Pride
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Attention, staff! It’s time for us to circle back to the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, where the contestants brought all the corporate synergy they could to the main stage.
On Friday’s episode (March 15), the seven remaining queens of season 16 were tasked with performing in a series of employee training seminars to help the staffers of the world learn how to handle drag in the workplace. Whether they were giving a much-needed history lesson about the art of drag or teaching their corporate underlings what to do (or more importantly, not do) in the presence of a queen, the girls pulled together an informative all-hands meeting for their loyal viewers.
With a hilarious performance centered around teaching employees whether or not they are drag queens, Sapphira Cristál took home her third challenge win of the season, making her the winningest contestant of the season thus far. Meanwhile, after a pair of less-than-ideal showings, Morphine Love Dion and Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige were put under performance review by the panel of judges.
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Lip synching to Donna Summers’ 1979 hit “Dim All the Lights,” Dion and Le’Paige pulled out all of the stops (and in some cases, parts of their own costumes) to earn their employers’ adoration. At the end, Dion kept her spot in the company, while Le’Paige was handed a cardboard box and asked to collect her things by EOD.
Below, the Queen of Flips breaks down the art of lip synching, what it means to be season 16’s unquestioned lip sync assassin, and how it felt being labelled the “quiet” queen of the season.
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You made it to the top seven on this season! How are you feeling about your run on the show?
I’m feeling good about everything. I know I made my family and my friends proud, and Florida. I feel like I could have done better, but you know, it is what it is!
Well, you made history by joining a very elite group of Drag Race queens who won three or more lip syncs, including queens like Jujubee, Alexis Mateo and Coco Montrese, among others. What does it mean for you to be in that esteemed company?
I’m so honored, first and foremost. Yeah, I hadn’t even thought about that, if I’m being completely honest! But the names that you just said, it is an honor to be a part of that group of girls. It’s great to be a lip sync assassin, I’ll be honest. [Laughs.]
Yeah, it felt like the girls were genuinely scared to be in the bottom with you, and rightfully so.
Yes they were! They even told me, on the show, that they never wanted to go against me in the bottom. Like, with Dawn for example … I kind of told her that if she was in the bottom because of me this week, and we had to lip sync, I said that I was going to beat her. But if the judges said, “Mhi’ya, shantay you stay,” I would’ve refused and asked them to let Dawn stay. I felt like she deserved it more, and it was my fault we were in the bottom.
I’m always fascinated by the art of lip synching and what makes them so entertaining. So, as someone who nails almost every lip sync you do, what do you think is the key to giving a top-tier lip sync performance, on or off the show?
For me, when I was lip syncing, it was all about selling the song to the judges. Whatever song I was lip syncing to, there were a couple of things I had to make sure I was doing; I wanted to make sure I was on beat, I wanted to make eye contact with the judges, and I wanted to take over the whole stage. That, to me, is what it’s all about, is dominating the stage and pretending like no one is there but you and the judges.
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Which brings us to this particular lip sync, where you were definitely aware of the other queen on the stage, to the point where you threw your detached train onto Morphine mid-song. Between that, and her throwing her chicken cutlets at you, this felt like peak Drag Race shenanigans. How aware were you in the moment about the iconic moments you were both serving?
Oh, let me tell you, none of that was planned for this lip sync. I knew that the train was detachable, so I knew at some point it was coming off. But when I saw her down on the floor, I said, “Oh, okay, here’s my chance to throw her off her game.” So I spun around and threw that train! It kinda became a little catfight. [Laughs.]
We absolutely also need to talk about that Cher-meets-Kermit the Frog impression you attempted while on stage. After you filmed that moment, did you anticipate fans running with this moment as much as they have since?
I mean, I made literal merch out of it, and everywhere I go, I am asked to do that Cher impersonation. Everywhere I’m going people are asking me to do Cher on the mic, and people just fall out when I do it. So, I’m happy to see it!
Throughout the season, I noticed you got more than a few critiques, either from the judges or the other girls or even the fans online, about you being a “quiet” queen. Did that ever feel difficult to hear, either on set or online?
Yeah, it was definitely difficult to hear the judges say it as much as they did. But, I will say, there were times when I would try to come out of my shell, and prove to the judges that I’m not as quiet or timid as some people might think I am.
I mean, Snatch Game seems like a pretty excellent example of that!
