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One day after Chappell Roan announced she was pulling out of 2024’s All Things Go Festival to “prioritize [her] health,” MUNA paid tribute to the Midwest princess during their set at the music fest on Saturday (Sept. 28) night.
“We acknowledge that somebody very special is missing tonight,” said Katie Gavin, the band’s singer, from the stage at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. “We just want to say that we love Chappell so much. We started as a queer band in 2014, and we’ve really been given the time and the grace that we needed to be nourished as artists. We wish nothing but that times a million for her.”
Roan, who had been scheduled to play All Things Go NYC on Saturday and All Things Go D.C. on Sunday, explained she was feeling “overwhelmed” in a statement on Friday (Sept. 27) and would be canceling her All Things Go appearances to focus on her health. Prior to the cancelation, Roan had received flak from some fans and pundits for refusing to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president, though Roan explained she would be voting for Harris in the 2024 election.
The rock band – made up of Gavin, Josette Maskin and Naomi McPherson – went one step further than just talking about Roan, too, performing a “tribute” to the pop supernova that they pulled together at the last minute. Guitars in hand, the trio delivered a gorgeous, stripped-down cover of Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!”, which currently sits at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Prior to MUNA’s set, a coterie of drag performers (including RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Yvie Oddly and NYC queen Beaujangless) led the crowd through a joyous Chappell Roan dance party during what would have been her time slot.
Roan wasn’t the only one MUNA dedicated a song to. Prior to “Kind of Girl” from their self-titled 2022 album, Gavin said, “We’re gonna dedicate this song to all the trans cuties that are here with us tonight.” Nor was it their only cover, with MUNA leading the Forest Hills Stadium in a sing-along to Vanessa Carlton’s 2002 smash “A Thousand Miles.”
Near the end of their set, MUNA got explicitly political, with Gavin reading a pre-written statement.
“We are staunchly against the American far-right, and we’re terrified of the way that an anti-queer and anti-trans attitude has manifested itself in our current political climate,” Gavin said. “On top of this, we want abolition. We want the wellbeing of people and animals and land to be prioritized over the wellbeing of the global market. And we want total disarmament and world peace now. And there should be nothing f–king controversial about saying that.”
As her bandmates nodded and the crowd cheered, Gavin continued. “We want to say ‘f—k fascism’ and very importantly we continue to say, ‘Free free Palestine.’” Gavin then started a brief “free free Palestine” chant that some of the crowd participated in.
Gavin’s comments dovetail with what Roan said in a TikTok video that posted on Wednesday (Sept. 25). “Obviously, f–k the policies of the right — but also, f–k some of the policies on the left. That’s why I can’t endorse. There is no way I can stand behind some of the left’s completely transphobic and completely genocidal views,” Roan said. “F–k Trump, for f–king real, but f–k some of the s–t that has gone down in the Democratic Party that has failed people like me and you, and more so Palestine, and more so every marginalized community in the world.”
MUNA’s comments arrive almost a year after a terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023, including around 360 people killed at the Nova Music Festival, according to officials. During the attack, more than 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas, with around 117 of them being returned and eight freed by Israeli troops since then. The bodies of 37 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by Israeli troops. Israel’s retaliatory military strikes in Gaza have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including more than 10,000 children, according to health officials in the territory. More than one million people have been displaced, leading to widespread famine and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Elsewhere in New York City on Saturday night, Doja Cat also addressed the ongoing wars from the stage at Global Citizen Festival in Manhattan’s Central Park. “Right now, millions of men, women and children in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the Congo and all across the world are suffering. In times like this, it is important to remember that together we have the power to bring change, love, light and hope to those that need it most,” the rapper said. “Please keep using your voice to help those fleeing violence get the food, shelter and education they need and deserve.”
In need of some new tunes from your favorite queer artists? We’re here 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 Lady Gaga’s Joker-inspired new album to Willow’s new team-up with Kamasi Washington, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Lady Gaga, Harlequin
From what little we’ve seen of Harleen “Lee” Quinzel in the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux, it’s safe to say that Lady Gaga’s character is not so easy to describe. Yet Gaga sets out to do just that on Harlequin, her freewheeling new album that explores Harley Quinn’s psyche through a blur of genre-defying songs. Blasting her way through modernized, reimagined versions of jazz standards and classic showtunes (“Get Happy,” “That’s Life” and “Good Morning” among them), Gaga also takes a moment to deliver deeply personal, emotive original tracks, like on album standout “Happy Mistake.” As fans keep waiting for the singer’s long-awaited seventh studio album, Harlequin offers a moment of respite in the chaotic soundscape of her twisted character’s mind.
