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With awards season well underway, LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD is ready to celebrate queer talent in the entertainment industry with the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards.
On Wednesday (Jan. 17), GLAAD announced the full list of nominees for their annual awards, which will take place in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 14, and in New York City on Saturday, May 11. Among the two major music categories at the annual ceremony, a total of 20 openly queer artists received plaudits.
In the awards’ main music category for outstanding music artist, GLAAD nominated Miley Cyrus, Janelle Monae, Boygenius, Billy Porter, Sam Smith, Troye Sivan, Brandy Clark, Kim Petras, Renee Rapp and Victoria Monet for their albums released in 2023.
Meanwhile, in the outstanding breakthrough music artist category — which celebrates new acts that earned new levels of mainstream success in 2023 — GLAAD named Chappell Roan, David Archuleta, Fancy Hagood, G Flip, Ice Spice, Iniko, Jade LeMac, The Scarlet Opera, Slayyyter and UMI as nominees.
Billboard also received two nominations at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards: one for outstanding print article for our June 2023 cover featuring Maren Morris in conversation with drag artists Sasha Colby, Symone, Eureka O’Hara and Landon Cider, and another for outstanding magazine overall coverage (digital and print).
In a statement released with the nominations, GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis congratulated this year’s honorees and celebrated the organization’s long history of supporting the LGBTQ community. “For 35 years, the GLAAD Media Awards has provided the global stage for LGBTQ creators, alongside industry talent and leaders to be celebrated and supported,” she said. “At a time when the LGBTQ community is under attack by false narratives and misinformation … this year’s nominees powerfully reflect the realities of LGBTQ existence today, in our communities and around the globe.”
Check out the complete list of nominations for the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards below:
Outstanding Music Artist
Billy Porter, Black Mona Lisa (Island UK/Republic Records)
boygenius, The Record (Interscope)
Brandy Clark (Brandy Clark)
Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure (Atlantic Records)
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast & Problematique (Amigo/Republic Records)
Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation (Columbia Records)
Renee Rapp, Snow Angel (Interscope)
Sam Smith, Gloria (Capitol Records)
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other (EMI Australia/Capitol Records)
Victoria Monet, JAGUAR II (Lovett Music/RCA Records)
Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist
Chappell Roan (Atlantic Records/Island Records)
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)
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)
Monica (IFC Films)
Our Son (Vertical Entertainment)
Passages (Mubi)
Summoning Sylvia (The Horror Collective)
Outstanding Film – Streaming Or TV
Cassandro (Amazon Prime Video)
Christmas on Cherry Lane (Hallmark Channel)
Friends & Family Christmas (Hallmark Channel)
Frybread Face and Me (Array Releasing)
Nuovo Olimpo (Netflix)
Nyad (Netflix)
Red, White, and Royal Blue (Amazon Prime Video)
Runs in the Family (Indigenous Film Distribution)
Rustin (Netflix)
You’re Not Supposed To Be Here (Lifetime Television)
Outstanding Documentary
Beyond the Aggressives: 25 Years Later (MTV Documentary Films)
Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (Netflix)
Every Body (Focus Features)
Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)
Little Richard: I Am Everything (Magnolia Pictures)
Orlando, My Political Biography (Janus Films)
Rainbow Rishta (Amazon Prime Video)
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (HBO Documentary Films)
The Stroll (HBO)
“UYRA – The Rising Forest“ POV (PBS)
Outstanding New Series
The Buccaneers (Apple TV+)
Class (Netflix)
Culprits (Hulu)
Deadloch (Amazon Prime Video)
Everything Now (Netflix)
Found (NBC)
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+)