Yes, I was so proud of myself after Snatch Game. Honestly, before we started filming, I was fully s—ting bricks. I was so, so nervous, and had no idea what I was going to do. But once they said action, something just came over me, and it really felt like I became this other person. It was so much fun.
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Before we let you go, I’d love to know — what music have you been listening to lately?
Oh, the album I’ve listened to every day for the last few weeks is Doja Cat’s Scarlet. I love it so much. The song, though, is probably “Ouchies” — I am obsessed with that whole song.
Reneé Rapp won outstanding music artist at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, which were presented at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Thursday, March 14. Rapp prevailed in a highly competitive field which included four artists who were nominated in Big Four categories at the Grammys on Feb. 4 – boygenius, Janelle Monáe, Miley Cyrus and Victoria Monét – and two more who have been nominated in Big Four Grammy categories in past years – Brandy Clark and Sam Smith.
The other nominees in that category were Billy Porter, Kim Petras and Troye Sivan.
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David Archuleta, who rose to fame as the runner-up on American Idol in 2008, was named outstanding breakthrough music artist. He prevailed over Ice Spice, a Grammy nominee for best new artist on Feb. 4, as well as Chappell Roan, Fancy Hagood, G Flip, Iniko, Jade LeMac, The Scarlet Opera, Slayyyter and UMI.
RuPaul’s Drag Race, starring RuPaul, won outstanding reality competition program.
The GLAAD Media Awards are presented in two parts on both coasts. The second part will be presented on Saturday May 11 in New York City.
Here’s a list of the categories that were presented last night, with winners marked.
Outstanding Music Artist
Billy Porter, Black Mona Lisa (Island UK/Republic Records)
boygenius, The Record (Interscope)
Brandy Clark, Brandy Clark (Warner Records)
Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure (Atlantic Records)
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast & Problematique (Amigo/Republic Records)
Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation (Columbia Records)
WINNER: Reneé Rapp, Snow Angel (Interscope)
Sam Smith, Gloria (Capitol Records)
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other (EMI Australia/Capitol Records)
Victoria Monét, Jaguar II (Lovett Music/RCA Records)
Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist
Chappell Roan (Atlantic Records/Island Records)
WINNER: David Archuleta (Archie Music)
Fancy Hagood (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)
G Flip (Future Classic)
Ice Spice (10K Projects/Capitol Records)
Iniko (Columbia Records)
Jade LeMac (Artista Records)
The Scarlet Opera (Perta/Silent Records)
Slayyyter (FADER Label)
UMI (Keep Cool/RCA)
Outstanding Film – Wide Theatrical Release
All of Us Strangers (Searchlight Pictures)
American Fiction (Amazon MGM Studios)
Anyone but You (Columbia Pictures)
The Blackening (Lionsgate Films)
WINNER: Bottoms (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
The Color Purple (Warner Bros.)
It’s a Wonderful Knife (RLJE Films)
Knock at the Cabin (Universal Pictures)
Moving On (Roadside Attractions)
Shortcomings (Sony Pictures Classics)
Outstanding Film – Limited Theatrical Release
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Blue Fox Entertainment)
The Blue Caftan (Strand Releasing)
Blue Jean (Magnolia Pictures)
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (Neon)
Joyland (Oscilloscope)
L’immensità (Music Box Films)
WINNER: Monica (IFC Films)
Our Son (Vertical Entertainment)
Passages (Mubi)
Summoning Sylvia (The Horror Collective)
Outstanding Drama Series
9-1-1: Lone Star (Fox)
The Chi (Showtime)
Chucky (SyFy/USA Network)
Doctor Who (Disney+)
Good Trouble (Freeform)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Quantum Leap (NBC)
Riverdale (The CW)
Station 19 (ABC)
WINNER: Yellowjackets (Showtime)
Outstanding Comedy Series
And Just Like That… (Max)
Good Omens (Amazon Prime Video)
Harlem (Amazon Prime Video)
Harley Quinn (Max)
Our Flag Means Death (Max)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Somebody Somewhere (HBO)
WINNER: Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
With Love (Amazon Prime Video)
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Black Cake (Hulu)
Bodies (Netflix)
The Confessions of Frannie Langton (Britbox)
The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix)
WINNER: Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
The Full Monty (FX on Hulu)
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Amazon Prime Video)
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix)
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix)
Transatlantic (Netflix)
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula (Shudder/AMC+)
The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (MTV)
Drag Me to Dinner (Hulu)
Love Trip: Paris (Freeform)
My Kind of Country (Apple TV+)
Next in Fashion (Netflix)
Project Runway (Bravo)
WINNER: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Survivor (CBS)
The Voice (NBC)
Outstanding Children’s Programming
“Any Way You Slice It” Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City (Netflix)
WINNER: “Blue River Wedding” Ada Twist: Scientist (Netflix)
Bossy Bear (Nick Jr.)
