud to announce my research project is focused on Chappell Roan ! First and foremost I chose to pinpoint my work on her as I can deeply relate to CR through her songs, her life story, her values as a person and what she fights for and how she was treated in the music industry. A visibly queer artist with innovative ideas in terms of popular music composition is perhaps one of the most distrustful figures the music industry can witness when rising stars are emerging as new-fledged artists. I feel like what really gave me the will to write about CR has to be her new song, unreleased as of today but played as a live performance on SNL, titled "The Giver". While the lyrics are pure melodies to my ears, it's more about the fact that she released, even if unofficially, her first country song. Here's a clip of her talking about it, only the first 30 seconds are relevant to get an idea of what I'm saying !

As a fellow lesbian, CR releasing a country song and openly saying that she's going back to her roots means a lot. While this may be interpreted in two different ways, I want to believe that it is true from both perspective ! Consequently, CR being an openly lesbian artist with such world-wide following means a lot to me, this was unthinkable even a few years before that such an openly queer artist could make it to the first position in the charters as a pop musician. The thing I do find groundbreaking with CR is that not only she is aware of the history of lesbians, which is quite obscure as many do not care to see more to it than simply a sexual orientation, but has also a really great understanding of the world of the music industry and does not hesitate to break the related norms of it with, for example, opening her shows with drag queens! I simply adore her for the commitment she has towards many minorities to bring them in a positive light and allow them to reach greater audiences with the important following she has! To explain more thoroughly the precedent thought, it's important to perceive the issues concerning novelty, being openly queer not as a salesman's pitch (queerbaiting the audience) in music videos but staying true to yourself and simply the bigoted perception of the music industry intrinsically linked to politics. Therefore to illustrate not only the greatness of Chappell Roan but her worth as an Artist that decided not to sell out, to be true to her core values, to promote anti-patriarchal values, I have decided to dedicate my project based on her live performances which embody these aspects of her own project. I'll use the live performances of "Pink Pony Club" or this one ? I'm not sure which one, I'll probably use two different performance to prove different points, the most recent live performance of "Good Luck Babe" (the one realized for the 2024 VMAS), the official music video of "Casual" and most notoriously as to prove my point of CR being an icon in the music industry, "The Giver" performed on SNL a few weeks ago. I also was thinking of including "Red Wine Supernova" as to fit the themes of my research project ! [1/2]

[theshippirate22]

is this absolutely a crack idea that came to me during the middle of the night while I was trying to finish all my final papers?? Yes!! Is it probably due to the fact that I really want to watch To Wong Foo?? Also yes!! Do i wanna hear any shit about it from my irl friends?? FUCK NO

anyway so Hunter starts getting a little better and he’s been in a better mood and everyone is like hmm okay

but then he asks for Missy to let him leave an hour earlier on the weekends and everyone gets super confused because Hunter HATES when anyone else closes because they don’t do it the way he does

but anyway this goes on for a while and no one asks about it until eventually Eliza calls Lyn and is like “hey where the fuck is my brother” and she doesn’t know either so they make a plan to follow him the next weekend and see what he’s up to.

however it turns out that Hunter, looking for a healthy outlet for his bitchiness has joined this drag queen competition under the name Tammy Flu (like tamiflu. get it?) and she’s been performing at this Chappell Roan/midwestern princess themed gay bar called the Pink Pony Club and he’s like. really good at it.

and when she realizes they’re hanging out in the crowd she’s equal parts furious and mortified until Eliza and Lyn start chanting “Tammy! Tammy! Tammy!” and everyone joins in and she wins one of the competitions and they all just have a good laugh about it

but then it becomes a thing that Lyn is always at the Pink Pony Club to see Tammy’s shows and she wins all these awards for it and shit and Hunter gets all these friends that are also queens and it’s like a huge step in him finding himself

[hungerpunch]

full concert review (that's mostly just gushing) under the cut ✨

THE SCENE: a mid-sized club that has a max occupancy of 1,400 ppl and baby it was SOLD OUT, sold out. we rolled up 30 mins before doors and the line was down three city blocks (city "blocks" here are massive). and everyone was dressed UP like eye personally have only seen for a beyoncé or lady gaga show. the fits. the glitter. the enthusiasm. the SERVE. i have seen many artists live, including many big pop artists, that did not gain that level of costumery and fashion from fans.

THE OPENER: so chappell always has a drag queen open for her. for this show, it was chicago legend shea couleé & she was an INCREDIBLE opening act. a PERFECT choice! she got on stage and was like "honey i tried to get tickets to this show and could not get them because y'all bought them up in two seconds. so when they called me to open i said yes just because i want to SEE the SHOW!" 😂

CHAPPELL ROAN: she opened with "femininomenon." her last song before leaving the stage was "my kink is karma." her encore was "california" followed by "pink pony club."

i can only compare it to what i think it must have been like to see lady gaga on the cusp of the fame. like. SO gay. SUCH performance. SO VOCALLY GIFTED. like truly sounds better live than on her records, which doesn't happen often. she was BELLLTTTINNNGG that shit. and her live band was SO good, SO tight. i LOVED the sound of the songs live honestly bc with a live band they're a little heavier, hard-hitting and it brings some guts to those dance tracks. the whole crowd knew every single word to every SINGLE song and was SCREAM-singing along 🌈✨

(also this fellow short person noticed me struggling to see so they invited me up to share their 1 cubic foot of space on a raised step and i got to see everything perfectly then—LOVE!!!!)

she took some time to say some really touching things. she said she was really glad to be able to do that show before she had to do her lollapalooza set. kind of speaking to how like, she's been grinding and hustling for yeeears and just about gave up until like 6 months ago she started going truly viral and getting all this fame really fast. she said it's been so hard to process it all happening so fast. so she was thankful to have the club show first because it was like. Her show where she could See Us All and really interact with us. versus a festival. & of course she talked about how the queer community has given her wings and she loves us all and she's so thankful for us. & she got emotional singing quite a few of her slower songs. i myself got teary-eyed during "california" bc like. she put this album out almost two years ago before all this national attention. and she sings "come get me out of california/no leaves are brown/i miss the seasons in missouri/ my dying town/thought i'd be cool in california/i'd make you proud/to think i almost had it going/but i let you down" and like everyone just SCREEEAMED and she put her face in her hands for a second to cry bc like girl…. u MADE IT!!!!! the narrative of her singing about like almost giving up on her dreams bc it wasn't happening to a room full of ppl knowing all the words… then leading into PINK PONY CLUB? my heart!

i feel extremely lucky. i know she'll go into arenas and amphitheaters next and that was my last chance to see her in that small of a crowd (funny that 1,400 is considered small, but RELATIVELY!) and it was perfect. that's all 😭💖✨

chappell roan time :)

[nerdygaymormon]

My Queer Playlist - Part 4

This is my playlist from 2020 to Present

2020 - She : Hayley Kiyoko - This is about Kiyoko’s struggles when she was coming into her own as a young, gay, aspiring pop-star. 

2020 - L.O.V.E. Me : Hayley Kiyoko - Kiyoko sings that she wants someone who is honest with her and will have her back the way that Hayley would have their back. So girl don't tell me you love me if you don't really want me. I'm working through my issues, yeah, I'm gonna kiss you

2020 - Boss Bitch : Doja Cat - Doja has had boyfriends and girlfriends and describes her sexuality as fluid. This fierce song is of female empowerment and being your own love. A Boss Bitch is the she-ro of her own story. She takes charge of her future and embraces being a “boss” in all aspects of her life. To “shine like gloss” is to excel in a noticeable way. I'm a bitch and a boss, I'ma shine like gloss. The song charted again in 2023 thanks to being featured in an iconic lip sync on RuPaul’s Drag Race

2020 - Physical : Dua Lipa - The song is about sexual liberation. The video begins with first red, then moving to purple, yellow, blue, and so forth, as Dua leads every color of the rainbow into a spectacular dance groove.