The Last of Us (HBO)
The Other Black Girl (Hulu)
Tore (Netflix)
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)
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)
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)
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 Program
Bargain Block (HGTV)
Family Karma (Bravo)
I Am Jazz (TLC)
Living for the Dead (Hulu)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo)
Selling Sunset (Netflix)
Swiping America (Max)
TRANSworld Atlanta (Tubi)
The Ultimatum: Queer Love (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)
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)
“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 – Live Action
Heartstopper (Netflix)
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (Disney+)
Jane (AppleTV+)
Power Rangers Cosmic Fury (Netflix)
XO, Kitty (Netflix)
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)
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 Broadway Production
Fat Ham, by James Ijames
How to Dance in Ohio, by Jacob Yandura and Rebekah Greer Melocik
Melissa Etheridge: My Window, by Melissa Etheridge
Once Upon a One More Time, by Jon Hartmere
The Sign in Sydney Brustein’s Window, by Lorraine Hansberry
Outstanding Podcast
Finding Fire Island (Broadway Podcast Network)
Gay and Afraid with Eric Sedeño (Past Your Bedtime)
Las Culturistas (iHeart)
NPR’s Embedded (NPR)
Queen of Hearts (Wondery)
Rooted Recovery Stories (Promises Behavioral Health)
Sibling Rivalry (Studio 71)
That Conversation With Tarek Ali (Buzz Sprout)
This Queer Book Saved My Life (This Queer Book Productions, LLC)
TransLash (TransLash Media)
Outstanding Video Game
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)
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)
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 Variety or Talk Show Episode
“Certainty” Turning the Tables with Robin Roberts (Disney+)
“Chaos, Law, and Order” The Problem With Jon Stewart (Apple TV+)
“Cynthia Nixon and Kim Petras” Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
“Dulcé Sloan & Sasha Colby Talk What It Means to Be A Happy Trans Person” The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
“Elliot Page Opens Up In New Memoir: ‘It Felt Like The Right Time’” The View (ABC)
“The Hardest Fight Is the Fight Against Status Quo” The Conversations Project (Hulu)
“I’m Not Just Gay, I’m Your Son” Karamo (syndicated)
“Jennifer Hudson Surprises HIV Activist with $10,000” The Jennifer Hudson Show (syndicated)
“Trace Lysette & Patricia Clarkson, Laverne Cox” The Kelly Clarkson Show (syndicated)
“Unapologetically Me” Tamron Hall (syndicated)
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“11th Hour: Transgender Athletes and What People Don’t Understand” The 11th Hour (MSNBC)
“19-Year-Old Designer CJ King Gets Second Chance to Walk the Runway” GMA3 (ABC)
“The All in Y’all” (KEYE-TV CBS Austin)
“Anti-LGBTQ+ Law in Uganda that Threatens the Death Penalty Sparks International Outcry” PBS Newshour (PBS)
“Bringing Queer Joy into the World of Hip-Hop” ABC News Live Prime (ABC News Live)
“Des Moines LGBTQ Community Hosts First-Ever ‘People’s Pride‘” (WOI-TV Local 5 Des Moines)
“Geena Rocero Talks About Her New Memoir ‘Horse Barbie’ and the Power of Living Unapologetically” CBS Mornings (CBS)
“How Eco-Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Defines What It Means to Fight for the Environment” Nightline (ABC)
“New York City Gay Bar Deaths Classified as Homicides” (NBC News Now)
“One-on-One with the President of the American Medical Association (AMA)” The CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell (CBS)
Outstanding TV Journalism – Long-Form
“Beyond Limits: Who I Am” CBS Sports (CBS)
“CBS Reports: A Nation in Transition” CBS News (CBS)
“Club Q One Year Later” (KKTV CBS 11 Colorado)
“Freedom to Exist” Soul of a Nation (ABC)
“It’s Ok To Ask Questions – Pidgeon Pagonis” (WMAQ-TV NBC 5 Chicago)
“Marty’s Place: Where Hope Lives” (+Life Media with KGO-TV & ABC Localish)
“Our America: Who I’m Meant to Be” (ABC Owned Television Stations)
“Proud Voices: A NY1 Special” (Spectrum News NY1)
“Serving in Secret: Love, Country and ‘Dont Ask Don’t Tell’” (MSNBC)