Firebuds (Disney Jr.)
Monster High (Nickelodeon)
Pinecone & Pony (AppleTV+)
Princess Power (Netflix)
Ridley Jones (Netflix)
Summer Camp Island (Cartoon Network)
Work It Out Wombats! (PBS Kids)
Outstanding Kids & Family Programming or Film – Animated
Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (Max)
Craig of the Creek (Cartoon Network)
The Dragon Prince (Netflix)
The Ghost and Molly McGee (Disney Channel)
WINNER: Hailey’s On It! (Disney Channel)
The Loud House (Nickelodeon)
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (Disney Channel)
Nimona (Netflix)
The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney+)
Transformers: EarthSpark (Paramount+)
Outstanding Video Game
WINNER: Baldur’s Gate 3 (Larian Studios)
Goodbye Volcano High (KO_OP)
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores (Guerrilla Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Little Goody Two Shoes (AstralShift/Square Enix)
Overwatch 2 (Blizzard Entertainment)
Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical (Summerfall Studios/Humble Games)
Tchia (Awaceb/Kepler Interactive)
Thirsty Suitors (Outerloop Games/Annapurna Interactive)
This Bed We Made (Lowbirth Games)
Too Hot to Handle 2 (Nanobit/Netflix Games)
Outstanding Comic Book
Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent, written by Tom Taylor (DC Comics)
Betsy Braddock: Captain Britain, written by Tini Howard (Marvel Comics)
Hawkgirl, written by Jadzia Axelrod (DC Comics)
Killer Queens 2, written by David M. Booher (Dark Horse Comics)
The Neighbors, written by Jude Ellison S. Doyle (BOOM! Studios)
New Mutants Lethal Legion, written by Charlie Jane Anders (Marvel Comics)
The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos, written by Tate Brombal based on an idea by James Tynion IV (Dark Horse Comics)
Poison Ivy, written by G. Willow Wilson (DC Comics)
WINNER: Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, written by Alyssa Wong (Marvel Comics)
Tim Drake: Robin, written by Meghan Fitzmartin (DC Comics)
Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology
Blackward, by Lawrence Lindell (Drawn & Quarterly)
Carmilla: The First Vampire, written by Amy Chu (Berger Books/Dark Horse Comics)
Cosmoknights (Book Two), by Hannah Templer (Top Shelf Productions)
WINNER: Four-Color Heroes, by Richard Fairgray (Fanbase Press)
Heartstopper Vol. 5, by Alice Oseman (Graphix/Scholastic)
Light Carries On, by Ray Nadine (Dark Horse Books)
Northranger, written by Rey Terciero (HarperAlley)
Parallel, by Matthias Lehmann (ONI Press)
Roaming, by Jillian Tamaki, Mariko Tamaki (Drawn & Quarterly)
Us, by Sara Soler (Dark Horse Books)
Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
The Advocate
Billboard
People
Variety
WINNER: Out
Outstanding Scripted Television Series
4 Estrellas (RTVE Play)
WINNER: Las Noches de Tefía (Atresplayer)
Las Pelotaris (Vix)
Sagrada Familia (Netflix)
Sin Huellas (Amazon Prime Video)
Outstanding TV Journalism
WINNER: “Adolescentes trans relatan su experiencia” Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo)
“Celebrando el orgullo” Noticiero Telemundo (Telemundo Chicago)
“Entrevista con Jesus Ociel Baena” Noticias 24/7 (Univision)
“Fe en la comunidad LGBTQ” Despierta América (Univision)
“El mes del orgullo” Univision Contigo (Univision Dallas)
“La directora Aitch Alberto presenta: ‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’” Ojo Crítico (CNN Español)
“La rapera Villano Antillano habla con Jorge Ramos sobre cómo su música está rompiendo estereotipos” Al Punto (Univision)
“‘La Sala’ brinda un lugar seguro para jóvenes de la comunidad LGBTQ+ en Washington Heights” Noticias 47 (Telemundo)
“Spirit Day” Hoy Día (Telemundo)
“Sufren en silencio” Noticias 52 (Telemundo)
Forget about the dog days, the “Days of Girlhood” are here! TikTok personality Dylan Mulvaney kicked off the week with the release of her debut non-holiday single “Days of Girlhood” (March 11) and followed that up with the unveiling of the track’s official music video on Wednesday (March 13).