2020 - I am Gay : Liza Vassilieva - While other similar songs are often packed in metaphors, this one is quite direct, which I think makes it unique. I am gay (Gay). Doesn't matter what you do or say (Say). So excuse me if I sound cliché (Ché). I just wanna be myself. Every second, every hour, every day, ‘cause I am gay (Gay)

2020 - Chasing Rainbows : Big Freedia feat. Kesha - Freedia lists the various ways she's been put down throughout her life by schoolyard bullies, religious figures, and record labels. Kesha makes clear we won't be put down any longer when she sings You know me, bein' free. Won't be silent, I pray for my enemies. The video has Freedia using a jar of love to make a potion, then gets lifted into the sky by a rainbow where she meets up with Kesha and begins spreading their message.

2020 - I’m that Bitch : RuPaul - 'I'm That Bitch' is a powerful declaration of self-confidence and empowerment by RuPaul who declares herself the Queen of Drag.

2020 - Kings & Queens : Ava Max - Ava told Paper magazine the song “Kings and Queens" is an anthem for all queens — girls & gays — ready to take over the world, because we would have a better world if queens took over. Billboard declared this the "unofficial anthem of the parade-free 2020 Pride season" when the world was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020 - Pink Pony Club : Chappell Roan - Chappell is from a small conservative town in Missouri where she kept her gay identity under wraps. She wrote this song about that period, about wanting to escape from a life that didn’t quite fit. She dreamed of going to California, which she thought of as more accepting and glamorous, where she would become a go-go dancer. Dancing at a gay bar (which in the song she has named the Pink Pony Club) would mean being surrounding by glitter and acceptance and be a place where her true self could take center stage. I heard that there's a special place where boys and girls can all be queens every single day

2020 - I’m Ready : Sam Smith & Demi Lovato - The song is about being ready to risk it all for a new love. As members of the LGBTQ community, Smith and Lovato are familiar with how shamelessly loving who you want to love is inherently a risk in a society that doesn’t fully accept queer relationships. But on this song, the two declare that they’re up for the challenge, and ready to reap love’s rewards. The video is basically the Glam Olympics

2020 - Secret Lover : Yuma X -  The lyrics talk about how hard it is to have a secret lover and not be able to talk with them in public, and counting down the nights until they’re back together again. In the video, two couples go away together and the boys fall for each other while the girls get suspicious of the growing bond. 

2020 - I am America : Shea Diamond - This theme song for HBO's We're Here (a show where drag queens travel the USA doing makeovers while sharing life lessons), declares we're here and just as American as cherry pie

2020 - Malibu : Kim Petras - Kim is a trans woman who released a virtual pool party during the COVID-19 pandemic that includes cameos by queer icons Demi Lovato, Jonathan Van Ness, Todrick Hall, Pabllo Vittar, Jessie J, Scott Hoying, Aquaria, Nikita Dragun, Amanda Lepore, Dorian Electra, Bowen Yang, Slayyyter, and Teddy Quinlivan

2020 - Dance Alone : Tayla Parx - Tayla wrote "Dance Alone" about the night she met her girlfriend. I don't wanna dance alone. I'm not ready to go home. Not until the lights come on. So meet me right here

2020 - Be Me : Vincent - Gay singer Vincent recorded this song for Season 5 of Queer Eye on Netflix. Was hiding away. For a minute I was thinking that I couldn’t be saved. But just like a prayer you were right there.

2020 - Rain on Me : Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande - Put two of the biggest pop icons together and of course you’ll get a song that everyone is clamoring for. The message is of persevering through troubles and embracing the pain. It’s a fierce message of being strong and getting through the hard times. “Rain on me” is like saying “bring it on.” I'd rather be dry, but at least I'm alive. Rain on me, rain, rain

2020 - Bring Back My Girls : RuPaul - Fun song based on one of the catchphrases of RuPaul’s Drag Race

2020 - Freedom : Tommy Atkins - This song was originally released by Wham! in 1984 and is about wanting to commit to someone, to be exclusive, to not want the freedom of being able to see other people...and the other person not wanting that. Tommy Atkins changed the “girl” to “boy” in the line boy, all I really want is you to make it a gay couple. George Michael wasn’t out in the 1980′s but I can imagine if he were, this is how he would’ve written the lyrics. Atkins’ recording reached the top 5 on download charts across the U.K., Canada and New Zealand. The recording made history, becoming the first country hit in the U.K. and Europe to feature overtly gay lyrics.

2020 - Somebody to Tell Me : Tyler Glenn - This is the theme song for the Hulu show Love, Victor, which is about a gay teen coming out. The lyrics of this song are amazing. It begins with someone in the closet and scared their secret will slip out. 'Cause I've been talking secrets into the mirror. Never ever more than a whisper. Lips airtight. Scared when I sleep at night that my subconscious take over and let out everything I don't wanna fall out, yeah. What they need is for Somebody to tell me it will be alright, somebody to tell me it will be just fine

2020 - Mood Ring (By Demand) (Pride Remix) : Britney Spears - The song was originally only released in Japan in 2016 and has Britney comparing her up-and-down roller coaster love to a mood ring. Fans found it and for years pleaded for it to be made available for streaming platforms. In a surprise move, Britney gave it a “Pride remix” and released it in 2020 during Pride month. 

2020 - Smalltown Boy : Orville Peck - Orville recorded this cover of the 1984 song by Bronski Beat and released it during Pride month. The song is about a young gay man who leaves his hometown due to intolerance and persecution in search of acceptance and liberation in the city.

2020 - Hallucinate : Dua Lipa - This is about feeling so attracted to someone that it feels like you’re hallucinating. The video has a cartoon Dua Lipa hallucinating rainbows & pan-colored rainbows and it is very trippy.

2020 - Easy : Troye Sivan & Kacey Musgraves feat. Mark Ronson - This is a song about trying to salvage a dying relationship. Sivan sings of how being in love with his partner was easy and begs him to please don't leave me. The track was allegedly written about Sivan's breakup with American model and photographer Jacob Bixenman, whom he had dated from 2016 to 2020.

2020 - Head and Heart : Joel Corry feat. MNEK - Joel Corry is singing his inner turmoil after meeting someone who might not be good for him. His head is telling him to stop, but his heart is certain it's more than a crush. There’s no gendered pronouns in this song, so he could be singing about a girl or a guy or someone who doesn’t fit the binary.

2020 - Say Something : Kylie Minogue - In this video, Kylie gives the gays everything they want: horses, stars, shirtless male dancers, glitter, and glamor.

2020 - Midnight Sky : Miley Cyrus - Miley says this song is a message of freedom and empowerment, that people should create the environment that they want to live in. This song also references the end of Miley’s marriage to Liam Hemsworth (Lotta years went by with my hands tied up in your ropes. Forever and ever, no more) and her subsequent relationships with Kaitlynn Carter (See my lips on her mouth, everybody's talking now) and Cody Simpson (Said it ain't so bad if I wanna make a couple mistakes. You should know right now that I never stay put in one place). Talk about pansexual realness.

2020 - betty : Taylor Swift - The song is about someone who’s in love with Betty but sees her dancing with a man. This song captures those feelings of being queer and closeted, not knowing if the person you’re crushing on will have you because you don’t know if she’s even into girls.