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Willow feat. Kamasi Washington, “Wanted”
One of the standout tracks on Willow’s new deluxe version of her excellent 2024 album Empathogen is “Wanted,” a flittering, frantic new song that perfectly encapsulates the singer’s experimental approach to her latest project. Calling up saxophone aficionado Kamasi Washington for an assist, “Wanted” sees the young singer flipping between tempos, genres and lyrical ideas as she insists that the “wanted to run” before falling back into the routine of a relationship: “I wanna be infatuated” she breathes on this head-spinning new song.
Sophie, SOPHIE
Trying to communicate all the Sophie was in a single album is a virtually impossible task — yet Benny Long, the late producer’s brother, does a commendable job on Sophie, the posthumous album comprising of 16 songs the pop iconoclast worked on up until her untimely death. Spanning techno, pop, R&B and industrial experimental sounds, this undulating project takes listeners on a journey all throughout Sophie’s many different sonic touchpoints, while offering slots to featured guests on the way — including Hannah Diamond, Kim Petras, Bibi Bourelly and more — to pay tribute to the icon one final time.
Michelle, Songs About You Specifically
Welcome to New York pop collective Michelle’s imperial pop phase. On their third album Songs About You Specifically, the group embraces the cult of personality built around boy bands and girl groups, alongside their off-kilter sonic stylings, to make a record that sounds like an instant classic from the moment it starts. The sweltering, talk-box assisted stylings of “Akira,” in particular, stand out as an all-timer in the band’s discography. Songs About You Specifically may not fit into a clean-cut genre, but that’s what makes Michelle’s new effort that much more fascinating to hear.
Towa Bird, “Rat Race”
In 2024, Towa Bird has been enjoying a new level of popularity among music fans — now, she’d like to talk about the work it took to get here. On “Rat Race,” the British guitarist goes out of her way to point out the troubling trend of streaming algorithms, label execs and nefarious external forces trying to dictate the way her career ought to go — “High notes when you’re singing my praise/ Low lows, I don’t get enough plays,” she seethes on the punk-inspired opening verse. Through fuzzy guitar lines and drum section that never relents, Bird makes her feelings clear: “Go f–k your stupid f–kin’ rat race.”
Katie Gavin, “Inconsolable”
When Katie Gavin said that she was inspired by Lilith Fair for her solo album, she was not joking. “Inconsolable,” the latest single off her forthcoming LP What a Relief, sees Gavin diving headfirst into the folk-forward singer-songwriter aesthetic, complete with devastatingly honest lyrics, beautiful banjo and fiddle orchestrations, and a vocal that conveys all the pain and wonder of choosing to keep trying in a relationship. Fans of MUNA’s stunning ballad “Kind of Girl” are in for a treat when they hear Gavin absolutely nail this gorgeous folksy ode.
Michaela Jaé, 33
Michaela Jaé is here to let you have it — on her debut album 33, the Pose and Loot star declares that she is a musical force to be reckoned with. Telling the story of her own journey of self-discovery through the lens of an android (named Model 33F7) re-integrating her own memories to find out who she truly is. Over a buffet of power pop (“I Am”), R&B (“Forever”) and funk (“Started From”), Jaé accomplishes her goal — and successfully re-introduces herself to the world.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
As their third album arrives, New York collective MICHELLE is leaning into boy bands and girl groups for inspiration.
It’s not that their latest, Songs About You Specifically out today via Transgressive Records, particularly sounds like One Direction, Spice Girls or Fifth Harmony, but examples of modern pop with four lead vocalists are hard to come by outside those groups.
“When you’re trying to learn vocal arrangements and trying to reference music that also has this many vocals, the only music you can find are these girl bands,” says Julian Kaufman, who, along with Charlie Kilgore, handles much of the production in the band. “There are girl bands like The Shirelles from the ‘50s and ‘60s that are a singing a little more vintage pop and that’s great. But in the last 30 years, all you really get is the *NSYNCs and the Fifth Harmonies of the world.”