“Calling women of all ages / Girls like me gotta learn the basics / Last look, quick change, sip champagne / Playin’ catch up ’cause we missed the pre-game,” she croons over a thumping pop-rock arrangement crafted by Nick Monson. Co-penned by Mulvaney and Skyler Stonestreet, the sugar-sweet pop single finds the influencer exalting the clichés of girlhood and honoring the impactful women in her own life.
Later in the song, which bears its title from that of her viral TikTok vlog series, Mulvaney appears to reference her Bud Light controversy, chanting, “Boys on the dance floor, it’s finally clear / The patriarchy is over, you can hold our beer!”
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The song’s Kajal-helmed music video opens with Mulvaney taking the dreaded “walk of shame” before assembling her girlfriends to start a recovery process that includes bubble baths, glasses of champagne, fun choreography by the swimming pool, and a strong commitment to pink, Barbiecore aesthetic. Several influences appear in the clip, including Gigi Gorgeous Getty, Veondre Mitchell and Loren Grey.
On Tuesday (March 12), Mulvaney shared a lengthy vlog reflecting on her second year of publicly transitioning to her Instagram and TikTok profiles. At the end of her reflections, she highlighted The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on LGBTQIA+ suicide prevention, saying, “Every time that you stream my song or use it on a social media app, any profits that I make through Pride Month, I will be donating to The Trevor Project.”
Mulvaney’s debut pop single comes a week after Lady Gaga came to her defense. In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8), Mulvaney shared a photoset of her and Lady Gaga posing together and interacting on the set of a photoshoot. An avalanche of transphobia ensued and on Monday (March 11), the Oscar-winning “Shallow” singer rebuked the vitriolic trolls.
“It’s obvious we still have to do as a society to make room for transgender lives to be cherished and upheld by all of us,” she wrote. “I feel very protective in this moment, not only of Dylan, but of the trans community who continues to lead the way with their endless grace and inspiration in the face of constant degradation, intolerance, and physical, verbal, and mental violence… I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally.”
While “Days of Girlhood” marks Mulvaney’s first proper pop single, it is not her first musical release. Last year (Dec. 15, 2023) she released a gloomy holiday single titled “Blue Christmas.”
Listen to “Days of Girlhood” and watch the music video above.
Renée Rapp used her time on stage at Thursday night’s (March 14) at the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards to speak her mind about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. While accepting the award for outstanding music artist at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles in front of a star-studded crowd, Rapp urged for an end to the hostilities that began after members of militant group Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, murdering, raping and assaulting more than 1,200 Israelis while taking more than 250 hostages.
“We’re in a room of very influential people, very privileged people, which is exciting and also a huge privilege to be a part of that,” Rapp said while reading a statement from her phone to applause from some in the room at the event hosted by Wayne Brady that also honored Niecy Nash-Betts, and Oprah Winfrey. “Having said that, I’d like to take the opportunity to show support and call for an immediate ceasefire and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
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The “Not My Fault” singer and Mean Girls star ended by urging the audience to “continue to advocate for yourselves, continue to advocate for your friends, your queer friends and for those who can’t advocate for themselves.”
To date, Israel’s deadly military response to the Hamas attack has reportedly killed more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank — many of them women and children — and displaced nearly two million Gazans as the war has dragged into its sixth month with no end in sight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a ceasefire to end the conflict that has also caused a massive humanitarian crisis, with the UN warning that more than half a million Palestinians are facing famine-like conditions in the territory where nearly all infrastructure has broken down.
To date a number of other celebrities have also called for a ceasefire, including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Susan Sarandon, Kehlani, The Weeknd, Annie Lennox, Hunter Schafer, Hozier, Pedro Pascal, Angelina Jolie, Mark Ruffalo and Boygenius. On Thursday, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer called for new elections in Israel to replace Netanyahu, saying the hardline leader’s government “no longer fits the needs of Israel.”
Schumer, who is Jewish and a long-time vigorous supporter of Israel, said, “As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may. But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7. In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election.”
See video of Rapp’s statement below.
Pride Month is only three months away, which means the latest batch of headliners for the annual festivities are finally being announced.