2020 - Be Alright : MKSM - MKSM is openly gay and views himself as a voice for all people who feel they don’t belong. This video captures some nice vignettes of a relationship between 2 women. The song lyrics are about accepting yourself and your relationship as it is, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Dance with our issues, won’t try to fix them, trusting we’ll be alright. And Remember the time when we were enough, there’s nothing to prove, it’s just me and you. 

2020 - Diamonds : Sam Smith - Poor Sam, they’ve had a bad string of relationships which get turned into songs. This time their lover turns out to be a gold digger who leaves after getting what he wants. Sam refuses to give into heartbreak, defiantly dancing even if while crying.

2020 - Magic : Kylie Minogue - The song is a hopeful message of a brighter future, and that in every tragedy there is comfort to be had. Focus tonight on dancing and let tomorrow worry about itself. 

2020 - High Heels : Mel C - The former Spice Girl has been an outspoken ally of the queer community. Mel C spent a year touring the world with Sink the Pink, a group of drag performers. “High Heels” was inspired by her time with the drag performers, who are featured in the glittery music video. The song is about an amazing night out dancing. The lyrics include the self-love mantra You gotta love yourself above anybody else.

2020 - positions : Ariana Grande - The lyrics talk about being able to change positions for your man, which got a lot of attention in the gay world. Many times gays are classified as ‘tops’ or ‘bottoms,’ while many, perhaps even most, are ‘vers,’ and the lyrics of the chorus can be seen as supporting this. The video shows the versatility of women as Grande is President of the United States while having time to make dinner. For her Presidential Cabinet of advisors, Grande brought some queer friends--Tyler Ford, Misha Lambert, Victoria Monet, and Tayla Parx. Whether it’s gender roles or bedroom fun, we shouldn’t limit what positions someone can perform

2020 - Kids Again : Sam Smith - Sam is reminiscing on a past relationship, one he’s not exactly gotten over. Sam recalls all the fun moments they shared and thinks about what if they could go back in time to restore the relationship. Knowing time travel is an impossibility, Sam concludes they can’t live in the past when they were seemed like kids. 

2020 - Man’s World : Marina - This song is about how the world is designed by men for men, and whoever doesn’t fit the traditional manly standards is out, including women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and even Mother Nature. This has been going on since at least the Salem witch trials. Burnt me at the stake, you thought I was a witch centuries ago, now you just call me a bitch. Marina criticizes the Sultan of Brunei and mentions the Beverly Hills Hotel, which he owns. Owned by a sheik who killed thousands of gay men, I guess that's why he bought the Campest Hotel in LA then. 

2020 - Prisoner : Miley Cyrus feat. Dua Lipa - It’s a song about being in controlling relationships where their lovers manipulate them to stay, which makes them feel like prisoners. In the video, Cyrus and Lipa are dancing and smoking together, grinding on and licking each other's bodies and singing the song's chorus face to face. When they eat cherries, it suggests they want to leave their manipulative male lovers to be with each other.

2020 - My Head & My Heart : Ava Max - The song is about Ava’s ex-boyfriend, should she return to him or not? Her heart says yes, her head says no. The video supports Mermaids, a UK-wide charity working to support transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families. Drag queen Bimini Bon Boulash lip syncs & dances in the video. 

2020 - Lucid : Rina Sawayama - Rina sings about a dream girl she is fantasizing about. Hey girl, you are what I've been dreaming of, oh

2020 - Break Up Bye Bye : Frock Destroyers - From the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, contestants Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and Divina de Campo wrote their own verses and performed this song. The group name is a play on the name of the band The Cock Destroyers.  

2021 - Condragulations : RuPaul - This song is based on a catch phrase from the show RuPaul’s Drag Race

2021 - Treat People with Kindness : Harry Styles - The sexually ambiguous icon released a song with a message much needed in this time of hyper-partisanship. Harry released a line of merchandise using the song title in celebration of Pride Month. While the song’s message isn’t deep or complex, who can disagree that all people should be treated the same regardless of gender, race or sexual preference?

2021 - Undivided : Tim McGraw & Tyler Hubbard - The message is to abandon black-and-white thinking and to be more accepting of others. The first stanza hits me, while it can apply to a wide number of things, it seems especially applicable to a queer kid getting picked on. See Billy got picked on in school for things he couldn't change. He tried his best to play it cool but in the seventh grade you either fit right in or you don't fit, that's just the cold hard truth. I wish that I'd have been the friend that Billy never knew

2021 - It’s a Sin : Years & Years - A beautiful cover of the 1987 Pet Shop Boys’ song. The song was released at the same time as HBO’s 5-episode show It’s a Sin, which included Olly Alexander, lead singer of Years & Years, and is about a group of friends who move to London in 1981 and how their lives were impacted by HIV/AIDS. A portion of the proceeds from the song went to the George House Trust charity which provides HIV support, advice and advocacy services.

2021 - Girlfriend : Rebecca Black - An unapologetically lesbian anthem about wanting to reunite with an ex-girlfriend despite others’ dissenting opinions. The glitter-filled video has Rebecca reuniting with an ex at a picnic.

2021 - UK Hun? : United Kingdolls - In season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, the drag queens Lawrence Chaney, A'Whora, Bimini Bon-Boulash, and Tayce formed the group called United Kingdolls. They wrote and recorded their own verses to the song, which was released and climbed to #27 on the UK Singles chart.

2021 - Fan Behavior : Isaac Dunbar - Openly gay singer Isaac sings this song about the unexpected pleasure the singer gets from an obsessive fan’s attention as it feeds his sense of self-worth.

2021 - Agatha All Along : Kathryn Hahn - From the Disney+ show WandaVision, this delightful song was popular in the gay community. This song comes on when we learn Agatha is a witch. Witches in television and film have long been popular with queer people because witches can pass in society as non-magical people, but when their true selves are found out they become the victims of a witch hunt. 

2021 - Serotonin : Girl in Red - Marie Ulven Ringheim is the Girl in Red and is a queer icon. Serotonin is a hormone which regulates our feelings of internal happiness. Marie shares that she has a deficiency and deals with depression but takes medicine. I'm running low on serotonin. Chemical imbalance got me twisting things. Stabilize with medicine. Her transparency in this song about her struggles with mental health helps listeners with their own personal mental health challenges by letting them know they’re not the only ones. CW: self harm. This song’s lyrics includes intrusive thoughts where she considers self-harm and even suicide.

2021 - CINDERELLA Pt. 2 : CHIKA - No Prince Charming here, Chika is wooing Cinderella, who is a step up from the girls Chika usually hangs with. Something about you is different. You're all that I'm missing. I'm thinking about making you mine

2021 - Queen of the North : Brooke Lynn Hytes feat. Priyanka - Brooke Lynn was the first Canadian drag queen to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race and was dubbed “Queen of the North.” Brooke Lynn continues to use this title as host of RuPaul’s Drag Race Canada, she included the first winner of that show, Priyanka, on this song.

2021 - MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name) : Lil Nas X - To all those people who told Lil Nas X he was going to hell for being gay, he gave them what they wanted in this video, and of course the same people then complained. 

The video is composed of three acts. The first act takes place in the Garden of Eden where Lil Nas is tempted into sin by a snake. After Lil Nas’ character gives in, the camera pans toward the tree of knowledge, which is inscribed with a Greek phrase that translates “After the division the two parts of man, each desiring his other half.” The phrase is taken from Plato’s Symposium which recounts a story in which humans were originally two bodies stuck together—some man & man, some woman & woman, and some man & woman. When the bodies were separated by an angry Zeus, each longed for their other half—which explains why we feel love and desire for other people and our different orientations.