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On Songs About You Specifically, tapping into those inspirations has led to all the voices of MICHELLE singing out in crisp clarity on songs collectively written in the small town of Ojai, Calif. outside of Los Angeles.
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Unlike their previous releases (2018’s HEATWAVE and 2022’s After Dinner We Talk Dreams), their third studio album does not divvy up songs by each singer and features multiple vocalists on each track, which adds a richness to the sextet’s unique brand of indie pop.
“We try very hard to make sure everybody sounds different,” says Kaufman, adding they have the vocalists (Sofia D’Angelo, Layla Ku, Emma Lee, and Jamee Lockard) sing on different mics and took inspiration from mid 2010’s hip-hop where features took on extremely different resonances when they were recorded separately and stitched together in a studio. “[We were] making sure that each singer has a slightly different sense of harmony. The first verse of ‘The Dropout’ and the second verse of the song have the same melody, but one is sung by Layla and one is sung by Jamee and the harmony stacks they sing are different… Can you hear any of this stuff? No, but it all adds up to subtle things in your brain.”
While some contemporary artists might scoff at the bubblegum pop comparisons, D’Angelo loves it. “Wait, so when you listen to MICHELLE, are you like, ‘Oh my god, that’s Emma. Oh my god, that’s Jamee. Oh my god, that’s Layla. Oh my god, that’s Sofia’? Hell yeah,” she says. “I’m freaking out about this, because this is what I would do with One Direction.”
MICHELLE is also leaning into the stage presence of the major pop acts. While a MICHELLE show has never lacked energy, Ku says people can expect more elaborate choreography. “Shout out to overlord Lee. She choreographs everything with great intent,” Ku says. “We’ve been putting so much work into this dancing element of our performance. It’s become very visually pleasing. I see videos of us dancing and I’m like, ‘Yeah, we ate that up.’”
Audiences can also expect live drums, coordinated outfits (not matching just yet, but they tease the possibility) and lots of hairography.
“The last two shows we did [on the Still Woozy tour] we had wind machines or fans at the edge of the stage. Oh boy, did that make a difference,” says Lee. “You’re like, this is just where I stand to sing and then you see a video and…it’s life changing.”
“Those experiences when the fan was in my hair made me realize this is what I’ve always wanted to do for my whole life. This is what I would do with the hair dryer in my bathroom when I was a kid singing Miley Cyrus or Britney Spears or Beyoncé or whatever,” says D’Angelo. “The hair is really the fifth vocalist, the fifth dancer in the band.”
When the group was recording the new record in Ojai, they would split up into writing groups of two or three and whichever group finished their track first would make dinner for everyone else. Having six writers, all from varying backgrounds, genders, sexualities and styles gives MICHELLE the rare ability to create honest music from many perspectives.
“It’s so exciting that we can write about queer relationships or maybe an experience that only two of the members have had, but we can present it under [MICHELLE],” says Lee. “We have this vessel to constantly be tons of different things that are true to different parts of the group.”
MICHELLE has successfully avoided being pigeonholed as just a queer band or just a pop group over the past six years, as their sound has evolved and changed. For their latest, direct inspiration is extremely difficult to pinpoint. There are the ‘90s R&B sounds on “Akira” and the beachy breeziness of “Cathy.” There are traces of late 2000s and early 2010s indie like Phantogram and Phoenix, alongside consistently strong basslines and danceable drumbeats.
“Sonically, it is not very clear what genre this [album] is. That is something we were going for,” says Kaufman. “We were trying to have that thing where you put on this album and it’s not exactly just another pop album. This is MICHELLE. That’s the intention.”
“When we went into writing we wanted to experience catharsis and really express ourselves,” says D’Angelo. “With this record, it was anything goes in terms of what we were bringing into the room. The focus was just crafting great music, helping each other. If someone had an idea, being there for them.”
The group has always billed themselves as a predominantly queer collective and, as the culture embraces LGBTQIA+ artists like Chappell Roan, MUNA, Reneé Rapp, Janelle Monáe and more, MICHELLE sees this as a turning point for queer representation.
“Queer people aren’t going anywhere. Lesbians aren’t going anywhere,” says Lockard. “We finally reached a moment in pop culture where queer people feel comfortable sharing who they are and it’s being well received. It’s just going to continue to grow as younger queer listeners are hearing these artists and writing their own stories.”
