13 LGBTQ+ ARTISTS WHO’VE MADE THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WHAT IT IS TODAY
In celebration of Pride Month, VG writer Claire Rothwell, has taken a look back at some of the incredible and talented LGBTQ+ artists who’ve shaped the industry to what it is today.
David Bowie
The late, great, glam rock, global megastar rose to fame in the late 60’s and was pushing gender bending boundaries back when we had only just seen the decriminalisation of consensual sexual acts between two males in the UK. Today, his popularity remains as big as ever; a testament to his musical talent and ability to captivate generations with his confident and flamboyant performances. Forever an inspiration in both the music and fashion world, he's cited by many of the greats as an influence including, but not limited to, Nirvana, Jarvis Cocker, My Chemical Romance, Oasis and The Sex Pistols (with guitarist Steve Jones admitting to stealing some of Bowie's musical gear when he was a teenager)!
Peaches
In the early 2000’s, the Canadian electronica artist, Peaches, recorded a performance for ‘Top Of The Pops’, but UK audiences at home never got to watch the footage after it was deemed unsuitable for broadcast due to being ‘too raunchy’. Peaches began her musical career busking across Europe with a band mate and it wasn’t long before she was signed by Sony. However, she was hastily dropped after releasing the 'controversial' ‘Set It Off’ music video in 2001, which saw her dancing in a club toilet and sprouting extra-long body hair. Despite this, the song was named ‘Single of the Week’ by NME and Peaches has sustained a vibrant career, with a huge cult fan base. She continues to write music that unashamedly promotes feminism, sexual liberation and freedom.
Little Richard
Reportedly referring to himself as “The Queen of Rock and Roll”, the exuberant Little Richard started his musical journey singing gospel, before venturing into blues and then finally rock and roll, which many believe he invented. His live performances were always bursting with energy as he jumped around the stage and exercised his impressive vocal range. A skilled pianist, Little Richard was an inspiration for both Elton John and The Beatles and also incited social change; as a black and openly gay queer superstar, audiences would come together and dance, united by his incredible performance and music. In 1988, he famously caused a stir at The Grammy’s when presenting an award by announcing himself as the winner, highlighting how he had never won anything up to that point. This was rectified some five years later, when he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
SOPHIE
A talented and pioneering music producer, SOPHIE will be remembered for her vibrant and imaginative contributions to the industry. Not only did SOPHIE work alongside Madonna and Charlie XCX, but she also released a Grammy nominated debut album in 2018, ‘Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides’. As an inspiration to both fans and those within the music industry, SOPHIE has been referred to as a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community. Speaking to ‘Paper Magazine’ in 2018, she stated that, “For me, transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit, so the two aren't fighting against each other and struggling to survive.” The Scottish musician and producer sadly died in January 2021, following an accidental fall while attempting to photograph the full moon, but continues to be an inspiration to many.
Wendy Carlos
Wendy Carlos is known not only for her huge influence on electronic music, (both as a composer and contributor to the creation and development of the Moog synthesizer), but also in her raising of public awareness around transgender rights, speaking openly about her own transition. Releasing multiple studio albums, including the acclaimed ‘Switched-On Bach’, her music can be heard as the soundtrack to the popular Stanley Kubrick films:‘A Clockwork Orange’ and ‘The Shining’. It has been acknowledged that Carlos’s musical contributions were not fully recognised until recently, which has been attributed to the stigma and transphobia that existed at the time. VOCAL GIRLS featured Wendy Carlos as part of International Women’s Day and you can read more about the incredible musician here.
Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks has had an impressive three years since she first began uploading demos to the BBC Music Introducing platform. Despite the pandemic kiboshing her headline tour last year, the artist has continued to flourish - arguably aided by lockdown with her music acting as a perfect accompaniment to the pandemic. Following the release of her debut album, ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’ in January which reached number 3 in the UK albums chart, she subsequently went on to win the Brit Award for ‘Breakthrough Artist’. At just twenty years old, the musician is already creating waves throughout the industry and there is no doubt there is much more to come from her. Hailed as being the voice of Gen Z, Parks has brought the subject of queer identity into the mainstream by effortlessly singing beautiful and catchy melodies that explore subjects of mental health and self acceptance.
Freddie Mercury
Undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest singer-songwriters and frontmen, Freddie Mercury’s incredible stage presence can be witnessed in its full glory when he performed at the Live Aid concert with Queen in 1985. The band quickly rose to global fame and continue to have a huge impact on the music industry today, with one of their most iconic moments being the video to ‘I Want to Break Free’, in which Freddie Mercury was filmed pushing a hoover around, dressed in full drag as a glamourous, moustache wearing housewife. It’s impossible to imagine a world where Queen may never have existed, as so many artists across various genres have named him as an inspiration, from Katy Perry to Metallica - with Lady Gaga even taking her stage name from the song ‘Radio Gaga’. The 2018 film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is a biographical account of his life; the namesake of which, despite initial negative reactions from industry executives, went on to be the most well known and successful Queen song.