Act 2 of the video begins in the Colosseum where Lil Nas emerges shackled and wearing a Marie Antoinette-like wig. When Lil Nas starts to ascend to heaven, he is not greeted by St. Peter, but by the Greek mythological figure Ganymede, who has long been a symbol of homosexuality

Act 3, before Lil Nas can reach Ganymede, a pole emerges from below; Lil Nas’ fingers curl around it, and he sails downward to hell. As Lil Nas walks up to the Devil on his throne, he passes a phrase in Latin that states, “They condemn what they do not understand.” The narrative here is that in ancient religions different sexual orientations were okay, but before Ganymede could welcome Lil Nas to heaven, Christianity takes over. However, Lil Nas brilliantly uses his queerness to subvert oppressive systems as he defeats the Devil. He was condemned to hell but he is thriving.

2021 - My Girlfriends are my Boyfriend : Demi Lovato - A fun, upbeat dedication to Lovato's friends, her support system, who stay with her after a breakup or anything else that happens in her life. It’s very easy to read this song as instead of a boyfriend, now she has girlfriends.

2021 - Starstruck : Years & Years - Starstruck is about the rush you get when you’re with somebody you’re really into, it’s about holding onto a good feeling and not letting it go. 

2021 - Lucky : RuPaul feat. Gottmik, Kandy Muse, Rosé, & Symone - the 4 finalists of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 wrote lyrics and performed this fun song.

2021 - Chosen Family : Rina Sawayama & Elton John - Rina Sawayama, who identifies as both bisexual and pansexual, teamed up with gay icon Elton John for this song. The concept is that in the queer community, family isn’t always the people who share your last name, it’s those you surround yourself with and who support you. 

2021 - Kind of Lover I Am : Demi Lovato : Pansexual Demi sings, That's the kind of lover I am. Doesn't matter you're a woman or a man, that's the kind of lover I am (Lover that I am). You can safely put your heart in my hands. 

2021 - Confetti : Little Mix feat. Saweetie - The video includes three Drag Queens, and the three women of Little Mix showcasing their own Drag King personas

2021 - Feel Something : Joshua Bassett - He is known for starring in Disney Channel’s High School Musical: The Musical. Joshua came out as gay in May 2021 and later released this song about people who feel numb and want to feel something. Queer people who are in the closet and suppressing who they are can feel numb, and coming out can be the beginning of no longer suppressing those feelings so that you feel something.

2021 - Got No Choice : Brooke Eden - In 2015, Brooke was preparing for a tour when she fell in love. When she told others the good news, she was warned to keep this a secret or it could ruin her newly-begun career. She followed their advice, but in 2021 Brooke came out publicly as gay, got engaged to her girlfriend (the one she fell in love with in 2015), and released this song where she sings of having no choice but to fall in love with her partner. The video features Brooke and her girlfriend and ends with the words As happy as we are now, it wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows. If you’re not there yet, it’s ok — you’re not alone! and this is followed with contact info for The Trevor Project

2021 - It’s a Sin : Elton John and Years & Years - This arrangement of the 1987 song by the Pet Shop Boys was recorded by the gay icons Elton John and Years & Years for the 2021 Brit Awards. The words are about a person’s lifelong feelings of shame and guilt for being taught that being gay is a sin. It was released as a single with proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation

2021 - Sun Goes Down : Lil Nas X - Lil Nas says he named the song “sun goes down” because it’s at night when those thoughts you try to avoid really start to hit and you can’t escape them. He sings of wanting to run away, and of feeling lonely, about depression, and suicidal thoughts. In the music video, we watch the singer return to scenes from high school, like working at Taco Bell and praying by his bed. We also watch him go to prom alone where he has a cry in the bathroom as he realizes just how lonely he is. After a bit he emerges feeling changed, and finds himself getting into the music and becoming the center of attention. 

2021 - Romeo : Bryce Xavier - Bryce emotionally writes about having a romance you can’t reveal publicly and the pain which comes with that.

2021 - Boy Bi : Mad Tsai - Super cute song about the internal struggle of coming to terms with being bi. I love this lyric: Like I'm watching a Disney movie and the couple gets it on, but who should I look at, is it Shang or Mulan?

2021 - Judas : Big Freedia - Big Freedia identifies as gay, gender nonconforming, genderfluid, and nonbinary and gives this Lady Gaga song a bounce music makeover. The song is about always falling in love with the wrong type of man, and is a metaphor about learning to forgive yourself in order to move on with your life. 

2021 - Chance : Hayley Kiyoko - Hayley is singing about how she should have taken chances, there are lost opportunities because she didn’t give it a shot. Cuz I never let her take a chance, let her take a chance on me. The video shows what happens when you do take a chance and portrays those early parts of a relationship when you’re head-over-heels for someone

2021 - Boys who like Boys : Eli Lieb - Eli sings these words against the anti-gay people who have a problem with boys who like boys. Maybe we just want a little love...Go keep on hating, I'll just keep dancing

2021 - Born this Way (The Country Road Version) : Orville Peck - For the 10th anniversary of this iconic song, gay singer Orville gives it a country music makeover

2021 - Something to Say : Michaela Ja�� - This is Michaela’s debut single. My favorite lyric from the song is It’s Black and Brown and Yellow and White. Let’s stand for something. Love tonight. Michaela rose to fame on the FX series Pose as Blanca Evangelista, an HIV-positive trans woman, and the founder and mother of the House of Evangelista in New York City's ballroom culture, and Michaela became the first transgender actress to be nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. 

2021 - Younger Me : Brothers Osborne - In February 2021, singer-guitarist TJ Osborne came out as gay. The announcement instantly made Osborne the most visible gay man in country music. TJ wrote the song “Younger Me” about his experience of coming to terms with his sexuality. The lyrics look back at the difficulty of being different but also assuring his younger self that it’ll be alright. Younger me, hanging out but not quite fitting in. Didn't know that being different really wouldn't be the end. 

2021 - Marry the Night : Kylie Minogue - For the 10-year anniversary of her blockbuster album Born that Way, Lady Gaga chose several artists representative of the LGBT community to make covers of some of the songs. While Kylie isn’t queer, she’s well-loved by the gay community for her allyship and her danceable pop music. Minogue contributes her sparkly pop sound to the lyrics about loving of the nightlife and partying

2021 - She Said : Fletcher - The singer was innocently flirting with a girl at a party and it became a wild sexual encounter. She said, "Let's do something different" "I'll show you a good time" I could tell she meant it. She said, "Here's what you've been missin'" Oh, she opened my eyes. Ooh, she hit it different

2021 - I’m a Winner, Baby : RuPaul - Another song by RuPaul that was featured in his hit television show RuPaul’s Drag Race

2021 - The Edge of Glory : Years & Years - Olly Alexander sings this Lady Gaga song about celebrating someone’s life just as they are. 

2021 - Yoü and I : Ben Platt - Ben, who is best known for his role as the lead in the musical Evan Hanson, sings this Gaga song about walking from New York City to Nebraska to get your boyfriend back. 

2021 Come Through feat. Lemon : Priyanka - Priyanka, first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Canada, teams up with her fellow Canadian drag queen to sing this song about not staying in a relationship that isn’t good for you and holds you back. I'm here to slay, don't got all day, I gotta wipe you away

2021 - Industry Baby : Lil Nas X - In the video, Nas loses a court case and goes to jail where he has a lot of sex. He takes what seems like a punishment and turns it on its head and says, “What if I actually had the best time?” We have people like Sam Smith and Troye Sivan who make their queer identity part of their art, but what Lil Nas does is he makes queer sexuality a part of his persona. Like Madonna who forced people to deal with women’s sexuality, Lil Nas X is doing the same with queer sexuality.