“The only element of this moment that I’m looking forward to ending….” Ku adds — pausing while her bandmates laugh, in order to reassure, “Everyone’s going to be like, ‘I feel that’ at the end of my sentence. Don’t worry.
“Whenever there’s rumblings of a cultural shift with young people, there is a quick [instinct to] vulture, to prey, swarm, that companies hop on,” she continues. “The music industry is a huge perpetrator of that — and I look forward to when the commodification of queer aesthetic and art comes to a close. So many of our queer musical predecessors did it in anonymity for so long, and I look forward to when it’s just music and stories being told by these people are accepted and understood to be regular rather than something to profit off of.”
Yes, JoJo Siwa is aware that there are a lot of people making fun of her — and she’s fine with that.
In a new cover story for Ladygunn, Siwa spoke at length about her relationship with fame, revealing that as long as people are talking about her, she feels as though she’s done her job. “I’m an attention whore,” she said. “My favorite thing to do on this earth is to entertain and to make people smile and laugh, whether or not they are laughing with me or laughing at me. Obviously, no one likes being hated, but I enjoy being entertaining, and that is how people are entertained.”
Expanding on her point, Siwa added that she felt “any attention is attention,” and shared an anecdote about correcting her management team on their stated goals for her career. “I just signed with new management, and they’re great, amazing people,” she said. “They were like, ‘All right, we got to get people to rally around you and really start to like you.’ And I was like, ‘Oh no, that’s not the point.’”
The “Guilty Pleasure” singer said that her relationship with attention came in part from her admiration of YouTubers Jake and Logan Paul. “I pulled so much of my social media marketing and inspiration from them back in the day,” she said. “Their views, their numbers, their marketing — they were geniuses. They still are geniuses … all I wanted to do was be them. And so I figured, ‘How can I do that but in my world?’”
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Siwa managed to keep fans’ attention with her cover shot for the magazine, in which she wore a bedazzled corset in the shape of a man’s torso along with a rhinestoned codpiece. Rising hip-hop star GloRilla even shared her thoughts on the photo, simply writing on X, “Ok moose knuckle.”
The story comes after a year of headline-making antics for Siwa. Upon the release of her “bad girl” single “Karma” back in April, fans were shocked by the performer’s Kiss-inspired music video look, as well as her jerking dance moves. When she told Billboard in a video interview that she wanted to create a new genre called “gay pop,” she was roundly criticized by fellow queer artists and critics alike.
But, as Siwa sees it, her plan worked. “Karma is still an earworm. It’s crazy that it still has some relevance five months later,” she said in her interview. “And that’s the whole point.”
Chappell Roan says she’s been diagnosed with severe depression, but she hasn’t been feeling sad.
The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer-songwriter, just named best new artist at the MTV VMAs, tells The Guardian she’s “in therapy twice a week” while on the road for her Midwest Princess Tour. The trek currently has her in London (Sept. 21), with a stop in Berlin next (Sept. 23) before she returns to the U.S. for a handful of concerts, beginning with the All Things Go Festival in New York City on Sept. 28.
“I went to a psychiatrist last week because I was like, I don’t know what’s going on,” Roan shared with the publication for a profile released on Saturday.
“She diagnosed me with severe depression — which I didn’t think I had because I’m not actually sad,” she said. “But I have every symptom of someone who’s severely depressed.”
Roan’s symptoms have included brain frog, forgetfulness, poor focus and “a very lackluster viewpoint.”
“I think it’s because my whole life has changed,” she said of her current symptoms. “Everything that I really love to do now comes with baggage. If I want to go thrifting, I have to book security and prepare myself that this is not going to be normal. Going to the park, pilates, yoga — how do I do this in a safe way where I’m not going to be stalked or harassed?”
Later in the article, she said that “every time I walk through my front door, it just comes out of me … I can’t even help it, I just start sobbing and either being so angry at myself for choosing this path, or grieving how the curiosity and pure wonder I had about the world is somewhat taken away from me.”
The upside of fame: the opportunity it brings. “I get to feel the energy of other people. It’s so cool to have shows so packed and have so much joy in the room,” she said.
Roan — whose debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and who has seen seven songs chart on the Hot 100 in just the past five months — isn’t alone in experiencing complex feelings about fame (“I was warned that it’s going to feel like going through puberty again,” she told The Guardian. “My body does feel different. It’s holding tension in a very different way: I have all these new emotions and I’m really confused”). She’s bonded with peers in the industry over the pressure that comes with such a sudden rise, meeting up with Sabrina Carpenter and texting Lorde for advice.