“VICE Special Report – Out Loud // Big Freedia Presents: Young Queer Artists To Look Out For” (Vice News)
Outstanding Live TV Journalism – Segment or Special
“Capehart on SCOTUS rulings: ‘My Possibilities are Up to Them, Not Up to Me’” The Last Word (MSNBC)
“CNN’s Anderson Cooper Speaks With Lauri Carleton’s Daughter, Ari Carleton, About Her Mother’s Legacy” Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN)
“Flipping the Script: Live Interviews on LGBTQ+ Community” Morning News NOW (NBC News Now)
“Gio Benitez Interviews Sasha Velour on Her Book and the Climate of Drag in America” Good Morning America (ABC)
“Indiana Students Put on LGBTQ-Themed Play Themselves After it’s Canceled By the School” Yasmin Vossoughian Reports (MSNBC)
“José Díaz-Balart Reports: A Texas Mother’s Fight: the Case for Gender-Affirming Care” José Díaz-Balart Reports (MSNBC)
“One-on-One with Eureka O’Hara” The Reid Out (MSNBC)
“Pride Across America” (ABC News Live)
“TikTok Sensations ‘The Old Gays’ Talk About How They Became Friends and Their New Docuseries” TODAY with Hoda & Jenna (NBC)
“Two Anti-LGBTQ Bills Advance to Louisiana House” Breakdown (WWL-TV CBS New Orleans)
Outstanding Print Article
“As Drag Bans Proliferate, Maren Morris Goes Deep With Drag’s Biggest Stars on Why the Show Must Go On” by Stephen Daw (Billboard)
“Black Queer History is American History” by Myeshia Price (TIME)
“‘But Most of All I’m Human’: These 3 Transgender Teens Prove Identity Stretches Beyond One Label” by Susan Miller (USA TODAY)
“The Dancer” by Matt Kemper (The Atlanta-Journal Constitution)
“Heroism Overpowers Hate” by John Sotomayor (Embrace Magazine)
“Kim Petras Is Breaking the Mold” by Jeff Nelson (People)
“Pop Icons Are ‘Mothers’ Now. The LGBTQ Ballroom Scene Wants Credit.” by Samantha Cherry (The Washington Post)
“Stop Bad Hair and Uglier Legislation (The New Classics)” by Karen Giberson (AC Magazine)
“Transgender Youth: ‘Forced Outing’ Bills Make Schools Unsafe” by Hannah Schoenbaum and Sean Murphy (AP)
“We Have the Tools to Stop HIV. So Why Is It Still Spreading?” by LZ Granderson (Los Angeles Times)
Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
The Advocate
Billboard
People
Variety
Out
Outstanding Online Journalism Article
“The AP Interview: Pope Francis Says Homosexuality Not a Crime” by Nicole Winifield (AP.com)
“Book Banners Came for This Colorado Town. They Didn’t Anticipate Resistance.” By Jeff Fuentes Gleghorn (LGBTQNation.com)
“Evidence Undermines ‘Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria’ Claims” by Timmy Broderick (ScientificAmerican.com)
“From Drag Bans to Sports Restrictions, 75 Anti-LGBTQ Bills Have Become Law in 2023” by Jo Yurcaba (NBCNews.com)
“How the Latinx Drag Queens of Brooklyn Are Finding Freedom through Their Cultures” by Juan De Dios Sanchez Jurado (TeenVogue.com)
“Pedro Zamora, ‘Real World’ Star Who Died of AIDS, ‘Humanized the Disease for a Generation,’ Say Activists” by David Artavia (Yahoo.com)
“Pride Month Feels Different As Threats, Fear of Violence Grows” by Brooke Migdon (TheHill.com)
“Some Trans Kids Are Being Forced to Flee America for Their Safety” by Nico Lang (HuffPost.com)
“Stochastic Terrorism: Links between the GOP, Right-Wing Influencers & Neo-Nazi Violence” by Christopher Wiggins (Advocate.com)
“What Does Queer Gen Z Want on TV? Everything under the Rainbow” by Jude Cramer (INTOMore.com)
Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia
“7 Remarkable Trans Elders Share Lessons for the Next Generation” (them.us)
“Brave Spaces” (PBS.org)
“CANS Can’t Stand” (NewYorker.com)
“Club Q: Stronger Together” (NFL.com)
“‘I’ve Always Known I Was Different’: Four Trans People Share Their Stories” (WashingtonPost.com)
“Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Calls Out the New York Times’ Anti-Trans Coverage & Advice for Trans Youth” (Variety.com)
“Moving Isa” (Insider.com)
“People Come Out to Their Parents | Truth or Drink” (Cut.com)
“Protecting Pride: Resilience after Tragedy – Club Q Survivors Fight to Project Their Community” (GoodMorningAmerica.com)
“Transnational” (Vice.com)
Outstanding Blog
Charlotte’s Web Thoughts
Erin in the Morning
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
LawDork
Mombian
Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
The Queer Review
The Randy Report
The Reckoning
The Rot Spot
Special Recognition
The Dads (Netflix)
+Life Media
Love in Gravity
Relighting Candles (Hulu)
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé (AMC Theatres)
The Tennessee Holler
Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story
Outstanding Scripted Television Series (Spanish Language)
4 Estrellas (RTVE Play)
Las Noches de Tefía (Atresplayer)
Las Pelotaris (Vix)
Sagrada Familia (Netflix)
Sin Huellas (Amazon Prime Video)
Outstanding TV Journalism (Spanish Language)
“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)
Outstanding Online Journalism Article (Spanish Language)
“Abogan por una política pública contra la violencia hacia la comunidad trans en Puerto Rico” por Carolina Gracia (ElVocero.com)
“La activista trans que sepulta a sus amigas olvidadas: ‘Los primeros cuerpos los velaba yo sola, solita’” por Daniel Alonso Viña (ElPais.com)
“Carlos Adyan nos invita a su boda civil con Carlos Quintanilla: ‘Todo ha pasado como yo soñaba’” por Lena Hansen (PeopleEnEspanol.com)
“El eterno desafío de ser un hombre o mujer trans en El Salvador” por María Teresa Hernández (APnews.com)
“Familias latinas con menores trans temen a nuevas leyes que limitan el acceso a tratamientos médicos: ‘Es lo que ha mantenido a mi hija viva’” por Anagilmara Vílchez y Lourdes Hurtado (Telemundo.com)
“‘Hemos huido de algo muy cruel’: las familias que buscan una vida mejor para sus hijos transgénero en otros estados de EE.UU.” por Leire Ventas (BBC.com)
“Personas mayores LGBTQIA+ ‘tienen que regresar a un clóset para poder buscar vivienda’” por David Cordero Mercado y Joaquín A. Rosado Lebrón (PeriodismoInvestigativo.com & ElNuevoDia.com)
“Quiero que todo el mundo pueda decir libremente ‘así soy yo’” por Maria Mercedes Acosta (Sentiido.com)
“Reconocimiento a medias también es estigmatizante: RAE agrega ‘no binario/a’ a su diccionario” por Alex Orue (Homosensual.com)
“Wendy Guevara, la ‘perdida’ que lo ganó todo” por Jonathan Saldaña y Mari Tere Lelo de Larrea (Quien.com)
Outstanding Online Journalism – Video or Multimedia (Spanish Language)
“Conoce a la primera diputada negra y trans de Brasil” por Natalia Barrera Francis, Joyce García, David von Blohn, Paula Daibert y Claudia Escobar (Descoloniza – AJ+ Español)
“La increíble historia de cómo ‘Mami Ruddys’ refugió a decenas de jóvenes LGBTIQ en Puerto Rico” por Marcos Billy Guzmán y Pablo Martínez Rodríguez (El Nuevo Día)
“Mi novio vive con VIH y yo no: ser una pareja serodiscordante” por Mariana Escobar Bernoske y Daniela Rojas (La Disidencia – El Espectador)
“This gay cowboy convention celebrates sexual freedom — and Mexican identity” por Jackeline Luma, Kate Linthicum y Maggie Beidelman (Los Angeles Times)
“Villano Antillano cuenta todo de la realidad Queer de su música” por Yollotl Alvarado, René Barreto, Alfredo Castellanos, Sofía Reyes, Rai Irizarry, Arjun Demeyere, Luis Ramírez, Florencia Botinelli, Iván Juárez y Sebastian Fernández (GQ México y Latinoamérica)
Reconocimiento Especial /Special Recognition (Spanish Language)
Enamorándonos (Univision)
El Sabor de Navidad (Vix)
Drag Latina (Revry / LATV)
Wendy, perdida pero famosa (Vix)
2024 is finally here, meaning there’s no better time to start filling this year’s playlists with songs from your favortie queer 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.
From Lil Nas X’s long awaited return single to Kali Uchis’ gorgeous new album, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Lil Nas X, “J CHRIST”
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With the amount of not-so-righteous fury Lil Nas X created for the release of his newest single, you would be forgiven for expecting a controversial, buck wild track. But what the rapper’s new song “J CHRIST” exudes instead nothing short of unbothered confidence. On this bouncing new song, Lil Nas emphasizes his return to music after a year away, proclaiming “b—h, I’m back like J Christ/ I’m finna get the gays hype.” The star employs what works for him — high-camp delivery, simple beats and lots of flexing — in service of his long-awaited comeback (complete with another stunning video).