2021 - Goodbye : LP - Lesbian singer LP’s song contains the gentle reminder to release the things that no longer serve us.

2021 - Movin’ : David Archuleta - David came out publicly in June of 2021. A month later he released the song Movin’. There’s two versions, the regular version and the “After Hours” version. The video is a mashup of the two versions, and it’s interesting that the first minute of the video contains 3 men and 3 women, but then in the “After Hours” portion it is just David and the 2 male dancers. 

2021 - Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) : Elton John feat. Dua Lipa - Elton John & Dua Lipa sing a song composed of 4 of Elton‘s past singles: “Rocket Man,” “Sacrifice,” “Kiss the Bride,” and “Where’s the Shoorah?” 

2021 - Future Starts Now : Kim Petras - Petras, the first transgender performer at the MTV VMA awards, explains this song is “a metaphor for life: things are going to change whether you want them to or not and you can either roll with it and make the best out of it or let it drown you.” The video has it rain so much it floods everything and we see the Eiffel Tower sticking out of the water, and at the end of the video the tower collapses, and Petras appears on the wreckage to welcome a new future

2021 - Silk Chiffon : MUNA feat. Phoebe Bridgers - We have many songs about longing and heartbreak, it’s refreshing to have one about queer love and joy. Life’s so fun, don’t need to worry about no one. She said that I got her if I want. She’s so soft like silk chiffon. 

2021 - Angel Baby : Troye Sivan - This is a very sweet love song (queer people need more of these). Troye sings he was giving up on love when you came out the blue on a rainy night, no lie. And now I just wanna live in this moment forever, 'cause I'm afraid that living couldn't get any better. Started giving up on the word "forever," until you gave up heaven so we could be together. By saying ‘you gave up heaven,’ he acknowledges his lover sacrificed a lot to be with him (and is probably a reference to religious teachings that gay love leads to Hell), and Troye declares him his angel baby.

2021 - That’s What I Want : Lil Nas X - This is a song of gay longing. Lil Nas is lonely and wants someone to love him. The video is steamy, he finds someone to love and the love turns physical right away.

2021 - Jolene : Lil Nas X - While at BBC Radio 1, Lil Nas performed Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit song. Having Lil Nas sing this changes the whole feel of the song. It’s a man begging Jolene to not tempt my man, don’t take him away from me. Lil Nas should release this as a single!

2021 - Rise : Calum Scott - This song is inspired by Calum’s own coming out experience and is about how no matter how difficult things seem now, we will rise. For every valley, there's a mountain. For every answer, there's a new question. Is it worth all this? I'm pushing myself to the edge. 'Cause we're all looking for a reason. Find a shelter from the storm within

2021 - Cherry : FLETCHER & Hayley Kiyoko - Lesbian Jesus, aka Hayley Kiyoko, and Queer Queen FLETCHER team up for this flirtatious queer bop. The video has the pair in a love triangle, they’re both dating the same girl, but they don’t know until they show up at her door at the same time. Instead of fighting over her, they both head inside with her.

2021 - Coconuts : Kim Petras - The song is an ode to self-love and body positivity by celebrating the singer’s ‘coconuts,’ aka her breasts, by using all sorts of metaphors to describe them, such as piña coladas, ripe mangoes, hot air balloons, and the Olsen twins. 

2021 - Catwalk : RuPaul feat. Skeltal Ki - RuPaul continues to put out catchy singles , this one about walking down the runway. 

2021 - Y’all Means All : Miranda Lambert - Lambert released this song in support of the LGBTQ community. The song was used in the trailer for the sixth season Queer Eye on Netflix. You can be born in Tyler, Texas, raised with the Bible Belt. If you're torn between the Y's and X's, you ain't gotta play with the hand you're dealt. Yes queen, go queen, dip it like a Dairy Queen. Put your inhibitions in a big U-Haul

2022 - Living My Life in London (feat. The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World : RuPaul - This song features each of the contestants who’ve gone to London to compete in this new television spinoff

2022 - C’mon Baby, Cry : Orville Peck - The song opens with a recognition of the sadness in someone's eyes. Peck acknowledges the common saying that it's darkest before the dawn, but he points out that the person has been smiling for so long, masking their true feelings. This sets the stage for the central message of the song: it's okay to cry. Throughout the song, Peck draws parallels between his own sadness and that of the listener, creating a sense of shared experience and understanding. He reassures the listener that they are not alone in their pain and that it's important to acknowledge and express your emotions.

2022 - Boyfriend : Dove Cameron - You should replace your boyfriend with me, that’s the message that Cameron sings to the woman she’s interested in. Thinking I'm gonna steal you from him. I could be such a gentleman. Plus all my clothes would fit. I could be a better boyfriend.

2022 - About Damn Time : Lizzo - In a minute I'ma need a sentimental man or woman to pump me up, talk about bisexual realness

2022 - Love Me More : Sam Smith - Have you ever felt like being somebody else? Feeling like the mirror isn't good for your health? Every day I'm trying not to hate myself, but lately, it's not hurting like it did before. Maybe I am learning how to love me more. Wow, these lyrics of learning to embrace ourselves unconditionally, that’s so relatable. 

2022 - No One Dies from Love : Tove Lo - The chorus says No one dies from love, guess I’ll be the first, as a way of showing the weight of the loss she’s experiencing in her heartbreak. In the video, Annie 3000, a humanoid robot, plays Tove Lo's love interest. After Tove Lo lets the cyborg develop human feelings for her, she cruelly dumps it for a newer machine but Annie 3000 isn’t ready to be replaced. 

2022 - This Hell : Rina Sawayama - Rina, who is pansexual, wrote this in response to the attacks against LGBTQ people based on religious beliefs. The opening stanza of the song is fire. Saw a poster on the corner opposite the motel. Turns out, I'm going to hell if I keep on being myself. Don't know what I did, but they seem pretty mad about it. God hates us? Alright then, buckle up, at dawn we're riding

2022 - For the Girls : Hayley Kiyoko - This video is a parody of The Bachelorette with all the drama that you’d expect. Hayley is the Bachelorette, and Becca Tilley (she was the runner-up contestant on the 19th season of The Bachelor) appears at the end of the video to win over Hayley. Following the release of the music video, Kiyoko revealed she’s been in a relationship with Becca Tilley for four years. Watching this video has me asking could we get a women-only Bachelorette show? How is this not a thing already???

2022 - Team Queen : Betty Who - This cute song was written for the Discover+ show The Book of Queer. 

2022 - Girls Make Me Wanna Die : The Aces - “‘Girls Make Me Wanna Die’ is a nostalgic call back to our adolescence and shared experience of being young, queer, and painfully in love with your best friend,” explained The Aces, a group who grew up in Provo, UT. On a beautiful Sunday, we're laying in sun rays. She's wearing my beat-up jean jacket so damn well. One swipe of a finger, she leaves and I linger. She's killing me with desire for someone else

2022 - Boys in the Street : Calum Scott - A dad rejects his son who comes out gay, How am I gonna answer when my friends tell me my son was kissing boys in the street? With time, dad accepts that his son is still part of the family and in the end his dad learns to love his son without reservation.

