State Champ Radio

by DJ Frosty

Current track

Title

Artist

Current show
blank

State Champ Radio Mix

1:00 pm 7:00 pm

Current show
blank

State Champ Radio Mix

1:00 pm 7:00 pm


Pride

Page: 31

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.”

Trending on Billboard

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.”

Trending on Billboard

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.”

Trending on Billboard

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.

Trending on Billboard

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.

Explore

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”

[embedded content]

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.

Trending on Billboard

Maggie Lindemann, HEADSPLIT

[embedded content]

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”

[embedded content]

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”

[embedded content]

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”

[embedded content]

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 […]

With the massive success of the Netflix series Wednesday, the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race decided to offer its own take on the gothic teenager’s iconic look with another design challenge.
On Friday’s episode (aired March 1), the remaining queens were provided with black fabric and little else, as they attempted to try their hands — or more accurately, their sewing machines — at making neo-goth couture garments.

Proving herself yet again to be this season’s queen of fashion, Q managed to make a massive coat-dress that immediately impressed the judges, earning the star her second win of the season. Meanwhile, the judges told Plasma that her fashion needed a transfusion, whule Mhi’ya Iman LePaige couldn’t flip her way out of a third bottom placement.

Lip synching to a sped-up, TikTok-inspired version of Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary,” the bottom two gave their best renditions of Wednesday Addams’ disaffected dancing. But in the end, the Queen of Flips managed to pull out another transformative performance, sending Plasma packing.

Trending on Billboard

Below, Billboard chats with Plasma about the difficulties of a design challenge, why she doesn’t think fellow contestant Dawn “sabotaged” her, and how Drag Race is changing Broadway for the better.

[embedded content]

What, to you, has been the most surprising thing about the last couple months of fans getting to see you on the show?

Oh, that people don’t think I’m an absolute flop! I’m serious! The way in which I have been received as the most irritating queen — someone posted a TikTok that said, “Plasma is like if Miss Cracker snorted Jan.” First, I was like, “Ouch.” And then second, it was like, “Wow, what an amazing compliment.” I feel like I’ve been embraced in this warm, self-referential hug from the fandom, and I do really feel fabulous.

I have to say, my personal favorite of those kinds of funny reads was when Megami posted what she would’ve said in the reading challenge, and she said, “Plasma is known for her BFA — Being F–king Annoying.”

Girl! [Laughs.] I mean, “Being F–king Annoying” was brilliant and we were denied an opportunity to see her read me for filth on television. But it’s all good, Xunami really took the cake with that Jan. 6th read. Now, just to clear the air, since that challenge I’ve had a couple of people genuinely ask me where I was on Jan. 6th — I was at home in Texas, watching in shock and despair like we all were. It was definitely red territory, but not as red as a damn insurrection. Anyways, Xunami really ate me up with that one.

There’s been some comparison between you and Abbott Elementary star Chris Perfetti, who has since commented on the comparisons and said how complimented he feels by association. What was that like, seeing him respond that way?

I believe in the power of manifestation, and with those memes, I had been manifesting an opportunity to get in touch with Chris Perfetti and with the Abbott Elementary team. Like, for months, I have been manifesting this idea that I look so much like the gay teacher on Abbott, and I would love any opportunity to perform or to act with these people I respect in pop culture! I had this wild idea of me getting on the show for an episode and playing his brother, and maybe it’s a Drag Queen Story Hour storyline with the school, or some kind of narrative that isn’t so like, “Look at me, I’m a Drag Race girl doing a cameo on a show!” No, I want to be able to go on as a character under Quinta [Brunson]’s vision, that’s the dream. 

So, when he actually spoke about it and said he loved me and gave this very humbling compliment, I fell out. Like, that is the impact of Drag Race! It meant literally the entire world to me, and I would be so thrilled to work with him someday. He seems like an absolute gem. 

[embedded content]

The Drag Race impact is certainly having a much bigger effect lately — I mean this year alone, we have two former girls from the show, Jinkx Monsoon and Marcia Marcia Marcia, set to perform in blockbuster shows on Broadway. What does that tell you about how Drag Race, or maybe even the theater industry itself, is changing culture?