On Wednesday (March 13), OUTLOUD Music Festival at WeHo Pride announced their official lineup, featuring superstars Kylie Minogue, Janelle Monáe and Diplo as the official headliners. The two-day music festival will take place on Saturday, June 1, and Sunday, June 2, at West Hollywood Park in Los Angeles.
Produced by entertainment agency JJLA, the festival will also feature additional performances from artists including Doechii, Ashnikko, Noah Cyrus, Trixie Mattel, Big Freedia, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, VINCINT and more. The event will also feature a special dance music stage, with additional performers to be announced at a future date.
In a statement released alongside the news, OUTLOUD CEO Jeff Consoletti said that the event was originally created to “support emerging queer artists who gain invaluable exposure alongside some of the most iconic names in music,” and thanked the city of West Hollywood for “allowing us to amplify the voices of LGBTQ+ artists and celebrate our community together.”
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The annual event is one part of WeHo Pride Weekend, which is set to take place from Friday, May 31, to Sunday, June 2. Along with the OUTLOUD Music Festival, the celebration will feature a street fair, multiple parades, and Friday Night @ OUTLOUD, an additional concert with details around performers to be announced soon.
In her own Instagram post, Minogue celebrated the news with a candid picture of her stepping out of a trailer in an emerald green gown. “Oh hiiii @officiallyoutloud,” she wrote. “Come celebrate ALL the lovers with me at @wehopride.”
Passes for the event officially go on sale Friday, March 15, at 10 a.m. PT on OUTLOUD’s website. Check out the full lineup for OUTLOUD Music Festival 2024 below:
If you come for one of Lady Gaga‘s Little Monsters, then she’s going to bring her claws out. A few online trolls found that out the hard way on Monday (March 11) when Gaga shared a lengthy retaliation against critics of Dylan Mulvaney.
In an Instagram post, Gaga — who recently posed for a photo with the transgender influencer in honor of International Women’s Day — called out a wave of commenters who flooded Mulvaney’s post with anti-trans rhetoric. “It’s appalling to me that a post about [International] Women’s Day by Dylan Mulvaney and me would be met with such vitriol and hatred,” she wrote.
The “Born This Way” singer went on to share that news outlets shouldn’t be calling the transphobic response to Mulvaney a “backlash,” and instead refer to it for what it is: “Hatred is hatred, and this kind of hatred is violence,” she wrote. “‘Backlash’ would imply that people who love or respect Dylan and me didn’t like something we did. This is not backlash. This is hatred.”
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This isn’t the first time Mulvaney has found herself in the eye of an anti-trans publicity storm. Following a promotion she did with Bud Light in 2023, both the influencer and the brand received a massive influx of hatred, resulting in a boycott of Bud Light led by artists such as Kid Rock, Ted Nugent and others. Mulvaney later criticized the beer brand for turning “a blind eye” to the vitriol she received from their promotional clip. “For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse than not hiring a trans person at all,” she said.
In her post, Gaga took the opportunity to speak about the “immense work” that still needs doing when it comes to transgender acceptance around the world. “I feel very protective in this moment, not only of Dylan, but of the trans community who continues to lead the way with their endless grace and inspiration in the face of constant degradation, intolerance, and physical, verbal, and mental violence,” she wrote. “I certainly do not speak for this community, but I have something to say. I hope all women will come together to honor us ALL for International Women’s Day, and may we do that always until THE DAY that all women are celebrated equally.”
Closing out her post, Gaga urged her audience to “honor the complexity and challenge of trans life,” and once again reminded people to use the proper phrasing when speaking about transphobic speech. “I love people too much to allow hatred to be referred to as ‘backlash.’ People deserve better.”
Check out Gaga’s full Instagram post here.
While plenty of musicians made headlines at Sunday night’s (March 10) Academy Awards ceremony, one star managed to make a big difference.
During its annual Academy Awards viewing party on Sunday, the Elton John AIDS Foundation raised $10.8 million dollars for AIDS research. The money from the event will go toward the organization’s Rocket Fund, a fundraising initiative meant to “redouble the fight against AIDS everywhere,” according to the organization’s website.
“So far, this has been an extraordinary year beyond my wildest dreams, including the honor of achieving the EGOT, but it’s tonight’s gathering that is the ultimate highlight,” John said in a statement following the event. “I’m so grateful to everyone who comes out each year to have a lot of fun and do a whole lot of good together. We’ve been loud and proud about showing compassion and ending the dreadful stigma that follows HIV, and we won’t stop until we achieve our mission.”