2022 - Break My Soul : Beyoncé - The album was dedicated to Beyoncé’s gay uncle and this song is a self-empowerment anthem and an ode to the Black, queer community. The song inspires us to fall in love and release ourselves from the stress of the hate around us

2022 - What I Want : MUNA - In a world that’s too quick to tell us that queer desires are wrong, MUNA is here to say There’s nothing wrong with what I want. What is it that MUNA wants? Too many shots, some good drugs, and finding a crush on the dance floor in a gay bar. This line is so reflective of the queer experience: I’ve spent way too-too-too many years not knowing what. What I wanted, how to get it, how to live it. And now I’m gonna make up for it all at once

2022 - Bad Habit : Steve Lacy - Lacy identifies as bisexual and sings of his regrets of not having made a move on someone, but by the end of the song the two of them get to explore their mutual attraction.

2022 - Tongue : Rêve - This song has a great electronic sound that feels like it’s right from the club. The lyrics are about Rêve’s attraction to a woman who is skilled in using her tongue, if you follow what I mean. Everybody says she’s a cunning linguist. 

2022 - Everybody’s Gay : Lizzo - Everybody's gay, Lizzo said so. This song is about dancing in a queer bar surrounded by LGBTQuties of every gender and how she feels safe there without all the straight men hitting on her. Everybody’s gay, yeah (It’s a happy place in here, baby, you’re safe).

2022 - Becky’s So Hot : Fletcher - Fletcher wrote this song about her messy feelings towards the current girlfriend of her ex. Fletcher can admire that she’s beautiful, but is also angry at her even though it’s her ex who she should be angry at. Are you in love like we were? If I were you, I'd probably keep her. Makes me wanna hit her when I see her 'cause Becky's so hot in your vintage t-shirt

2022 - Cozy : Beyoncé - Beyoncé’s Renaissance album is a love letter to the Black LGBTQ+ community. This song was produced by Honey Dijon, a legendary trans DJ, and throughout the track are excerpts from trans activist and performer TS Madison. The song’s lyrics are about self-love, self-empowerment, and trans empowerment. Beyoncé makes a reference to the Progress Pride flag in the lyrics with each color being mentioned. Black like love too deep, dance to the soles of my feet. Green eyes envy me. Paint the world pussy pink. Blue like the soul I crowned. Purple drank and couture gowns. Gold fangs a shade God made. Blue, black, white and brown, paint the town red like cinnamon. Yellow diamonds, limoncello glisterin'. Rainbow gelato in the streets. Renaissance, yachtin' in Capri. Karla Rodriguez wrote a review where she said the song "feels like someone is speaking affirmations over you, making you feel so damn good about yourself".

2022 - Pure/Honey : Beyoncé - The song consists of two parts, "Pure", a ballroom track, and “Honey” is disco. "Pure" samples "Feels Like" by MikeQ & Kevin Jz Prodigy and "Cunty (Wave Mix)" by Kevin Aviance, fwho are all part of the Ballroom scene. MikeQ is a DJ and part of the House of LaBeija. Kevin Jz Prodigy is a Ballroom commentator and belongs with the House of Movado. Kevin Aviance is a drag queen and is a member of the House of Aviance. "Honey" samples "Miss Honey" by Moi Renee and who was a New York drag queen who became known for super-camp performances and in 1992 released the track ‘Miss Honey’ which became a ballroom classic 

2022 - Heated : Beyoncé - Beyoncé knows she's hot, but her lover has got her so "heated," she has to fan herself off. During the song, she pays tribute to her gay first cousin, Uncle Jonny, who helped her mom create and sew designs, and he died of an AIDS-related illness in the early '90s. Uncle Jonny made my dress. That cheap Spandex, she looks a mess

2022 -  Same Old Country Love Song :  Brian Falduto - A playful song that goes through the typical elements of a Country love song and then declares: It’s the Same Old Country Love Song, but It’s Gay   

2022 - Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix): Beyoncé - LGBTQ club culture is featured in Beyoncé’s Renaissance album. Since Madonna brought House culture to the masses with her 1990 hit “Vogue,” Beyonce mixed it with her song “Break My Soul.” Beyoncé changes out Madonna’s list of actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood with a list of iconic Black music artists and legendary ballroom houses

2022 - Femininomenon : Chappell Roan - Chappell told Teen Vogue that this song "is the storyline of a girl who moved from a small conservative town to a city and had an awakening of this world she never knew existed. Which includes queerness, which includes heartbreak, which includes falling in love, which includes the city and clubs, and it's the world of Chappell Roan." Also, it’s about how no man can satisfy her but with women it’s easy and different and wonderful, it’s a feminine phenomenon.

2022 - Sunshine State : Ginger Minj & Brandon Stansell - Gay country singer Brandon Stansell in sunny California and Drag Queen Ginger Minj in sunshiny Florida sing a song about not letting life’s troubles get you down. I’m flyin’ these days, and nothing can get in my way. No thunder, no rain, I’m living in a sunshine state.

2022 - Hold Me Closer : Elton John & Britney Spears - This is Britney’s first new music since her conservatorship ended and is a song made up of pieces of Elton’s songs: “Tiny Dancer,” “The One,” and a bit of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” Elton John is a queer icon and Britney is a gay fave, and when they make a song together, it is a must listen, as evidenced by the song shooting to #1

2022 - Faith in Me : David Archuleta - A year after David came out publicly, he announces he has stepped away from church and releases a song titled Faith in Me. These lyrics are🔥 Every time you touch me it's like I'm on fire, and I'm about to let my feelings win. Who cares what anyone else will say? No rules, no stops and only us. This is a new David!

2022 - Unholy : Sam Smith & Kim Petras - The song is about a husband cheating on his wife with a sex worker. This is Sam Smith's first #1 hit in the USA, and the first #1 for Kim Petras, making this the first time a nonbinary singer & trans singer together have a #1 song. This type of representation is beautiful to see, even if the song isn't about queer people or topics.

2022 - Mad About the Boy : Adam Lambert – This song written by Noël Coward is about being infatuated with a male movie star on the silver screen. It’s been sung by many women over the decades, the most famous version by Dinah Washington was featured in a 1992 commercial. And now we have Adam Lambert, a gay man, restoring the original gay meaning of the song.

2022 - Hits Different : Taylor Swift - Taylor is singing about how this breakup hits different from her other ones. She used to switch out these Kens, she'd rip the Band-Aid off and skip town like an unhinged outlaw. But this time she’s still crying, the wound of this break up is still bleeding. Bet I could still melt your world, argumentative, antithetical dream girl. She’s singing about a breakup with a GIRL!

2022 - If I Was Gay : Andreas Kijv - 29-year-old Swedish singer and model Andreas Wijk wrote this song and debuted it in a TikTok video where he plays it for his parents as his way of coming out. It’s a vulnerable song that many will relate to. If I was gay would I be what they say, just a stereotype. If I was gay how do I get to heaven when there's "no church in the wild"

2022 - Lesbionic : Gia Woods - There’s been lots of songs of men hyperventilating over women, finally we have a song where a woman is lusting for another woman. It’s not iconic, it’s lesbionic.

2022 - Casual : Chappell Roan - This is a relationship where one person wants more from a relationship but tries to be chill about it. The song's inspiration comes from a long-distance relationship Chappell began online during the pandemic, where her partner online would call her their "dream girl" and soon make Roan attached to them. Yet, one week later, she texted Roan that she was seeing someone else and told her new girl that the relationship with Chappell is only casual. In a Rolling Stone interview, Roan internal response was “What the f*ck do you mean it was casual? We were telling secrets and talking literally every day!” In the video, Roan begins a casual relationship with a siren played by Mika Leshā. For Teen Vogue, Roan described the concept for the video as "Aquamarine, but like, gay"

2022 - Stacy’s Brother : Mad Tsai - Mad is a popular TikTok celebrity who came out in 2020 with his video “Boy Bi.” This song is a twist on the Fountains of Wayne’s song, “Stacy’s Mom.” I like the end of the video when Stacy gives a look that means "good for him." Maybe she’s thinking that since my Mom & brother are taken care of, next time he’ll like me just for me. Poor Stacy, someday I hope we have a sapphic love song where someone gives Stacy the romantic relationship she deserves.

