Between sips of White Claw or while sweeping cicadas off of your patio, you'll want to turn up your speakers to some of our favorite rising LGBTQ+ musicians — and a few allies — that will give you new reasons to expand Pride into July, and beyond.
Allison Russell is truly all the things: speaker, poet, a Black woman, queer, a survivor of abuse. Those facets are woven into the fabric of the multi-hyphenate's debut album, "Outside Child." Inspired by the likes of Lucinda Williams and Tracy Chapman, Russell's solo release is a sonic reclamation of her childhood that promises a career full of triumphs. Fans of Feist shouldn't miss this one. https://allisonrussellmusic.com/
Goldilocks, who uses the pronouns she, her and ella, is a non-binary, New York-based musician whose debut album, "Future Famous," is both accessible and ambitious in scope. From the reggaeton stylings of "Slide My Way" and "Animal" to the catchy pop choruses of "Cherry," Goldilocks is only one album in and already she's fit for fight against the likes of J Balvin, Bad Bunny and Ozuna. https://blonderecords.com/
McKinley Dixon – make a poet Black
McKinley Dixon describes his sound as "music Gerald from 'Hey Arnold!' would listen to." Hard to argue with that. With his latest release, "For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her," Dixon shares his experiences — and his critique of American society — through his lens. "Never Will Know" contemplates the fear of being gay and not getting into heaven, while the sincere and urgent "make a poet Black" pleads abstractly. https://mckinleydixon.com/
Lawrence Rothman – Thrash the West (featuring Amanda Shires)
A veteran composer, Lawrence Rothman has had a chance to explore the music scene from their non-binary, genderfluid perspective for over two decades. Active early in their career in alt- and punk-rock band Living Things, music from Rothman's 2017 debut, "The Book of Law," would later appear in Netflix's "13 Reasons Why" and "Lucifer." "Good Morning, America," Rothman's sophomore album, was largely written with collaborators over video calls and was recorded in a number of unusual locations, including an abandoned mall in Los Angeles. "Good Morning, America" is out July 16. https://www.lawrencerothman.com/
With three releases now under her belt, Dizzy Fae has a lot to say on what it means to be a queer woman of color in the music industry. Her single "Body Move" is an upbeat testament to dance and pop. Ever the visionary, Dizzy's art would be incomplete without considering her intricate, hypnotic music videos. As with her other singles, "Her/Indica" and "I'm Good," psychedelia and surrealism emerge in surprising and curious contexts on her new EP, Antenna. https://www.dizzyfae.com
Indigo Sparke – Everything Everything
Sydney-based Indigo Sparke's debut album, "Echo," delivers careful and thoughtful moments with her often-mournful folk. Co-produced by Big Thief's Adrianne Lenker, the album's melding of spoken word and living-room guitar creates intimacy in both sound and feeling. "Echo" is sweetened by its moments of reprieve, and the album as a whole is a satisfying labor of love. https://indigosparke.com/
Patrick Paige II – So They Say
Patrick Paige II is perhaps best known for his work in The Internet alongside Syd Tha Kid. With his second album, "If I Fail Are We Still Cool?," Paige delivers cut after cut of mellow bars and bass-laden R&B, using equal parts sensuality and funk to compose the hazy "Whisper (Want My Love)." Lead guitar and trap hype up "Big Plays," a stark contrast to the thoughtful and not-quite-lofi "Who Am I." https://fatpossum.com/artists/patrick-paige-ii/
As Fears, Constance Keane recorded her album Oíche in three separate bedrooms. The album is like a scrapbook, each song an emotion. A feminist endeavor, Keane released Oíche through her own label, TULLE Collective, to create space and representation for female and non-binary musicians. https://www.tullecollective.com/
Listen to the entire playlist on Spotify:
