Pride
When it comes to his sophomore album, pop phenomenon Lil Nas X has been taking his sweet time. But fans finally got a glimpse at what’s coming next for the rapper on Thursday (Feb. 20). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In a post to his X […]
Pisces season has officially begun! If you’re looking to celebrate the season by relaxing and staring listlessly into the distance, then why not do it to a soundtrack? 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.
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From Dove Cameron’s highly-anticipated return to Doechii’s teamup with JENNIE, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Dove Cameron, “Too Much”
This one is for all the girls, gays and theys that were ever told by an ex that they were just a bit “extra.” Dove Cameron excoriates a former flame that just couldn’t handle her on the electro-pop jam “Too Much,” making sure that they understand who the real problem was. A relentless beat and Cameron’s crystal clear voice make this campy kiss-off a must-listen, as she proudly declares “If you say I’m too much, baby, go find less.”
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JENNIE feat. Doechii, “ExtraL”
What happens when you take the leading rapper from one of the most successful K-pop acts ever and team her up with one of the hottest names in contemporary hip-hop? Well, you get something like “ExtraL,” a thrilling, bossed-up anthem courtesy of BLACKPINK’s JENNIE and Doechii. The duo trade verses flexing their inherent worth on this A-list banger, encouraging the ladies listening to take charge. JENNIE gets more than a few bars in (“Said ‘f–k your rules’ is the mood, damn right” hits hard in the pre-chorus), but Doechii really elevates the song to new levels with her motormouthed appearance (“In the boardroom looking bored ’cause I’m not here for pleasin’ the men,” she spits.)
Perfume Genius ft. Aldous Harding, “No Front Teeth”
Don’t go into “No Front Teeth” trying to predict what Perfume Genius and Aldous Harding are going to deliver, because you’ll simply never be right. On this stunning, chaotic new single, the duo start things off in a soft, indie-rock atmosphere that fits both of them perfectly. Within the first two minutes, the song has become a raucous rock track with both stars reveling in their respective universes of clashing sounds. If you want to see things get even weirder, pop on their excellent music video and watch this excellent pairing bring even more havoc to this thrilling new track.
Durand Bernarr, Bloom
R&B star Durand Bernarr has a lot to say about love — the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all. Bloom, Bernarr’s excellent new LP, carefully examines love (both romantic and not) in all of its facets, whether that comes in the form of frustration (“Overqualified”), initimacy dynamics (“Impact”) or even just the simple act of matching someone’s energy (“Jump”). Throughout each of these funk-infused songs, Bernarr’s acrobatic voice shines the brightest, as he effortlessly shows off why he is one of the most talented vocalists in the game.
Chloe Moriondo, “Hate It”
The worlds that rising pop singer Chloe Moriondo has created are colliding, and we couldn’t be happier to see it. Taking the unhinged lyricism of a project like Blood Bunny and blending it with the pop soundscape of one like Suckerpunch, Moriondo’s new single “Hate It” provides the best of both worlds for this artist as she crafts an immediate pop earworm while also singing about wearing someone else’s face over their own. In short, “Hate It” is the exact kind of unhinged energy we’re looking for in 2025.
Blondshell, “Two Times”
Blondshell seems to keep getting bigger, which makes her sparing new single “Two Times” that much more fascinating to listen to. On her latest single off her forthcoming sophomore album, Sabrina Teitelbaum removes any artifice surrounding her to sing a simple love song about the simplicity of her relationship. Leaning heavily into a rich acoustic sound, Teitelbaum tells it exactly how it is on this phenomenal new song: “You’re not bad, you’re not mean/ You lie about my hair ’cause you love me.”
Hurray for the Riff Raff, “Pyramid Scheme”
We all, collectively, probably spend too much time on the internet — and Hurray for the Riff Raff would like to talk about that. On their new single “Pyramid Scheme,” Alynda Segarra rails against the system that has been built to divide peoples’ attention and empathy into simple bits of information and code, all while wondering aloud what those systems are doing to the perception of art in the modern age. It’s the kind of modern folk anthem that gives you the shivers when you first hear it, because you know looking back in a few years, it’s going to feel even more prescient than it does now.
Check out all of our picks below on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist:
After President Donald Trump was elected chair of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, many have speculated about what the embattled commander in chief would do with his new position. This week, one performing group got an answer.
On Wednesday (Feb. 19), the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington announced that the Kennedy Center had canceled its upcoming Pride Month performance of a show titled A Peacock Among Pigeons, based on the LGBTQ+-inclusive children’s book of the same name. The concert, which was set to take place with the National Symphony Orchestra in May, was scheduled to kick of Washington, D.C.’s Pride celebrations ahead of the city hosting WorldPride 2025.
“We are deeply disappointed with the news that our upcoming Pride performance with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) has been canceled,” the chorus wrote in a statement posted to its Instagram page. “We believe in the power of music to educate and uplift, to foster love, understanding, and community, and we regret that this opportunity has been taken away.”
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The organization continued, adding that they would still perform their rendition of the piece during the WorldPride festivities. “While we are saddened by the decision, we are committed to this work and to our mission of raising our voices for equality for all,” the statement read. “We are grateful to those who have supported us, and we will continue to seek spaces where our voices, our stories, and our music can be heard.”
Billboard has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.
The news comes just a few weeks after President Trump staged a dramatic takeover of the cultural institution. The president purged the Kennedy Center’s board of 18 Democratic appointees while promising to install himself as chairman, added new members to the board more aligned with his politics, was unanimously named the new chairman and fired the Center’s former president, Deborah F. Rutter.
In a statement given to NBC News, the National Symphony Orchestra’s executive director Jean Davidson claimed that the decision to cancel A Peacock Among Pigeons was made prior to Trump’s reshaping of the Kennedy Center’s board. “Before the leadership transition at the Kennedy Center, we made the decision to postpone [A Peacock Among Pigeons] due to financial and scheduling factors,” she said in a statement. “We chose to replace it with The Wizard of Oz, another suitable program for World PRIDE participation.”
Abbey Road Studios has shared details of this year’s Equalise Festival, which will return for its sixth annual edition March 3-8.
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, the London event will provide young creatives with the opportunity to work with female and non-binary artists, producers and engineers through hands-on learning.
This year’s Equalise programme features workshop sessions from rising names including Aziya, Divorce, Man/Woman/Chainsaw, Fiona-Lee and Flowerovlove, with a final act to be announced.
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The respective acts will each record a new piece of music as part of their studio session, while aspiring engineers and producers will be invited into the room to observe the creative process. Producer and harmonica player Sarah Meyz will oversee the sessions alongside Marta Di Nozzi, assistant engineer at Abbey Road Studios.
Those interested in participating in Equalise Festival 2025 are encouraged to enter a ballot, where they can submit their work for consideration using the official form here. Entries will close this Sunday (Feb. 23) at 11:59 p.m., and winners will be notified the following day (Feb. 24).
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Speaking about Equalise 2025, the studios’ managing director, Sally Davies said in a statement: “I am incredibly proud that the Abbey Road Equalise program is entering its sixth year. At Abbey Road, we believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive music industry and Equalise plays a vital role in creating opportunities for talented young women and non-binary individuals.”
She continued: “By providing young talent with access to our facilities and mentorship from our engineers, we hope to empower the next generation of creative talent to shape the sound of tomorrow. Equalise is not just about providing technical skills; it’s about fostering a supportive community and breaking down barriers for underrepresented voices.”
Since its inception in early 2020, Abbey Road Equalise has delivered a multitude of events coinciding with International Women’s Day, Pride and Trans Day of Visibility, all with the intention of highlighting the need to drive greater gender balance in the music industry.
The site of the world’s most well-renowned recording studio, over 93 years, Abbey Road has welcomed the likes of The Beatles, Oasis, Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga and Florence + The Machine into its hallowed recording spaces. Last year, it played host to the official live ceremony for the Mercury Prize.
With WorldPride returning to America for the first time since 2019, organizers are ready to give their audience even more reasons to celebrate in 2025 courtesy of their A-list headliners. On Tuesday (Feb. 18), WorldPride announced that Jennifer Lopez and Troye Sivan would serve as the official headliners for the Washington, D.C.-bound festival. Taking place […]
With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new queens every week based on their performance. Below, we take a look at the iconic Snatch Game to see which queens nailed their celebrity impressions. Spoilers ahead for episode 7.