Kali Uchis, ORQUÍDEAS
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We won’t mince words — Kali Uchis’s fourth stuido album ORQUÍDEAS is a masterpiece. Throughout this 14-track instant classic, the Colombian star weaves her own Spanish-language tale of luxurious self-actualization, ranging from raging revenge (“Te Mata”) to doe-eyed infatuation (“Tu Corazón Es Mío…”). That fact is only further assisted by Uchis’s genre-spanning vision, bouncing between heartfelt R&B and fiery reggaeton with reckless abandon throughout the LP. Perhaps the most stunning example of her flirtation with new styles comes on “Igual Que Un Ángel,” where Uchis drops the disco ball and dances the night away with the once and future king of corridos tumbados, Peso Pluma. Make no mistake, Kali Uchis is here for the long haul, and ORQUÍDEAS is just the proof of concept to confirm that fact.
Serpentwithfeet, “Safe Word”
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In times of crisis — which have become invariably more frequent in recent years — there is a safety to be found in intimacy. Serpentwithfeet takes that concept and runs with it on his lush new single “Safe Word.” The undulating song sees Serpent reassuring his lover that as long as they’re together, all will be well — a gently strumming guitar underlines his message, lulling the listener into a sense of self-security within moments. Sweet, tender and doting, “Safe Word” wastes no time fulfilling the promise of its title.
MICHELLE, “NEVER AGAIN”
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Once you start listening to Michelle’s “Never Again,” you’ll find yourself stuck in a dichotomy of opposing tones. On the one hand, the song’s delicate melody and soft rhythms will immediately put you in a place of placid comfort, like a warm hug at the end of a hard day. On the other, the lyrics will tell a very different story — one of regret and firm boundaries, where the band tells their former flame that they’re done for good. “So never again, never with you/ I wanna rewind and undo,” they sing. Putting those seemingly competing concepts together, though, makes for yet another excellent track from the rising New York sextet.
Aaron Lee Tasjan, “Horror of it All”
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Growing up queer is rarely a particularly fun experience, and Aaron Lee Tasjan is ready to reflect on the “Horror of it All” with his latest single. Taking an 80’s, glam-rock inspired look at the LGBTQ high school experience, Tasjan carefully illustrates a portrait of hormones, anxiety, fear, delusion and ultimately self-confidence. If you’re concerned about the song lacking more modern flair, don’t fret — Tasjan sprinkles in just enough hyperpop, synthwave flair to make “Horror of it All” feel like a breath of fresh air.
Bright Light Bright Light, “You Want My …”
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If you’re still in the mood for some ’80s flair, then Bright Light Bright Light is here to deliver. With his new single “You Want My …,” Welsh singer-songwriter Rod Thomas embraces a Pet Shop Boys-esque sonic sensibility — complete with sinister synths, bombastic drums and a flair for dramatic lyrics. Waving goodbye to another lover while entering the dancefloor, Thomas makes sure to throw a cheeky wink to George Michael in as well, referencing his classic single “I Want Your Sex” as the delectable chorus makes touchdown.
K.Flay, “Carsick”
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Let’s amp up the angst, shall we? K.Flay fuels up her latest release “Carsick” with a lethal dose of the stuff from the moment she opens her mouth. Vivid imagery and drilling production create a perpetual state of unease throughout the opening lines, before exploding into a fiery chorus kissing-off a toxic ex. Sure, the metaphor of a brutal car crash for a failed relationship may have been done before, but rarely to this visceral an effect — something K.Flay has always excelled at.
Sarah Barrios, “Teenage Rebellion”
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To every person who once exclaimed to a parent that they just don’t understand, this song is for you. Singer-songwriter Sarah Barrios infuses her thrilling new anthem “Teenage Rebellion” — which also serves as the official theme song for Fantasy High: Junior Year, the latest season of the extremely popular Dungeons & Dragons actual play show Dimension 20 — with every ounce of insurgency a good pop-rock track can muster. Guitars rage and voices chant as Barrios recounts the frustration of those final years of youth, while reminding herself that things will ultimately be alright. After all, “it’s our time, it’s our year!”
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
He’s pole-danced to hell, he’s broken out of prison and he’s even eloped with his football-playing boyfriend. Now, Lil Nas X is ready to strut his way through the Pearly Gates.