2022 - Lavender Haze : Taylor Swift - The phrase “Lavender Haze” was used in the 1950′s to describe the early part of a relationship where you’re so in love with someone to the point of being oblivious to everything else around you. The video features Laith Ashley as her love interest, Laith is a trans man.

2022 - If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too) : Kelsea Ballerini - The song is about a supportive female friendship, that Kelsea will stick with her friend whatever trouble the friend winds up getting into. The song joins this list because in 2023, as states were passing bans on drag, Kelsea performed this song on the CMT Music Awards show with 4 drag queens, proving she’s an ally. If you go down, I’m goin’ down too.

2023 - A.S.M.R. Lover : RuPaul feat. Skeltal Ki -This song compares the feelings you get when someone talks to you and makes you feel safe with the the feeling you get from ASMR.

2023 - Holding Out for a Hero : Adam Lambert - "Holding Out for a Hero" was sung back in 1984 by Bonnie Tyler and first gained popularity in British gay clubs. Lambert, a gay man, covers the song, giving it a fresh perspective as he sings Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods? 

2023 - Bimbofied : Spice - Spice is 1/2 of the drag queen duo Sugar & Spice, who are real life twin brothers. They have over 7 million TikTok followers. They competed on Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race where Spice performed this original song

2023 - Dingaling : Sugar - Sugar is the other 1/2 of the popular twin brother drag queen duo Sugar & Spice. She performed this original song on Season 15 of RuPaul’s Drag Race

2023 - Because of You : Gustaph - Gustaph is openly gay and sang a song that fits right in at a Pride event as it is a call for celebrating freedom and having joy in being yourself. This song reached #3 on the Belgium charts and came in #7 in the 2023 Eurovision contest. 

2023 - Go All In : Liza Vassilieva - This is the official song of Lillehammer Norway’s Winter Pride 2023. It’s a motivational song about standing up for who you are and living your life to the fullest. 

2023 - Trustfall : P!nk - In this song, Pink encourages her fans to take a leap of faith to achieve a more fulfilling life, and these lyrics resonate strong with her queer fans: Close your eyes and leave it all behind. Go where love is on our side, it's a trustfall baby

2023 - I’m Not Here to Make Friends : Sam Smith, Calvin Harris & Jessie Reyez - Sam Smith wrote this song the day after a frustrating date. "I was just so sick of going on dates where people treated me like a friend or just wanted to meet me because I'm Sam Smith." In this song, Sam’s at a party, not to find friendship or even romance, but is looking for a hook up.

2023 - Who We Love : Sam Smith feat. Ed Sheeran - This is a beautiful song with a meaningful message, to trust your heart when it falls in love. Given Sam is queer, I think the unsung message is trust when your heart falls in love no matter their gender. I love these lyrics: It's not wrong to want the world for someone. It's not a feeling you can run from, 'cause we love who we love, so let go

2023 - Special : Lizzo - This is a self-affirming song that rebuffs the haters. Could you imagine a world where everybody's the same? And you could cancel a girl 'cause she just wanted to change? How could you throw f-----' stones if you ain't been through her pain? That's why we feel so alone, that's why we feel so much shame

2023 - I’m a Man : Adam Lambert : Adam covers this 1973 song, which was the first single by Jobriath, the first openly-gay rock musician to be signed by a major record label. 

2023 - Tattoo : Loreen - With this song, the bisexual singer became only the 2nd person to twice win the Eurovision Song Contest. The lyrics are about breaking up with someone. I don't wanna go, But baby we both know this is not our time. It's time to say goodbye. This parting is temporary, one day they will reunite. No I don't care about the pain, I'll walk through fire and through rain just to get closer to you. You stuck on me like a tattoo. Loreen intentionally kept the gender vague of lover being sung about

2023 - U Like Boys : KC Star - This song blew up on TikTok. The singer calls out a man who is gay but is in self-denial. It’s a fun little earworm.

2023 - Not Strong Enough : Boygenius - Three women (one identifies as bi, one as a lesbian and the third as queer) formed a band and chose the name based on the trope that boys are told their geniuses since they are little, so when they were making this album, "If one person was having a thought—'I don't know if this is good, it's probably terrible'—it was like, 'No! Be the boy genius! Your every thought is worthwhile, just spit it out.'" This song is about an unhealthy relationship in which self-loathing and insincere apologies are used as leverage, self-pity used to escape responsibility. The way I am not strong enough to be your man. I lied, I am just lowering your expectations

2023 - Alone : Kim Petras feat. Nicki Minaj - Kim urges her love interest to forget about any doubts and just come over now. Nicki makes it clear that any guy would be lucky to have either her or Petras in their lives, as they're both strong, independent women who know what they want in the bedroom.

2023 - Padam Padam : Kylie Minogue - This catchy bop by gay icon Kylie Minogue was released just in time for Pride month and became THE song of summer 2023. 

2023 - Red Wine Supernova : Chappel Roan - Chappel sings of a night out and a budding attraction to another woman. She chronicles the electricity of a new connection while unapologetically enjoying every second. I heard you like magic. I got a wand and a rabbit.

2023 - We Could Be the One : Dannii Minogue - In 2023, the BBC aired I Kissed a Boy, it’s first dating show to feature exclusively gay men, a year later I Kissed a Girl debuted with lesbians. Dannii Minogue is host of both shows and her song We Could Be the One is the theme song. All profits from the song are donated to the British helpline Switchboard LGBT+.

2023 - You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) : Adam Lambert & Sigala - Lambert has been putting his own spin on a number of iconic queer anthems, and he continues this by teaming up with British DJ Sigala for a remake of Sylvester’s classic 1978 song. This was the official song for London Pride 2023.

2023 - Up : David Archuleta - David explained that “Up is about hitting what we feel is rock bottom in our lives and like there’s nowhere to go. You feel helpless. The only thing to do from the bottom is get yourself off the ground and move up. It’s about finding the strength you didn’t know you had in you. And replacing fear and hate with love. Especially self-love.” We’re glad David is on his way up, and the positive, personal message in this song lifts us up

2023 - Vulgar : Sam Smith and Madonna - The inspiration for this song is from Piers Morgan labeling Smith's 2023 Gloria tour wardrobe and choreography "disgusting and vulgar." Douglas Murray went on to say the performances lacked originality, citing Madonna as an example. So Sam and Madonna team up to sing this song about freedom of self-expression. Vulgar is beautiful, filthy, and gorgeous. Vulgar will make you dance, don't need a chorus. Say we're ridiculous, we'll just go harder. Mad and meticulous, Sam and Madonna 

2023 - Like Whisky : Dallas Dixon - This is the debut single from Dixon Dallas, who is Jake Hill’s alter-ego. Dixon sings a Country song of raw and intimate passion with his partner. Even though I hate to see him go, I love to watch him leave. Levi's on top, what a sight, I love them booty cheeks. And now he's grinding on my lap like it's the last night that we have. I said, "Baby, make it clap, I wanna make this lovin' last"

2023 - Good Lookin’ : Dallas Dixon - This country song became popular on TikTok. It tells a gay love story and the chorus features these sexual lyrics: He's bouncing off my booty cheeks, I love the way he rides. I can hardly breathe when he's pumping deep inside. I kiss him on his neck and then he kisses on my bussy. Call him "Daddy" while I holler. Man, that boy so damn good looking (looking, looking)

2023 - Rush : Troye Sivan - This song is a tribute to accepting yourself, to sexual liberation, and to feeling confident. Sivan says the title of the song was partly inspired by a poppers brand of the same name.  