“We’re both going through something so f—ing hard,” said Roan of Carpenter in a recent Rolling Stone cover story, sharing that the “Espresso” hitmaker “feels like everything is flying, and she’s just barely hanging on.”
Roan has been open about how she’s feeling with fans, too. In August, she penned a statement on Instagram about setting boundaries with those engaging in “predatory behavior (disguised as ‘superfan’ behavior) that has become normalized because of the way women who are well-known have been treated in the past.”
“I embrace the success of the project, the love I feel, and the gratitude I have. What I do not accept are creepy people, being touched, and being followed,” she wrote.
The singer-songwriter, now 26, has also been candid about pre-fame mental health struggles. Roan was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder at age 22.
She described her childhood experience in an interview last year with the University of Southern California’s Daily Trojan: “Being bipolar, I was so depressed as a little kid and so angry. You just think you’re such a bad person, and don’t realize that you’re really sick and need help, and our parents don’t know how to deal with it. I think it’s like rewiring my brain to be like, ‘Actually, you’re a good person, and you’re creating a safe space and music for people to dance to.’”
In 2022, she posted on Instagram about her bipolar II disorder, telling fans “it’s pretty hard to keep it together” and balance work and fan commitments with her therapy schedule. She noted, “I don’t really talk about it much, but it affects me daily and is a pretty big part of my music.” In 2023, she wrote about it again on Instagram: “i am very fortunate and grateful to have my dream job,” she said, but added, “This job is very difficult for me to process and maintain a healthy life & mindset. I already have difficulty regulating my emotions because I have bipolar 2 disorder.”
Read Roan’s latest conversation with The Guardian here. Roan’s upcoming tour dates can be found on her official website.
In a year fraught with festival cancelations due to increasing costs of production and severe weather events, All Things Go festival has taken the opposite approach and doubled down. After 10 years in Washington, D.C., All Things Go organizers announced they were adding a New York edition on the same weekend of Sept. 28-29 at Forest Hills Stadium. With more than 40,000 fans on a waitlist annually, according to ATG partner Stephen Vallimarescu, the additional location seemed less like a gamble and more about meeting demand.
“By hosting both festivals on the same weekend, we’re able to serve more of our community and deliver a lineup that we feel is best-in-class,” Vallimarescu tells Billboard.
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For several years, ATG has made a concerted effort to create lineups that reflect its growing community. Since 2018, the highest billed artists on their lineups have been women or non-binary musicians including Lorde, HAIM, Mitski, Maggie Rogers, Chvrches, Lana Del Rey, Boygenius, Carly Rae Jepsen, Charli XCX and more. And the equity isn’t only represented in gender. With performers including MUNA, Girl in Red, King Princess, Arlo Parks, Fletcher, MICHELLE, St. Vincent, Tegan and Sara and Ethel Cain, over the past five years ATG has landed some of the most LGBTQ+ filled lineups outside of LGBTQ+ events (and even many specifically LGBTQ+ events) and earning the nicknames “gaychella” and “lesbopalooza.”
This year ATG have landed some of the buzziest names in touring including Laufey, Remi Wolf, Hozier, Janelle Monáe, Reneé Rapp and Chappell Roan, who has been drawing record-breaking crowds across festivals.
“We’ve got Hozier, Conan Gray and Bleachers featured on our D.C.-area lineup alongside Laufey, Reneé Rapp, Janelle Monáe and Chappell Roan at the top of the bill,” says ATG partner Will Suter. “We’ve been able to see each of these artists perform live – either in a club or festival setting – and we’re expecting big sets from each of them.”
Billboard caught up with Vallimarescu, Suter and ATG manager of partnerships and experiential Carlie Webbert to discuss the festival’s growth, their embrace of the “lesbopalooza” nickname and how they managed to book the right acts at just the right time.
Why did you decide to add an additional All Things Go on the same weekend as the Washington, D.C. one?
Vallimarescu: After growing the festival for the past decade in Washington, D.C., and with over 40,000 fans on the waitlist annually, the decision to introduce an additional festival in New York City felt like a natural step. We were inspired by the success of festivals like Reading and Leeds and recognized that coordinating artists between both markets on the same weekend would allow us to curate the most compelling lineup possible. This approach is especially helpful for international artists, who constitute a growing portion of our lineup and often find it challenging to travel to the U.S. for a single show.