It’s terribly exciting, we love to see all of this happening. But I’m actually really glad you brought up both Jinkx and Marcia. Because Jinkx of course is a superstar, a legend. But Marcia is also making her debut in a queer-focused role, not a drag-focused role — and that’s important, because it tells me that the show is now reaching a mainstream capacity for understanding a queer experience that doesn’t necessarily hinge on drag. That’s incredible, because there’s so much more to the drag experience than putting on your wig and costume and going out and doing your three-and-a-half-minute Barbra Streisand ballad, in my case. It’s cool to see Broadway also starting to reflect a more human experience in queerness. 

So yeah, I’m very excited about that direction, especially for Broadway today, because it feels like for every Cabaret and Chicago we get, we’re also getting stuff like A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical. Or, as I joked as Patti LuPone on my Reels, “What the hell do we need a Jimmy Buffet musical for?” And all love and respect to the performers in the companies of those shows, a gig is a gig and I respect the hustle! Patti also said “Broadway is an amusement park right now,” and when I see people like Marcia getting Cabaret, or I see Jinkx starting in Chicago, and the going to Little Shop of Horrors, and playing Carnegie Hall, or even Peppermint starring in Head Over Heels on Broadway [in 2018] … it just feels like we’re heading the right way, thanks to all of these girls using the platform to change the narrative on Broadway and in entertainment. 

Well, we should at least talk a little bit about the show. I was a little gagged when they announced a third design challenge at the top of this episode. I appreciated in Untucked when you said that sewing is a fundamental part of drag that you also just don’t like. What is it about designing garments that doesn’t speak to you?

What is it that Violet Chachki quote? “If you call yourself a designer but you can’t sew, you are a fashion secretary.” And girl, I am the proudest fashion secretary out there! I have what I think is really great taste, and a good eye for design — I just do not necessarily have the technique or the background in sewing and creation to make it happen for myself. That said, I have an immense appreciation for everyone who sews.

Now I’m going to get on my soapbox — because on the show, people say, “She’s not a seamstress, so she doesn’t have the talent.” But my perspective is, I actually can sew, and if I had time, I would love to be a seamstress. However, the Drag Race industry waits for no one, so if you’re not coming in with an expert capability to sew and an expert knowledge of the sewing machine, how the hell are you going to make an impressive garment in 16 hours, like we’re being asked to on Drag Race? Like, I’m good at crafting, but crafting and sewing are two households, both alike in dignity, you know? I am proud and thrilled to get to stand alongside fashion girls like Q and Nymphia and Dawn, who killed this challenge. 

Speaking of Dawn, there were some insinuations from the judges about Dawn “sabotaging” you by saying that you should try a different silhouette in this challenge, and you were quick to say that you did not feel that way in Untucked. Where are you at with that today?

Look, for the people who are going to try and claim that she “sabotaged” me, I still do not feel that happened. She just gave me an idea that I ran with. I am not a seamstress, I chose to do something that was different from what I’d done. If I wanted to wear a floor-length trumpet gown, I f–king would have, because I won a challenge in one of those two weeks ago.

[embedded content]

Before we run out of time, I wanted to know, what music have you been listening to lately?

I’m still blasting Jessie Ware’s “Free Yourself” album [That! Feels Good!], I just cannot get enough. My dream collaboration would be recording a jazz cover with Jessie Ware. 

Puerto Rican hitmaker Young Miko is set to be honored with the Impact award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music event on Wednesday, March 6. Just ahead of the ceremony, Billboard takes a deep dive into Young Miko’s chart success, which includes two entries on the Billboard Hot 100. The 25-year-old artist born María Victoria […]

With a title like All Born Screaming, you’d be forgiven for assuming St. Vincent’s upcoming new album might be a dark affair. But according to the artist, one song in particular pays loving tribute to a late icon. Speaking to The Guardian in an interview published on Saturday (March 2), the singer — otherwise known […]