Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Cynthia Erivo, Lil Nas X, Omar Apollo & More

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, why not give some thanks to some of your favorite queer artists this week? Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

From Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande’s long-awaited Wicked songs to Lil Nas X’s latest single, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.

Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande “Defying Gravity”

Sure, we could put the entirety of the new Wicked soundtrack on this list, but there is something to Cynthia Erivo’s performance of the undisputed queer anthem “Defying Gravity” that just deserves some special recognition here. Her voice is incredible, her acting is off the charts, and she sells every second of this song alongside Grande’s gorgeous supporting vocals. Especially in the song’s famous final minute, Erivo gives her all for “Defying Gravity,” making this an absolute must-listen for theater fans and skeptics alike.

Lil Nas X, “Need Dat Boy”

As he proved on Montero standout “Sun Goes Down,” Lil Nas X is phenomenally good at stripping things back to get to the personal core of a song. “Need Dat Boy” starts out in that exact contemplative mode, with Lil Nas showing off his consistently-growing vocals as he croons about looking for inspiration. And when the bridge kicks in, Lil Nas turns the heat up as he lets the object of his desire know exactly what he’d like to do to him. It’s a fitting amalgamation of the rapper/singer’s multitude of talents, packed into a 3-minute track you’ll want to hear.

Omar Apollo feat. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, “Te Maldigo”

Give Omar Apollo a guitar and a microphone and he will make sweet music for you. On “Te Maldigo” (which translates to “I Curse You”) from the upcoming Luca Guadagnino film Queer, Apollo sings a lonesome ballad of heartbreak and betrayal, asking why his former flame couldn’t show him the love he deserved. “My heart, without you, does not beat,” he sings in Spanish on the song’s second verse. “What a cruel world/ Where you don’t love me.”

Various Artists, Transa

In a time when trans people everywhere are scared for the future, Red Hot decided to give the community something hopeful. Transa, the organization’s expansive new compilation album, pairs trans icons and allies throughout its massive three and a half hour journey, reflecting on the nature of transness itself. With featured stars like Adrienne Lenker, Moses Sumney, Anohni, Sam Smith, Beverly Glenn Copeland and dozens more, Transa makes sure to never boil down the trans experience into a single, simplistic message — just like the community it serves, this album is as expansive as the universe itself.

Rahim Redcar (Christine and the Queens), “It’s Okay to Cry (Hôtel Pour SOPHIE)”

It would have been easy for Rahim Redcar (the newly-adopted stage name for Christine and the Queens) to offer a simple, largely-unchanged cover of legendary producer SOPHIE’s classic song “It’s Okay to Cry.” But that wouldn’t be like him, after all. Instead, Redcar takes the affirming track and strips it down to its molecular level, building it back up into something completely new that still manages to honor the legacy of the iconic artist who brought it into the world in the first place.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:

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