Even in a time when chaos reigns, some things are constants: the sky is blue; the grass is green; and the queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race will have to perform in the Snatch Game.
On Friday’s episode (aired Feb. 14) of Drag Race, the iconic challenge finally arrived as the 11 remaining queens were asked to deliver their best celebrity impersonations in the Match Game riff. Some queens — namely Suzie Toot — were confident in their abilities to deliver on the task at hand. Others rightly feared the expectations of the show’s longest-standing challenge.
Before we go any further, let’s make one thing clear — of all the Drag Race challenges, Snatch Game is famously the hardest. Not only do you need to create a semi-accurate recreation of a beloved star, but you also need to stay in that character for an extended period of time, with no script, making RuPaul laugh while there is no audience there to let you know how you’re doing. As Jinkx Monsoon, a two-time Snatch Game winner, told Billboard after season 14’s disastrous iteration of the challenge: “It’s one of situations where two things can be true at once – yes, Snatch Game happens every season, but also it’s either in your skill set or it’s not, and I don’t think it should really be held against queens for whom this is not their thing.”
With that being said … this was not a successful Snatch Game. While a few queens managed to get their laughs here (more on them later), most of the contestants were either forgettable or catastrophically bad. The two worst performers of the bunch, Crystal Envy and Lana Ja’Rae, wound up in the bottom — but with a lot of these performances, any number of the other girls could have easily wound up in their shoes.
Yet when it came time for a lip sync to Selena Gomez’s “Hands to Myself,” both Crystal and Lana turned it back on, delivering one of the most high-octane face-offs of the season. Ultimately, the judges decided to give Lana another shot in the competition, sending former frontrunner Crystal Envy home.
Below, Billboard takes a look back at episode 7 and ranks where our remaining contestants lie based on this episode and the season as a whole:
ELIMINATED: Crystal Envy
Image Credit: Courtesy of MTV
Chester Bennington‘s child Draven has revealed they are transgender.
In a Valentine’s Day message on Instagram (Feb. 14), the 22-year-old child of the late Linkin Park singer shared that they “came out as transgender” in 2024 and are currently in the process of transitioning.
“As today is a day to celebrate love and what love truly means, whether it’s for a partner, family, or ourselves, I thought it would be the perfect time to show some love to myself,” Draven wrote in a typed note. “For a long time, I tried to be someone, someone I truly wasn’t on the inside. Ignoring it worked for a while, but continuously coming to the crossroads of being happy or being complacent was one I couldn’t keep crossing.”
Draven revealed that in August 2024, they made the life-changing decision to come out as transgender and begin hormone replacement therapy. “It has been the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” the said.
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Since sharing the news, Draven has received unwavering support from friends and family, including their mother, Samantha Bennington.
“I love each and every one of you who have shown me nothing but love and respect and see me for who I truly am,” they added. “With all the support and love I’ve received, I’ve built the strength to love myself. This is why I’m choosing to no longer hide who I am. Love is love. Happy Valentine’s Day,” Draven concluded.
Samantha Bennington, who was married to Chester from 1996 to 2005, expressed her pride and love for Draven in the comments section of the post.
“I’m so proud of you. I love you with all my heart and soul,” she wrote. “You’re my favorite human on the planet. I just want you happy and healthy forever and always.”
Chester Bennington passed away by suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41. He struggled with drug and alcohol addiction throughout his life. In addition to Draven, the musician shared sons Tyler, 18, and twin daughters, Lily and Lila, 13, with his second wife, Talinda Bentley. He was also father to sons Jamie, 28, and Isaiah, 27, from his relationship with ex-partner Elka Brand.
Draven, who has followed in their father’s footsteps to pursue a career in music, shared in 2023 with People that they hope to leave a lasting impact on fans, just as Chester did.
“Every time I hear somebody’s story, telling like how much my dad’s music impacted their life, I just think it’s really beautiful,” Draven said. “I think that’s really sweet how something that he was just doing as a passion, what he loved, had that effect on so many people.”
See Draven’s full Valentine’s Day post on Instagram below.
Looking for some tunes to help you celebrate a queer-inclusive Valentine’s Day? Allow us to help: 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.
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From Sam Smith’s lovestruck new single to Lucy Dacus’ stunning new track, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Sam Smith, “Love Is a Stillness”
Throughout their decade-plus in the music business, Sam Smith quickly became defined as a once-in-a-generation singer turning heartbreak into gorgeous ballads. Their most recent LP took Smith in a new, more joyous direction, embracing high-camp club pop aesthetics and lighter emotional these. Now, Smith is bringing those two worlds together on “Love Is a Stillness,” their new song marketed as a Valentine’s Day gift to fans. Bringing the beautiful balladry of In the Lonely Hour and melding it with the jubilant lyricism of Gloria, “Love Is a Stillness” sees Smith stripping themself down to their sparest elements in order to deliver a short, gorgeous ode to the simplicity of love.
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Lucy Dacus, “Best Guess”
When you take away the admittedly excellent artifice surrounding Lucy Dacus’ new single “Best Guess” — including its star-studded music video paying homage to “hot mascs” everywhere — you’re left with a rich love song that deserves more credit for its gorgeous lyricism. Dacus has long been one of the best songwriter’s currently working in the business, and that poetic streak certainly does end here. Add onto that the singer’s emotionally resonant and understated alto voice, and you’ve got a must-hear love song for this Valentine’s Day.
Japanese Breakfast, “Mega Circuit”
Got any toxic men in your life that need to be checked really quick? Press play on Japanese Breakfast’s new single “Mega Circuit,” and you’ll hear Michelle Zauner commiserating right along with you. Over a sometimes-spooky, always-catchy shuffle provided by legendary guitarist Jim Keltner, Zauner looks at the state of masculinity in 2025 with a rueful shake of her head: “Plotting blood with your incel eunuchs,” she sighs. “I could be the home you need.”
Jake Wesley Rogers, “God Bless”
It’s a sentiment that you do not need a reminder for yet bears repeating all the same: the world is chaos right now. But instead of succumbing to the inherent pain of that idea, Jake Wesley Rogers wants to embrace it. On “God Bless,” the singer invokes an original gospel-style hymn to point out all the inherent contradictions and paradoxes in our modern society, both good and bad, before settling on a mantra we all can get behind: “God bless, it’s a beautiful f–king mess.”
Rainbow Kitten Surprise, “Espionage”
After releasing their excellent album Love Hate Music Box in 2024, Rainbow Kitten Surprise is taking a victory lap with their new single “Espionage.” Over some truly groovy pianos and guitars, frontperson Ela Melo lets her laid-back vocal speak for itself, as she and the rest of the band join in to deliver this “anti-love anthem’s” irresistible chorus. If you’re not really feeling the love this V-Day, then let Rainbow Kitten Surprise take you somewhere else entirely.
Morgan Saint, Out of the Blue
Morgan Saint’s debut album Out of the Blue is an LP that might take some time to digest — the singer herself says that it took her a while to untangle all the emotions involved. But that’s also what makes this album such a remarkable listen; across 11 tracks, Saint explores a series of constant themes in all of our lives, from love (on the stunning title track in particular) to trauma (“Deep”), all over a series of increasingly great indie-pop tracks. She may have appeared Out of the Blue for you, but keep an eye on Morgan Saint. Now that she’s here, she’s sticking around.
Madison Rose, “She’s the One”
Let’s close this out with a certified club banger, shall we? Queer pop paragon Madison Rose’s “She’s the One” isn’t interested in being taken seriously, or being taken in any particular way for that matter — as Rose cooly declares halfway through the track, “if you call her a bitch, but that in front of it.” A growling beat, some banging production and Rose’s unparalleled confidence make for the perfect strut soundtrack. Looking for a pick-me-up this weekend? Look no further, because this song is, in fact, the one.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
Ariana Grande has long been an ally to the LGBTQ community, and the feeling appears to be mutual.
At the 2025 Dorian Awards, presented by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, the pop superstar won the award for supporting film performance of the year. She beat, among others, Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez, who appears to be her main rival for the Oscar for best supporting actress.