On Friday (Jan. 12), the rapper shared his much-hyped music video for “J CHRIST,” taking the Biblical title to its furthest extent. The clip opens with a series of celebrity lookalikes — ranging from Taylor Swift to Kanye West to a moonwalking Michael Jackson — as they climb the stairway to heaven. Upon arrival, they’re greeted at the entrance by a dragged-up Lil Nas X, declaring he’s reading to “walk up in the club poppin’ s–t like it was Doublemint.”
The video — directed by Lil Nas X himself — then proceeds to show a series of callbacks to his hellish video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” showing the oft-discussed pole to hell and a demonic Lil Nas X stirring a cauldron of arms and legs. Flying back up to heaven, Lil Nas reunites with his former flame the Devil, this time in a one-on-one basketball game where the rapper soars over his head, dunks the ball, and celebrates with a personalized cheerleading routine.
For the remainder of the video, fans are treated to a host of Biblical vignettes — Jesus’ crucifixion, Nabal shearing David’s sheep, Moses parting the Red Sea — before the rapper transforms into Noah, ushering the denizens of Earth onto a massive ark to survive the flooding of the world. “Back up out the gravesite/ B—h, I’m back like J Christ,” he declares over a pounding beat. “I’m finna get the gays hype/ I’m finna take it yay high.”
As a storm subsides and Nas’ Noah survives, the screen declares that this is “Day Zero” of “a new beginning,” sharing a quote from 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
The “J CHRIST” video comes after Lil Nas X spent much of the week promoting his single the best way he knows how — trolling. Whether he was posting a fake acceptance letter to Liberty University or declaring that his new music would be released independently, the singer made sure that his name was on everyone’s lips throughout the week.
Check out the official video for “J CHRIST” below:
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After going to hell and back (literally) during his last album cycle, rapper and pop provocateur Lil Nas X is ready to walk through the Pearly Gates.
On Friday (Jan. 12), the singer unveiled his long-awaited new single “J CHRIST,” a pounding pop-rap track that sees the “Call Me By Your Name” singer reveling in his own comeback — much like the “MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME” Jesus Christ, as Lil Nas X described him.
Lil Nas X wrote and directed the official music video, which arrived at midnight and features the artist in various roles — playing hoops, as a cheerleader, in the gladiatorial ring, and strapped to the cross.
“Is he up to somethin’ only I-I know?/ Is he ’bout to hit ’em with the high-igh note/ Is he ’bout to give ’em something vi-iral,” he sings on the slick chorus, before later declaring that “B—h, I’m back like J Christ.”
“J CHRIST” marks Lil Nas X’s first official release in over a year — his last release, the League of Legends collaborative anthem “Star Walkin’,” released in September 2022.
The release comes on the heels of a major marketing push from the “Industry Baby” singer, who spent much of the week promoting the single through a series of viral posts. In one string of TikToks, Lil Nas X joked that he was releasing new gospel music independently, while threatening to “expose y’all favorite artists” with his new song. An Instagram post, meanwhile, saw the singer post a fake acceptance letter to Christian college Liberty University, telling his followers that “not everything is a troll” (representatives for the university have since said that they did not admit Lil Nas X for the fall 2024 semester).
The rapper drew intense criticism in the run-up to releasing “J CHRIST” for his use of religious iconography, with commentators claiming that he was “mocking” and “disrespecting” Christianity.
Lil Nas shut down the claims in a tweet, saying “Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of shit. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu.”
Watch Lil Nas X’s “J CHRIST” below:
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Lil Nas X is continuing his teasers for his upcoming single, “J CHRIST,” and he took to Instagram on Thursday (Jan. 11) to share another teaser from the accompanying music video. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the clip, the 24-year-old star is seen portraying Moses […]
A few things are fundamentally true about the world: The sky is blue, grass is green and Lil Nas X is an expert troll. Now, the “Call Me By Your Name” singer is catching the ire of Twitch streamer Kai Cenat over the rapper’s latest string of posts.
In a stream on Thursday, Cenat went on a screaming rant about the rapper following the artist’s latest string of promotions for his new single. “No, f–k that! Yo, Lil Nas X, you could eat my whole d–,” he yelled, cutting himself off before finishing the last word. “I hate that n—a, bro. Now that’s just popping in my head, bro … God is going to handle you in the right way. I don’t even want to talk about that yet, bro. But, look — God is going to handle you, bro.”