Sleater-Kinney
Born out of the punk rock riot grrrl movement of the 90’s, Sleater-Kinney have been holding a torch for feminists since their self-titled debut album in 1995. Known for their punchy vocals and classic riffs, the band have continued to evolve over the last 25+ years and recently released a new studio album ‘Path of Wellness’. In the early days, as they were reaching the heights of fame, band members Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker were ‘outed’ by the American magazine, ‘Spin’ without their consent, by reporting that the pair had previously dated. Their beautifully vulnerable track, ‘One More Hour’ is in reference to the relationship ending. Returning in 2014 after a 7 year hiatus, the band have since collaborated with St Vincent, who produced their album ‘The Center Won’t Hold’.
Olly Alexander
Front Person and vocalist of Years & Years, Olly Alexander was asked to join the band by bass player Mikey Goldsworthy, after he heard him sing in the shower one morning following a house party. A long time advocate for LGBTQ+ issues, Alexander was named as ‘Celebrity of the Year’ in the 2020 British LGBT awards. He has since received praise from fans and critics alike for his recent leading role in the Russell T Davies drama, ‘It’s A Sin’, centred around the AIDS epidemic which began in the 1980’s. Ten years since they formed, Years & Years have developed into a solo project for the actor and musician, after his peers decided to end their journey with the band. Last month's Brit Awards saw Alexander performing an iconic cover of the Pet Shop Boys’ classic song, ‘It’s a Sin’, as a duet alongside Elton John, which was subsequently released as a single to raise funds and awareness for Elton’s AIDS Foundation.
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X achieved international success in 2019 after releasing ‘Old Town Road’, which originally grabbed attention after going viral through TikTok. The earworm track, featured Billy Ray Cyrus and remained at the American Billboard Hot 100 for a record breaking 17 weeks - the longest running number 1 since the chart was established over 60 years ago. While the song was at the top spot, Pride Month went ahead and on the last day of the month, Lil Nas X took to Twitter to announce his sexuality as gay, directing fans to “listen closely” to his song ‘C7osure’. Speaking to The Guardian last year, the rapper talked about how finding his identity as Lil Nas X had provided him with the freedom to celebrate his true self. Although the majority of responses were supportive, the now Grammy Award winner has hit back at any negativity with wit and humour. Despite reportedly feeling uncomfortable with the title of ‘role model’, it's difficult not to be impressed by his achievements and positivity.
Andrew Fearn
As one half of Sleaford Mods, the self taught Andrew Fearn created his first tunes at home in his bedroom. As well as his solo project, ‘exnddntwrk’ (pronounced extended network), Sleaford Mods continue to make influential music, being hailed as the voices of the working class; often writing about the stark differences that exist within society and the socio-political factors that underpin them. Their tunes sound urgent and angry, with a heavy dusting of dark humour and wit. In this interview for ‘The Quietus’, Fearn talked about past struggles with self-acceptance around his sexuality and having to contend with the often societal perception that all gay men are supposed to look and behave in a certain overtly camp, flamboyant way. The band are known for being interactive with their fans via social media and have been proactive in using their platform to promote awareness and understanding; last year they teamed up with transgender rights activist, Oscar Rees, on Instagram, who took over their account for the day to share his experiences of being trans.
Elton John
As a worldwide household name, Elton John is as well known for his bold, bright and theatrical outfits as he is for his incredible talent as an artist. Possessed with a natural musical ability and a keen ear, he was composing songs on his grandmother's piano before he was even a teenager. Having collaborated with multiple artists over the years, from George Michael to Eminem and most recently (as mentioned above) Olly Alexander, Elton John continues to be a source of inspiration for many. Despite being skilled at composing beautiful and intricate music, John had difficulty writing lyrics, and many of the words to his big hits were penned by Bernie Taupin, after the pair were introduced to each other in the late 1960s. Although success led them both to have struggles with addiction, their working relationship and friendship has stood the test of time and they continue to work together today. Shortly before he celebrated 29 years in recovery, ‘Rocketman’, a film which depicts Elton John's life and which he was heavily involved in, was theatrically released in the UK.
Grace Jones
In this1985 interview, Grace Jones was asked whether she is “feminine or masculine”, her reply was, “I like being both actually”. At a time when there was still much stigma around queer identity, Jones was a progressive figurehead of androgyny. Although not officially identifying as LGBTQ, she presented herself as a strong and vibrant character, not afraid of expressing herself eloquently to the media's probing questions around her sexuality; “It’s ridiculous trying to categorise people’s feelings... I don't believe in a category and I don't make any comparisons”. Generally viewed as an ally and queer icon, her memoir published in 2015 talks earnestly about growing up alongside her brother and going to gay clubs together, despite not always being accepted by their parents. Her influence on the music industry is undoubtable, with artists such as Annie Lennox, Rhianna and Róisín Murphy claiming to have taken inspiration from her.