How did you land on New York for that second location?
Vallimarescu: New York City has always been on our radar, despite its reputation as a challenging market for festivals. The turning point for us was reconnecting with Mike Luba, the visionary behind Forest Hills Stadium. The unparalleled atmosphere he and his team have cultivated at the venue made it clear that this was the perfect location to bring the magic of All Things Go. There is clearly a void in New York City for a new festival experience centered around music above all else, and we’re thrilled to see the excitement around our inaugural year.
How has the reception been to the lineups for both editions?
Vallimarescu: The reception to the lineups for both editions has been phenomenal. Both festivals sold out instantly, with hundreds of thousands of fans joining the queue for tickets — a reaction we don’t take for granted, especially at a time when many established festivals are facing challenges.
Our approach to booking the festival, often more than a year in advance, focuses on building a lineup that peaks at the right moment and showcases the next generation of artists. This year, artists like Reneé Rapp, Chappell Roan, and Laufey are at the forefront of this new era, and we’re beyond grateful to be collaborating with them.
Why is it important for ATG to have a lineup with a heavy presence of women and non-binary artists?
Suter: So much of our artist booking is based on our audience feedback – and it’s become a clear direction that supports female and non/binary artist dominated lineups, especially as we’ve moved to multiple stages and homed in our genre-focus. The website Book More Women has a methodology that has our DC-area festival at about 58% female/non-binary and New York at 93%.
Was it your mission at ATG to become “gaychella” or “lesbopalooza”?
Suter: “Lesbopalooza” is a term that Naomi McPherson of MUNA coined closing out our Chrysalis stage in 2023 – and has definitely stuck. “Gaychella” popped up around the 2023 lineup announcement in a few TikTok videos. Our mission has been to create a festival and a space that’s reflective of our community – it’s a mission that has evolved over time as our direct communication with our fans has via Discord, our Boomfy’s Besties Fan Club and other fan-forward initiatives in addition to closer dialogue with many of the artists on the lineup.
What do you make of the moment queer women are having in pop culture now? With the dominance of Chappell, Reneé Rapp, MUNA, etc.?
Webbert: Queer women have a long history in the spotlight, but it feels like there has been a noticeable shift in the positive reception of these artists. With the growing fandom of this generation of pop stars, there has been an even stronger surge in self-expression and pride in being queer. Look at Chappell Roan, for instance, she grew up under the belief system that being gay was a sin. Many of the artists on the All Things Go lineup, along with their communities, share a history of shame around their sexuality. It feels like we are collectively shedding that repressed part of ourselves and creating an environment of acceptance. It’s beautiful — there’s a lot of embracing who we are and being truly seen happening.
Besides the lineup, how does ATG create an inclusive environment at the festival?
Webbert: There is a big emphasis for representation at the festival and how we platform advocacy/mission-based organizations, such as Propeller, The Ally Coalition, Reverb, Calling All Crows, Headcount, Women in Music and Amplify Her Voice. Last year, we had an activism village on-site at the D.C.-area festival where fans could interact with different non-profits and engage in a meaningful way. Our community is intentional, and by including LGBTQ+, environmental, healthcare, voter registration and other organizations, we acknowledge a clear passion for creating change that our community wants. All that said, we are hopeful that over the years this side of our festival will grow and we’re able to have an increased number of diverse voices represented throughout our programming.
Over the course of the last week, one drag queen’s performance of Chappell Roan‘s “Red Wine Supernova” has ignited the Internet in a debate about misogyny and drag culture. Now, the artist behind the clip is speaking up.
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On Thursday (Sept. 19), Drag Race Philippines star Brigiding took to social media to speak up about her controversial performance to Roan’s song. “My recent performance of ‘Red Wine Supernova’ has stirred up a lot of differing opinions,” she wrote on X. “Some have accused me of being misogynistic and disrespectful, while others saw it as campy and true to the essence of drag.”
The clip in question saw Brigiding standing on a table during a drag brunch lip-syncing to the track off The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. As she reaches the song’s chorus, Brigiding lifts up her skirt and opens a spout attached to her undergarments, letting a stream of red wine flow out into a wine glass being held by a fan.