2023 - Hot to Go : Chappell Roan - Chappell wanted a song that she could dance to with her fans, so she made this bop about self-esteem and a yearning for connection. The repetitive chorus "H-O-T-T-O-G-O" reinforces the song's lively vibe.

2023 - F150 : Dallas Dixon : Yet another gay country song by Dallas. Well, when we get to sippin' whisky, and we get a little frisky, I climb up on him, ride him like an F150.

2023 - Love U Like That : Lauv - In June 2023, Lauv came out as bi when he posted a TikTok of himself dancing in a car with the caption "when ur dating a girl bur ur also a lil bit into men" and "Does it have to be that big of a deal? I haven't done much aside from kiss so tbh don't wanna jump the gun but tbh I feel things and I don't wanna pretend I don't". A few months later, Lauv releases this song where the gender of their romantic partner is not made clear.

2023 - Got Me Started :Troye Sivan - The song tells the story of Troye meeting a guy at a party and feeling that irresistible pull toward a hookup. 

2023 - One of Your Girls : Troye Sivan - This is a song of desire, secrecy and love that’s out of reach because you’re having feelings for a straight man, and it’s all a bit sad, not giving yourself the respect you deserve by thinking he’d only want to spend time if you pretend to be like someone else. Give me a call if you ever get lonely and Give me a call if you ever get desperate, I’ll be like one of your girls. In other words, he would only want me if no one else is around or available. The video has Troye dressed in drag as the ‘girl’ character in the video and he is stunning, a super model.

2024 - Not My Fault : Reneé Rapp & Megan Thee Stallion - This song plays during the closing credits of Mean Girls. It starts with dialogue sampled from the original 2004 film Mean Girls, in which Cady Heron yells at Janis Ian: "You know what? It's not my fault you're like in love with me or something!" This is followed by Reneé singing about leaving a party with someone else's girlfriend: It's not my fault you came with her but she might leave with me. It's not my fault. You've gotta pay for what I get for free.

2024 - Yes, And? : Ariana Grande - The song is described as a house and pop song referencing ballroom culture, and is influenced by Madonna’s song “Vogue.” Lyrically, the song focuses on self-confidence and preservation, overcoming negativity, while also addressing a range of negative press Grande received between 2020 and 2023. Ariana teamed up with Mariah Carey for an iconic remix of the song

2024 - The Code : Nemo - This is the winner of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Nemo's song is about self-discovery, freedom, and acceptance. Nemo cracks "the code" of gender with a genre-bending mix of pop, opera, rap, and even a dash of electro and the song is about coming to terms with their nonbinary identity. I like how the song mentions computer binary code as a way to explain their nonbinary identity. Somewhere between the 0's and 1's, that's where I found my kingdom come.

2024 - Dizzy : Olly Alexander - This is Alexander's first release as a solo artist after the dissolution of Years & Years and the song represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. It is a love song where Alexander wants his lover to give him kisses over and over to make him feel "dizzy". 

2024 - Hell Together : David Archuleta - This is a song of David’s experience at church as a gay person: Bow your head, don't be bold. You'll survive by doin' what you're told. It became too much and he worries what his mom would think if he leaves the church: All I want is to make you proud. If I would run, would I let you down? In response, she replies: "If I have to live without you. I don't wanna live forever in someone else's heaven. So let 'em close the gates. Oh, if they don't like the way you're made, then they're not any better. If Paradise is pressurе, oh, we'll go to hell togethеr." A beautiful story of a mom supporting her queer child. In response to his mom, he answers that he’s worried about what’s ahead but is confident to take those steps together: You and me, that's all we need. Blood is thicker than the pages that they read. I'm afraid (I'm afraid) of letting go, of the version that I used to know. I’m not crying, you are.

2024 - I’m Gay : Todrick Hall - A fun song referencing aspects of gay culture, such as the divas we adore, the drag queens we live for, and other things like dick pics, poppers, and the apps.

2024 - Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other : Orville Peck & Willie Nelson - Orville joins Willie to remake a song that Willie recorded in 2006. Cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other. Say, what do you think all them saddles and boots was about?

2024 - Good Luck, Babe! : Chappell Roan - Lesbian Chappell Roan sings this song about two women falling in love, but one is closeted and refuses to acknowledge their relationship for what it is or even her feelings for women in general. I don't wanna call it off but you don't wanna call it love. The woman winds up marrying a man and then longing for what could have been. If you try to deny who you are, good luck, babe! Fun fact, when she signed with Atlantic Records, Chappell did BYU Independent Study so she could graduate high school early to pursue her music career. Whose idea was it to send baby Chappell to BYU?!!

2024 - Karma : Jojo Siwa - Jojo is attempting to throw off her bubble-gum cheerleading persona and be seen as a grown up, and she’s doing this with a video with a lesbian love interest, lyrics with the word “bitch” said repeatedly, and trying to look fierce in the costumes & makeup.

2024 - Espresso : Sabrina Carpenter - Throughout her career, Carpenter has been an avid supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, in June 2024 it was also announced that her espresso-flavored ice cream collaboration with Van Leeuwen would have fifty percent of its profits benefit the Ali Forney Center, the largest nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to helping homeless LGBTQ+ youth. This is Carpenter's first top ten single in the United States, and  topped the charts in 18 countries and peaked within the top ten of the charts in at least 20 other countries. The lyrics of the song are about self-confidence and "seeing femininity as your super power and embracing the confidence of being 'that bitch'".

2024 - Drag Queens Save the World : The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9 - At a time when hundreds of laws are being drafted which treat queer people as the enemy, these drag queens perform a song presenting themselves as heroes

2024 - Lunch : Billie Eilish - In Nov & Dec 2023, Billie confirmed she likes men and women. Billie says writing "Lunch" helped her explore and confirm her same-gender attraction. The song uses food metaphors for her lust for another woman, I could eat that girl for lunch

2024 - Midnight Ride : Orville Peck, Kylie Minogue & Diplo - Kylie Minogue premiered the song at Weho Pride tonight in LA. The song is a mix between disco and country

2024 - Joyride : Kesha - It’s not coincidence this song was released on July 4th, Independence Day in the USA, as it is a mark of her indepedence and freedom, finally being released from the long-term contract she had with a man who sexually abused her. The song is reminiscent of her past hits “We R Who We R” and “TikTok,” with its synth-pop sound and talk-singing style and seems ready-made for her LGBTQ fans. The song is all about self-adoration as well as wanting to have fun, at one point Kesha sings “Oh. You say you love me? Well so do I,” and isn’t that a wonderful message for everyone to embrace?

2024 - Guess : Charlie XCX feat. Billie Eilish - This is a flirty track where Charli XCX invites her partner to "guess" what underwear she's wearing. On the remix, bisexual singer Billie boldly claims to know exactly what Charli's wearing, thanks to a cheeky glimpse. She acknowledges that Charli is straight, but if she's ever up to experiment, Billie is just a phone call away.

Link to Spotify Playlist of these songs

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 1 songs from 1939 to 1992

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 2 songs from 1993 to 2011

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 3 songs from 2012 to 2017

Link to my Queer Disney Songs Playlist

Link to my K-Pop Queer Playlist

Link to my Queer Religious Playlist