The annual party — hosted this year by John, David Furnish, Tiffany Haddish, David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris — featured a star-studded guest list that included Sharon Stone, Donatella Versace, Danny DeVito and plenty more. During the evening, a multimillion-dollar live auction saw the organization sell off a number of luxury items, including a bedazzled Yamaha piano signed by John, two pinball machines, two pairs of Chopard earrings and a custom-made Rolex for John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
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At the night’s close, John performed alongside the evening’s musical guests, R&B-pop trio Gabriels, to his 1989 hit “Are You Ready for Love,” recreating an iconic moment from Glastonbury 2023 when Gabriels lead singer Jacob Lusk joined John onstage for the track.
“Every year, our iconic Oscar Party just gets bigger and better, a testament to the unwavering support of our passionate supporters,” Furnish said in a statement. “In such worrying times with the rise of discriminatory laws against the LGBTQ+ community in the U.S., it’s so important to stand up and raise awareness for the people who need our support the most. The funds raised tonight are helping us enhance access to vital health resources such as HIV testing and medication, making a tangible difference in countless lives. We couldn’t have done it without such a great showing of support.”
King Princess appreciates the culture of pop divas. The “1950” singer (real name Mikaela Straus) was a guest on a recent episode of the Queer the Music podcast, where they opened up about accidentally meeting Christina Aguilera in the studio. “I love when a pop girl is mean,” Straus said, before explaining that they were working […]
In between streams of the newest Ariana Grande album, why not listen to some new tunes from your favorite LGBTQ artists? 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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See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
From Girl in Red’s new pop-rock jam to Maggie Lindemann’s latest EP, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Girl in Red, “DOING IT AGAIN BABY”
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Get ready to rock out with Girl in Red’s latest feel-good anthem. “DOING IT AGAIN BABY,” the titular song off the singer-songwriter’s forthcoming album, is a picture-perfect slice of pop-rock drama, as Girl in Red basks in her own self image. Celebrating her fashion, her sound and even her taste in vintage wines, this instantly irresistable jam is sure to help you party your way through the weekend.
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Maggie Lindemann, HEADSPLIT
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For all the folks who get caught in their own head, Maggie Lindemann’s new EP HEADSPLIT is for you. On this eight-track collection of absolute bangers, the rising star takes her classic pop-punk sound and elevates it with ease, blending in some goth-rock, hyperpop and industrial for good measure. Singing about everything from red flags (“Deprecating”) to crippling anxiety (“Taking Over Me”), Lindemann makes sure that HEADSPLIT lives up to its title, in both ear-splitting sound and mind-bending lyrics.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise, “Superstar”
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Following the departure of their bassist Charlie Holt earlier this week, indie rock group Rainbow Kitten Surprise is ready to move forward into their fantasy with their latest single. “Superstar” sees the group taking a more pop-focused approach to their well-established sound — tightening the production and layering in some delicate guitars that build to a pounding chorus, where lead singer Ela Melo finds reassurance from her partner. From start to finish, there’s simply no denying that “Superstar” delivers on its promise.
Allison Ponthier, “Skin”
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Leave it to singer-songwriter Allison Russell to deliver a series of heartbreaking confessions with a soft smile. Throughout “Skin,” the singer drops lines that will make your heart drop (“She’s the people’s princess, pitchfork songstress, and I’m a gross fly on the wall” lands like a gut punch), all while delivering her dreamiest, most blissed-out sound to date. It’s a strange dichotomy that works in perfect synchronicity, as Ponthier yearns for the idealized version of herself over her most ideal song to date.
Jon Foreman feat. Joy Oladokun, “In Bloom”
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You might not immediately think that the lead singer of Switchfoot and a fast-rising folk singer would make a good pairing on a song — yet with “In Bloom,” Jon Foreman and Joy Oladokun prove that they most certainly do. The soft strums and gentle drum beats underscore the duo’s introspective lyrics throughout the gorgeous new song, as they look for hope in a world where it often feels in short supply, beautifully playing off one another’s voices with each passing verse. Spring may not quite be here yet, but with “In Bloom,” it might as well be.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
After Tennessee announced a new law in February that would make it harder for same-sex couples to get married in the state, singer-songwriter Cassadee Pope is taking her last name to heart. In a Reel posted on her Instagram on Monday (March 4), The Voice alum shared her distress at Tennessee’s new law. “I don’t […]