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The performance quickly went viral as fans and critics alike began debating whether the performance was appropriate. Some commenters claimed the performance was openly mocking the concept of menstruation, while others quickly came to Brigiding’s defense, saying the performance was not mocking women or periods, but was simply a fun drag performance of a hit pop song.
In her statement, Brigiding did not apologize for her performance, instead opting to celebrate the artist who made it possible in the first place. “As a drag artist, I look up to artists who fearlessly create spaces for us, the queer community, and right now, @chappellroan is one amazing champion,” she wrote. “[Chappell’s] music speaks to the freedom and creativity that I try my best to bring into my performances as an artist. I intended to celebrate her influence and impact, not to offend anyone, especially women.”
She added in the closing line of her post that the point of drag is “breaking gender stereotypes” and giving people a place to celebrate “freedom to artistic self expression.” Nodding to the “Pink Pony Club” singer’s own lyrics, she captioned her post with a wink: “I’m gonna keep on dancing.”
Read Brigiding’s full statement below:
https://twitter.com/brigiding/status/1836644429836489087
After gaining momentum as a finalist on music competition show La Banda (where CNCO was born) and later earning his first Billboard entry with debut single “Pretty Girl (Tu Cancion)” in 2016, Johann Vera is entering a new era in his solo career — one that’s powered by authenticity and transparency.
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Last month, the bilingual pop artist of Ecuadorian descent released “Closet,” a melancholy, powerful ballad — where, for the first time, he tells his truth: “Why am I going to hate and fight with myself only because I love differently?/ How can a parent decide to lose a child only because they love differently?” he chants in the heartfelt lyrics. “I’m not going to change for anyone else.”
“It took me two years, but it pushed me to be honest and open with myself,” Vera tells Billboard of his coming out as queer. “[My previously-released single] ‘Cielo’ is talking about that first encounter and discovering this new side of liberty and happiness, and being more real about my sexuality. ‘Closet’ is about acceptance. I want to be as honest as I can be.”
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“Cielo” and “Closet” form part of Vera’s upcoming six-part EP dubbed Nada Importa En Verdad (Nothing Really Matters). “It’s about the struggles and ups-and-downs. Yes, I’m in love but also still have all these issues.”
In an interview with Billboard, the indie Latin artist talks about his coming out process, dealing with family rejection, and finding his purpose, thanks to his new single.
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How was your coming out process, and why was the moment now for you?
It was scary. I realized now that all my life I had this idea that sexuality shouldn’t be touched in my music or my art. I wanted to be a private artist, and not talk about my personal life. It’s not that I wasn’t honest — but there was always a filter, even on my social media, that was very edited and posed.
When I started therapy, almost three years ago, I began to realize a lot of things on how I’ve been handling life. Growing up with my family, I would get along with everyone and never had an issue, but I would hold back a lot of things. I wrote this song before talking to my parents. With family, it was a hard part — because coming from Ecuador, I would see their perspective on the LGBTQ community — so I always had that fear.
You mention living with fear and a filter, but can you take us back to how you felt the day “Closet” was born?
A few years ago, I wrote a letter to little Johann, and that night I had a writing session. Some words I began writing triggered me. I’ve been with girls and loved them, but at that point in my life, I was already with a man for a year. I continued writing the song, but I was struggling. So, I paused, talked to my songwriter and producer about how I was feeling, and “Closet” was born in 30 minutes. I didn’t want to continue living life that way. I had a big realization moment.
It’s a beautiful song, but also ultra-personal and very vulnerable.
I wrote the song for everyone to understand the struggle. All throughout your life, you feel like you have this flaw, deep down it felt like there was an issue. It’s very tough to break that barrier. Now it’s changing, but it’s still, even more on the Latin side, not going to be very accepting. The song happened and it was therapy for me. I didn’t have plans of releasing it, but after I started seeing how my close friends and colleagues began to react to it, I felt that I had to.
You wrote this song before telling your parents you were queer. How’s your relationship with them today?
Still not good. I actually told them two years ago, on Christmas Day, I had no expectations, but I invited them to therapy. However, there were no conversations afterward and it disconnected them even more. Now it’s not even a “How are you?” Before, I was the pride of the family — Viña del Mar, all the awards — and now, they feel like they lost a son. It’s tough.