Grande’s Wicked co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey won awards too. Erivo (who is also Oscar-nominated, but in the best actress category) won here for GALECA LGBTQIA+ film trailblazer. Bailey won the “we’re wilde about you!” rising star award.
The body-horror movie The Substance won a leading five trophies, including two that almost never go together at award shows: film of the year and campiest flick. The film’s other awards were film performance of the year for Demi Moore, director of the year for Coralie Fargeat and genre film of the year (science fiction/fantasy/horror). In addition, Moore received the timeless star award, a non-competitive career achievement prize. Previous timeless star honorees include Jodie Foster, Jane Fonda, Nathan Lane, John Waters, Rita Moreno, Jane Fonda, George Takei and Ian McKellen.
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There were three double winners: I Saw the TV Glow (LGBTQ film of the year and LGBTQ screenplay of the year for Jane Schoenbrun), Will & Harper (documentary of the year and LGBTQ documentary of the year), and Challengers (screenplay of the year for Justin Kuritzkes and film music of the year for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross). Reznor and Ross’ score was passed over for an Oscar nod, but has received numerous other awards, including a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award. Here, it beat three scores that did receive Oscar nods: The Brutalist (Daniel Blumberg), Emilia Pérez (Clément Ducol and Camille) and Wicked (John Powell and Stephen Schwartz).
Founded in 2009, GALECA annually honors the best in film, television and stage, with an eye on the LGBTQIA+ community. Its goal is to “remind bigots, bullies, and our own beleaguered communities that the world looks to the informed Q+ eye on entertainment.”
Here is the complete 2025 Dorian Awards winners list:
Film of the year
Anora (Neon)
Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
WINNER: The Substance (Mubi)
LGBTQ film of the year
Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
WINNER: I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Love Lies Bleeding (A24)
Queer (A24)
Film performance of the year
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (A24)
Daniel Craig, Queer (A24)
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (A24)
Karla Sofía Gascón, Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (Universal)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)
Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (A24)
Mikey Madison, Anora (Neon)
WINNER: Demi Moore, The Substance (Mubi)
Justice Smith, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Supporting film performance of the year
Michele Austin, Hard Truths (Bleecker Street)
Yura Borisov, Anora (Neon)
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures)
WINNER: Ariana Grande, Wicked (Universal)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Jack Haven, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (A24)
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (A24)
Margaret Qualley, The Substance (Mubi)
Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Director of the year
Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (A24)
WINNER: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (Mubi)
Luca Guadagnino, Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Screenplay of the year
Sean Baker, Anora (Neon)
Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (Mubi)
WINNER: Justin Kuritzkes, Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Peter Straughan, Conclave (Focus Features)
LGBTQ screenplay of the year
Rose Glass and Weronika Tofilska, Love Lies Bleeding (A24)
Justin Kuritzkes, Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios)
Justin Kuritzkes, Queer (A24)
WINNER: Jane Schoenbrun, I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Julio Torres, Problemista (A24)
Film music of the year
The Brutalist (A24) — Daniel Blumberg
WINNER: Challengers (Amazon MGM Studios) — Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Emilia Pérez (Netflix) — Clément Ducol and Camille
I Saw the TV Glow (A24) — Alex G
Wicked (Universal) — John Powell and Stephen Schwartz, et al.
Non-English language film of the year
All We Imagine as Light (Sideshow / Janus Films)
Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Flow (Sideshow / Janus Films)
WINNER: I’m Still Here (Sony Pictures Classics)
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Neon)
LGBTQ non-English film of the year
Crossing (Mubi)
WINNER: Emilia Pérez (Netflix)
Queendom (Greenwich Entertainment)
Vermiglio (Sideshow / Janus Films)
All Shall Be Well (Strand Releasing)
Unsung film of the year
Didi (Focus Features)
Hundreds of Beavers (Cineverse, Vinegar Syndrome)
My Old Ass (Amazon MGM Studios)
WINNER: Problemista (A24)
Thelma (Magnolia)
Unsung LGBTQ film of the year
Femme (Utopia)
My Old Ass (Amazon MGM Studios)
National Anthem (Variance, LD Entertainment)
WINNER: The People’s Joker (Altered Innocence)
Problemista (A24)
Documentary of the year
Dahomey (Mubi)
Daughters (Netflix)
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (Netflix)
Sugarcane (National Geographic)
WINNER: Will & Harper (Netflix)
LGBTQ documentary of the year
Chasing Chasing Amy (Level 33)
Frida (Amazon MGM Studios)
Merchant Ivory (Cohen Media Group)
Queendom (Greenwich Entertainment)
WINNER: Will & Harper (Netflix)
Animated film of the year
WINNER: Flow (Sideshow / Janus Films)
Inside Out 2 (Disney)
Memoir of a Snail (IFC Films)
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix)
The Wild Robot (Universal, DreamWorks)
Genre film of the year (science fiction, fantasy and horror)
Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.)
I Saw the TV Glow (A24)
Nosferatu (Focus Features)
WINNER: The Substance (Mubi)
Wicked (Universal)
Visually striking film of the year
The Brutalist (A24)
Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros.)
Nosferatu (Focus Features)
WINNER: Nickel Boys (Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios)
The Substance (Mubi)
Campiest flick
Hundreds of Beavers (Cineverse, Vinegar Syndrome)
Madame Web (Sony)
Megalopolis (Lionsgate)
WINNER: The Substance (Mubi)
Trap (Warner Bros.)
“We’re wilde about you!” rising star award
WINNER: Jonathan Bailey
Vera Drew
Karla Sofía Gascón
Jack Haven
Mikey Madison
Katy O’Brian
Drew Starkey
Wilde artist award
WINNER: Colman Domingo
Luca Guadagnino
Coralie Fargeat
Jane Schoenbrun
Tilda Swinton
GALECA LGBTQIA+ film trailblazer
Vera Drew
WINNER: Cynthia Erivo
Luca Guadagnino
Jane Schoenbrun
Julio Torres
Timeless star (career achievement award)
WINNER: Demi Moore
Village People frontman Victor Willis is clearing the air after he sent a cease and desist to Jim Jeffries, after the comedian joked on his At This Moment podcast that the 1978 classic “Y.M.C.A.” is about men “f—ing in showers in a hostel.”
Willis joined TMZ‘s 2 Angry Men podcast this week, where hosts Harvey Levin and Mark Geragos asked the singer about his song being a “gay anthem.”
“He went over the line when he got into saying it had to do with men having sex in the bathroom,” Willis said of sending Jeffries a cease and desist for what was described as an “obscene, derogatory and false description” of the track. “There is nothing in my lyrics that says anything about that. We approached him and he apologized and said he was going to rephrase what it was he said and say it differently, because the way he said it as worded was defamatory.”
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However, Levin then followed up by noting that a number of lyrics in “Y.M.C.A.” could be interpreted in different ways, including the chorus: “It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A./ They have everything for young men to enjoy/ You can hang out with all the boys.”
In response, Willis pointed out that the dual meaning was his intention. “That was something that I credited myself on is writing my songs with what is called a double entendre,” he said. “I would write a song to where you can take it any kind of way you wanted it. If you’re straight, you can take the lyrics for somebody straight or if you were gay, you could take it for somebody gay.”
When Willis insisted that “there’s like 10% of the gay community that have been coming to my shows and have been there over the past 10 years,” Levin and Geragos insisted that the number would be higher.
Last month, Village People performed at the Liberty Ball during Donald Trump’s inauguration celebrations, as both “Macho Man” and “Y.M.C.A.” were popular song choices at Trump campaign rallies during his 2020 and 2024 campaign rallies.
In December, Willis doubled down on why he chose to let the president-elect play “Y.M.C.A.” at rallies and events, saying he “didn’t have the heart” to block the usage — despite originally asking Trump to stop in 2020 — upon realizing that the politician seemed to “genuinely like” the track and was “having a lot of fun” with “Y.M.C.A.” Plus, as Willis noted, the dance tune has only “benefited greatly” in terms of chart placements and sales since Trump incorporated it into his campaign.
In the same post, Willis denounced the song’s status as a “gay anthem,” threatening legal action against news organizations that referred to the song as such. “Get your minds out of the gutter. It is not [a gay anthem] … such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to [illicit] activity for which it does not,” he said.