When a friend on the stream asked Cenat to explain what he was upset about, Cenat refused to get specific, instead saying to “go to his page, bro. He disrespected God himself … he disrespected the whole culture, mocking it, making fun.”
Billboard has reached out to Lil Nas X’s reps for comment.
Over the last week, Lil Nas X posted across his social media, promoting his new single “J CHRIST,” dedicating his new track to Jesus Christ, “THE MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME.” Along with sharing teasers for the new song and video, the singer announced that he was entering his “Christian era,” joked that he’d release his gospel music independently and even shared a fake acceptance letter to conservative Christian college Liberty University, prompting the school to clarify that he had not actually been admitted.
But amid his persistent trolling, Lil Nas X also got real with his fans, explaining that the backlash to his use of religious themes throughout his music reeked of hypocrisy. When commenters lambasted the cover art of his new single — which features him being hoisted up on a black cross — as disrespectful to Christians, the rapper clapped back quickly. “the crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of jesus,” he wrote. “Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of s–t. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu.”
In another post, Lil Nas addressed claims that he trolls Christians too often. “y’all judge everything at face value. i’ve never released a visual without an underlying meaning and y’all know that. but since i’m a troll y’all discount my art as just ‘pissing ppl off,’” he wrote.
In a later post, he elaborated further, saying he didn’t appreciate the comparisons he received to artists such as Madonna and Lady Gaga, who also used Christian iconography in their art. “the problem with a lot of yall gays is yall think im trying to be like gaga or madonna when in reality with all due respect idgaf what they did and im doing what i want with my career.”
As Lil Nas X ascends into his Christian era, one Christian organization is making it clear that it has nothing to do with the superstar — and that’s Liberty University. In a post to his Instagram on Tuesday (Jan. 9), the “Industry Baby” rapper claimed that he had been accepted into the Christian school founded […]
Natalie Bassingthwaighte will deliver an exclusive performance at the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras — her first since coming out.
The Rogue Traders singer and Australian TV celebrity is locked in for the first-ever Mardi Gras Debutante Ball for First Timers, hosted at Kinsela’s in Darlinghurst.
In addition to being guest of honor at the deb ball, Nat Bass, as she’s affectionately known in these parts, will perform some of her “all-time favorite hits” while “sharing her story,” reps say.
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As singer with Rogue Traders, Bassingthwaighte has landed silverware and international hits. In 2006, two of those Rogue Traders numbers cracked the U.K. top 40, including the club track “Voodoo Child,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
Also, the dance act won an ARIA Award in 2003 for “One of My Kind” (best dance release) and two APRA Music Awards, for “Way to Go!” in 2006 (most performed dance work) and “In Love Again” in 2008 (dance work of the year).
“Being able to attend my first Mardi Gras as a new member of the queer community, surrounded with so much love, joy and acceptance is so special to me,” Bassingthwaighte says in a statement, “and what’s even more special is knowing that I get to share this memorable experience with other First Timers of diverse queer identities.”
LGBTQIA+ community trailblazers and Mardi Gras custodians will also be watching on, including LGBTQIA+ advocate Robyn Kennedy, who is an original first-timer having attended the first ever Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 1978, plus Making It Australia judge Benja Harney, and trans couture designer couple, Katie Louise Nicol-Ford and Lilian Nicol-Ford.
Johnnie Walker is a sponsor of the 2024 Mardi Gras, and is sponsoring the inaugural Mardi Gras Debutante Ball, which celebrates “those who have, up until now, been unable to attend.” The whisky brand is getting into the spirit of Mardi Gras with a competition, which invites first timers to enter for a chance at an all-expenses paid experience.
The colorful LGBTQI party, march and festival is typically attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and abroad, and is set for Feb. 16 to March 3.
Bassingthwaighte reunited with her Rogue Traders bandmates last year for “To The Disco,” the first release from Rogue Traders in over a decade. The dance act supported the release with a slate of performances.
Lil Nas X is continuing his teasers for his upcoming single, “J CHRIST,” and he took to Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 10) to unveil a sneak peek of the music video. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the brief clip, celebrity look-alikes of stars including Taylor […]
After a quiet 2023, Lil Nas X is kicking off 2024 with a brand new song — and he’s dedicating it to the one and only Jesus Christ. On Monday (Jan. 8), the rapper announced that his new gospel song set for release on Friday (Jan. 12) is titled “J CHRIST.” The cover art for […]