They’ve also been clear and vocal about not supporting my new single “Closet.” Their side of the story is that I’m influencing people to do something wrong. I couldn’t fight any more. But now I know that it happened this way for some reason, and [my story] is helping people feel that they are not alone. It’s 2024 but apparently, we still need to have these conversations.
Your friends and colleagues have been very supportive.
Mau & Ricky came to my defense and called me when the song came out to tell me that God loves me. I cried so much. Lele Pons and Guaynaa came over too. I’ve been super blessed. After the song was released, I was locked in my childhood room… I just stayed there. The amount of messages and love that started coming in through DMs really helped me. The first couple of nights, I couldn’t sleep — but it was such a beautiful thing to go into my DMs and see how strangers were connecting with the song. The effect is crazy. Even if all of this is happening, I feel very happy. I’m proud.
What do you expect your music be like moving forward?
I just want to do music with purpose. I want to be more honest on that side. If I fall in love with a guy, I’ll sing about that, but it’s more about purpose. I feel that I can make an impact when talking about different topics. From all of this process, I want to be transparent and real. You realize in music how important authenticity is. It’s really about connecting.
Just a few days after Donald Trump shared his contempt for pop superstar Taylor Swift, internet comedian Randy Rainbow is taking his opportunity to kill two birds with one stone — mock the former president and promote his new projects. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In a […]
With fall just around the corner, there’s no better time to update your autumn playlists with new music from your favorite 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.
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From Charli XCX & Troye Sivan’s amped-up new remix to Demi Lovato’s touching new ballad, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Charli XCX feat. Troye Sivan, “Talk Talk (Remix)”
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The best remixes are the ones that take the concept behind an original song and completely transform it into something new. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan accomplish exactly that on their thrilling rendition of “Talk Talk,” keeping a handful of memorable melodies from the original song while completely recontextualizing the track into a sweaty, bouncing club banger. Their vocals pair perfectly together as they talk their way into their respective lovers’ beds, making the hype around this remix much more than just talk (talk).
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Demi Lovato, “You’ll Be OK, Kid”
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In many ways, Demi Lovato’s new documentary Child Star is an opportunity for them to speak to their younger self. With the documentary’s accompanying song “You’ll Be OK, Kid,” Lovato takes that idea to its literal conclusion, singing a lullaby-esque melody to a younger, less-experienced Demi. She warns her former self to be wary of “sharks in the water” and “thorns on the roses,” but concludes with assurance that ultimately, things will work out.
Joy Oladokun, “I’d Miss the Birds”
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Joy Oladokun is ready to move on. On her stunning new single “I’d Miss the Birds,” the pop-folk singer-songwriter pens a bittersweet farewell to the city of Nashville, a place that has simultaneously helped her become the person she is, while also being the place that she has entirely outgrown. Throughout her brutally-honest track, Oladokun makes clear all the things she won’t miss, before admitting that leaving somewhere you’ve called home for so long is never easy. “But it doesn’t mean I should hang ’round and suffer,” she determines.
Arca & Tokischa, “Chama”
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What happens when you take two of the most fascinating experimental pop artists in the game and put them together on one song? You get something like “Chama,” the entrancing new single out courtesy of Arca and Tokischa. Throughout this pulsating anthem, the duo trade sexed-up verses in their native Spanish, which the shifting, percolating beat constantly switches, morphs, speed, slows and intensifies, making “Chama” yet another slice of thrilling music courtesy of two artists intent on changing things up.
Soccer Mommy, “Driver”
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If Taylor Swift was admitting she might be the problem with “Anti-Hero,” then Sophie Allison (a.k.a. Soccer Mommy) is thanking her lover for sticking around anyways on “Driver.” This classic, guitar-and-drum indie-rock track sees Allison embracing her role as the indecisive, spaced-out girlfriend, waiting for her partner to bring her back to Earth. It’s simple, effective, and a testament to Soccer Mommy’s staying power as a rock artist that she keeps you listening throughout this easy-to-enjoy single.
Pale Waves, “Thinking About You”
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Speaking of effective rock vibes, Pale Waves is here to once again prove just how good their new era sounds. “Thinking About You” follows previous singles like “Perfume” and “Gravity” in its ’90s goth-rock-meets-pop inspiration, as frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie finds herself stuck on a past relationship no matter how hard she tries to move on. The soft guitars and Baron-Gracie’s top-tier vocal sends “Thinking About You” to new heights for the band.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below: