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There’s two things RuPaul’s Drag Race has always excelled at — creating memorable musical moments, and being deeply weird.
On last week’s episode (aired Friday, February 3), the gaggle of remaining girls were tasked with doing both of those things at the same time. The queens were split up and asked to create three Golden Girl-groups — a.k.a. dressing in old lady drag while performing a musical number — around the genres of country, heavy metal and hip-hop.
Aura Mayari finally earned her first challenge win of the season for a truly unhinged performance as a death metal-loving grandma, while Jax and Robin Fierce found themselves at the bottom of the barrel for a pair of fine-but-forgettable performances as twerking nans. Lip synching to The Bangles’ 1988 power-pop hit “In Your Room,” Jax managed to dance her way out of an elimination, leaving Robin to get the chop.
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Billboard chatted with Robin following her elimination about becoming a Twitter meme following the season’s premiere, what she thought of the judges’ critiques, and why she was “playing Switzerland” in this episode’s work room battle between the queens.
Congratulations on making it to episode 6! How have you felt about watching your run on the show?
I’ve loved it! We’re drag queens, we watch ourselves through Instagram all of the time. But it’s been interesting watching myself out of drag, that was the weirdest part for me; I’m not used to seeing boy me on the camera super often. But it’s been a great time.
I want to congratulate you on becoming one of the first-memed queens of the season — that photo of you running in the premiere has been all over my timeline. What has that been like experiencing the Drag Race meme machine?
[Laughs.] I am not shocked, if we’re being honest. For a long time, my friends have told me that if I ever got on Drag Race, I would be a meme — because I might not say a lot all of the time, but everything is literally right there on my face at all times. Whether I’m shocked, or excited, or thinking “what the f–k is going on?” it’s there. It’s not something I can control, it just happens. All of these reaction memes are genuine — so no, I was not shocked by this. And I live for it! It’s funny and fun, and most of the time it’s about having fun.
It also helps that in the screen-grabs fans are using, you look phenomenal.
Well, that also helps, for sure.
At the outset of this episode, we had some work room drama when the two other teams began fighting over who got to perform the heavy metal number, led mostly by Malaysia and Luxx. For those of you who were uninvolved, what were you thinking as this was unfolding?
It was basically like we were watching tennis — our heads just kept bouncing back and forth in this conversation. Like, “OK, they said this. Ooh, they threw this shade. They said they’re not getting walked all over. They said they’re not doing rock, paper, scissors.” It was a whole thing. We, the viewers in our hip-hop group, were just happy to not be involved, truly sitting with our popcorn and watching the girls go through their go-through.
We’ve seen these kinds of fights happen more and more on Drag Race, where it feels like such a small thing to be going at each others throats over.
I mean, I understand both sides, to be honest — I love to play Switzerland. On one hand, you have girls saying, “This is what I want to do, and this is a competition, so I am going to do it.” But then on the other side, “This is a competition, and you do not get to be the decider of my fate.” So, pointless? Yes, but also no.
It definitely didn’t have to be as dramatic, but it’s Drag Race — you put a bunch of queers in a room, we’re going to be dramatic. Some folks were shocked, and I don’t know why. It’s wild, but when you meet drag queens in real life, this happens. We get into it, and then we move on.
As a singer yourself, you mentioned on this episode that doing a rap verse was not necessarily your strong suit. With this being a music challenge, how much were you in your own head about not getting to sing?
It was definitely a hard moment. I am a singer, but it’s hard to sing stuff when you don’t have a whole bunch of time to learn it. It was definitely a challenge in that aspect, so I was just trying to roll with the punches. I’m not a rapper; before this instance, I had never rapped in my life. It definitely pushed me more than I thought it was going to. I have written before, but it’s just hard to do in the amount of time that you’re given. But that’s the challenge! Either your rise to it or you don’t, and in that moment, some of us didn’t rise as much as others.
Ru literally said that she was “splitting hairs” when it came to the judging, which to me shows how strong everybody’s writing and performing was.
Yes, exactly. Like, does it suck to go home? Absolutely. Am I happy that I could be part of a season where I am going up against the best of the best? Absolutely. It’s amazing to be around such talented performers that judges do regularly have to split hairs to figure out who’s staying — I just wish my hairs weren’t the ones being split. [Laughs.]
I felt very frustrated for you this episode, because you were getting your first critique of the season and being told that you’re coasting and fading a little into the background, and then immediately getting sent home on said critique.
It was definitely not the easiest, but it’s a moment of growth for me! I can definitely see what they’re talking about and where I could have pushed more in certain portions of the show. I am not a person who can’t take critiques if it’s actually helpful, so I was for sure ready to take that and run with it.
You did take the critique, and you explained very eloquently that you know what it is that you’re good at, and you try to highlight that instead of taking a big risk, which feels fair to me.
I know what I can do! That’s not to say I can’t grow — I’ve been doing this for six years and am still trying new things as I go along my journey. Just for me, in that competition setting, this is not the time to do something where I don’t know whether it will work or not. Also, I’ve never rapped before, and I still did it! It might not have been great. [Laughs.] But I did it!
Kim Petras may “never cause no drama,” but she’s certainly ready to put an end to it.
At Sunday night’s Grammys (Feb. 5), Petras and Sam Smith took home the award for best pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first transgender winner in the category. In a press conference following her win, the pop singer said that she couldn’t help but think about the people who told her she wouldn’t make it.
“All these years are going through my head of people saying I would be a ‘niche artist’ because I’m transgender and my music would only ever play in gay clubs,” she said, adding that gay clubs “raised” her. “Now, I got a Grammy for making gay club music with my friend, and that’s the best feeling in the world.”
When asked what she hoped people watching could take away from her historic victory, Petras offered up a plea for greater understanding. “Honestly, I just think people need to judge less,” she said. “I hope that there’s a future where gender and identity and all these labels don’t matter that much. I hope all the kids that saw this that are special or different or feel like they don’t belong … feel inspired that, ‘Yes, you can be yourself and get rewarded for your talent rather than your gender or your sexuality.’”
While many watching were excited by the prospect of Petras earning her first Grammy, others online were getting fired up over her performance with Smith. Conservatives online referred to the pair’s fire-and-brimstone performance as “satanic,” with Senator Ted Cruz even weighing in to call the live number “evil.”
As Petras tells it, that was very much the point of their presentation. “It’s a take on not being able to choose religion, and not being able to live the way that people might want you to live,” she said matter-of-factly. “I think a lot of people have labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as ‘religiously not cool.’ I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it, but then slowly realizing it doesn’t want me to be a part of it.”
Petras saved her kindest words backstage for Smith, referring to the singer as “a very special friend” and thanking them for their support since the outset of her career. “It’s really special to share this with someone who’s given me such important advice in my life, who has helped me in dealing with the opinions of people,” she said. “So, yeah, Sam will never get rid of me and we will always sing this song for eternity.”
Check out Petras’ full backstage press conference at the 2023 Grammys above.
As if people weren’t mad enough at the results of the 2023 Grammys, now conservatives are fired up over two performers wearing devil costumes during the annual telecast. During the ceremony on Sunday (Feb. 5), Sam Smith and Kim Petras offered a rousing performance of their hit single “Unholy,” in which the Petras performed alongside drag stars Violet Chachki and Gottmik dressed in devil costumes, while Smith was in a bright red top hat with devil horns sticking out from it for the final chorus.
Instead of celebrating the fact that the pair made history for the LGBTQ community that night, conservative viewers slammed the performances for promoting the worship of Satan. “I know we on the right probably use the word satanic too often but this performance from Sam Smith is literally a tribute to Satan,” wrote one viewer. Another added some conspiracy-baiting into the mix, saying Madonna (who introduced the performance) looked like a statue erected in New York City that conservatives have called “satanic” as well.
Eventually, right-wing senator Ted Cruz decided to weigh in. Retweeting a video of the performance captured by conservative podcaster Liz Wheeler (who wrote that “demons are teaching your kids to worship Satan”), Cruz simply wrote, “This…is…evil.”
Neither Smith nor Petras have publicly responded to the backlash yet. Billboard has reached out to their reps for comment.
The pair took home the Grammy award for best pop duo/group performance, and Smith gave Petras the stage to celebrate being the first transgender woman to win in the category. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” she said during her speech, especially thanking the late SOPHIE for her constant support. “Everyone who believed in me to this point, I love you so much.”
Check out some of the reactions to Smith & Petras’ “Unholy” performance below:
Last night at the Grammys the satanic ritual performed by Sam Smith was introduced by MadonnaWho “coincidentally” looked like the new pagan statue in New York City pic.twitter.com/TPq8NjecYR— Vision4theBlind (@Michael3147) February 6, 2023
Sam Smith’s satanic performance at the Grammy’s ended with a Pfizer commercial. You can’t get it more on the nose than that. Pfizer and Hollywood deserve each other. pic.twitter.com/4HhFQemiCi— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 6, 2023
With the Grammys just around the corner, there’s no better time to reacquaint yourself with what’s happening in music right now! 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 Jake Shears’ long awaited return to Anne-Marie’s no-longer-sad girl anthem, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Jake Shears, “Too Much Music”
Pop singer Jake Shears missed you — so he decided to give you an absolute pop banger to celebrate his return. The former frontman of Scissor Sisters brings all of the glam-rock flair on “Too Much Music,” his dynamic new dance single where Shears appears in rare form. Proclaiming that “there can never be too much music for me,” the singer lets his brilliant falsetto vocals fly free over a thrumming set of glittering guitars and drums, bringing the absolute correct vibes for his 2023 comeback.
Anne-Marie, “Sad B!tch”
Despite what its title may suggest, “Sad B!tch,” the newest track from U.K. pop star Anne-Marie is “not another sad girl anthem.” After nearly three years of the world trying its hardest to keep people down, Anne-Marie declares on this delectable new pop song that “being sad is so last year.” With some saturated pop production and just a hint of alternative flair, the singer boogies her way right past the bad vibes.
Peach PRC, “Perfect for You”
Who wants a euphoric new queer love song? If any part of you said “yes,” then you should quickly press play on Peach PRC’s “Perfect for You,” the Australian singer’s dreamy new electro-pop track from her forthcoming EP. Sung from the perspective of a girl falling in love with her best friend’s girlfriend, Peach PRC’s vocal bears the vulnerability of past tracks like “Heavy” or “Colourblind,” while the production flaunts the catchiness of “God Is a Freak” and “Josh,” making a perfect combination for the rising star.
Carlie Hanson, “Blueberry Pancakes”
Fans of Carlie Hanson know the singer-songwriter for her alternative take on pop music — and while they’ll still get a taste of that with her new single “Blueberry Pancakes,” they’ll also get to see her take down her walls. The vulnerable new single follows Hanson as she reunites with her partner after making it through a long-distance relationship with them. This touching, lovely ode to finally feeling comfortable again is the perfect soundtrack for a weekend of reacquainting yourself with that smitten feeling.
ABISHA, “Masterpiece”
With her last few releases, singer-songwriter ABISHA has proven to be a master of creating romantically urgent queer love songs; “Masterpiece,” the singer’s latest, is no exception. The bouncing new track is conceptualized off of the flurry of feelings you get upon first meeting someone so infatuating that you simply cannot help yourself from getting caught up in it. It’s ABISHA’s smart choice of holding back with her vocal that makes the song so intoxicating — she gets you to lean in closer and closer, leaving you wanting more by the time the track stops.
Betty Who, “Running Up That Hill” (Kate Bush cover)
It’s been almost a year since Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” made its improbable run back up the Billboard charts — but that’s not stopping Australian pop singer Betty Who from offering her own rendition of the ’80s single. With Who’s rendition, the star turns to her familiar mode of grooving dance-pop jam, giving the track a sparkly, rhinestone sheen as the star dances her way through a familiar classic.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
Since their inception in 1958, the Grammy Awards have made plenty of history — from first-ever wins for new artists to record-breaking nomination numbers, the annual event has earned its title as Music’s Biggest Night.
In the modern era for the annual ceremony, the Grammys have finally started to make history for queer acts as well as representation for LGBTQ artists and performers at the show has steadily risen. From Culture Club winning best new artist in 1984 (making Boy George the first openly gay man to win the award) to Sir Elton John becoming the first LGBTQ person to win the prestigious Grammy Legend Award, to the Grammys becoming the first of the major award shows to remove gendered categories, the annual affair has proven to be a huge night for queer artists around the globe.
This Sunday (Feb. 5), that representation for queer folks will stay on full display — out folk star Brandi Carlile is nominated for seven awards at the ceremony (including album and record of the year), while other stars like Steve Lacy, Omar Apollo and Anitta round out noms in the remainder of the Big Four categories.
But along with awarding LGBTQ artists with statues, the Grammys have also historically provided a stage for queer performers to give that love right back to their community. Sunday will feature at least four queer performers (Carlile, Lacy, Sam Smith and Kim Petras), further adding to a grand tradition of stars standing up for LGBTQ people through their performances.
Below, Billboard takes a look back at some of our favorite queer performances in Grammys history that helped to uplift the LGBTQ community, from Elton John to Lil Nas X.
There’s a “Chance” that pop singer-songwriter Hayley Kiyoko is coming to a city near you soon — so get ready for a show that’s “For the Girls.”
On Tuesday (Jan. 31), Kiyoko announced her first headlining tour in four years, The Panorama Tour. Set to promote her sophomore album Panorama released in July 2022, Kiyoko will begin her tour in Europe for a nine-date run starting in Glasgow on April 5. The trek will make its way to the U.S. later that month, with headlining slots at L.A.’s The Wiltern and N.Y.C.’s Irving Plaza, before closing out on June 2 in Silver Spring, Md.
“I am so nervous and excited,” Kiyoko wrote in an Instagram post teasing the tour over the weekend. “I’ve waited so long for this moment and I can’t wait to see you all out there!!! ITS GOING TO BE SO SPECIAL.”
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Tickets for The Panorama Tour go on sale Friday, Feb. 3, at 10 a.m. local time on her website. Citi cardholders, however, will have special early access to tickets starting on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m. local through Thursday, Feb. 2, at 10 p.m. local.
Speaking to Billboard about her sophomore album last year, Kiyoko explained that she saw Panorama as a tribute to getting through tough times. “It’s about getting through the highs and the lows, and loving yourself along the way,” she said. “Even when you’re going through a hard time, you’ve already been through so much to get to where you’re at, so it’s about being kinder to ourselves.”
The news also comes alongside Kiyoko’s latest accomplishment — writing her debut novel. Girls Like Girls, the new coming-of-age novel based on the star’s song and music video of the same name, is due out May 30.
Check out all of the official dates for Hayley Kiyoko’s upcoming world tour below:
April 5 — Glasgow, UK — Galvanizers SWG3
April 7 — Manchester, UK — Manchester Academy 2
April 9 — London, UK — KOKO
April 11 — Brussels, BE — Ancienne Belgique
April 13 — Amsterdam, NL — Melkweg Max
April 15 — Cologne, DE — Carlswerk Victoria
April 16 — Paris, FR — Élysée Montmartre
April 18 — Zurich, CH — Komplex 457
April 20 — Munich, DE — TonHalle
April 27 — Orlando, FL — House of Blues Orlando
April 28 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theatre
April 29 — Raleigh, NC — The Ritz
May 1 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works
May 3 — Detroit, MI — Saint Andrew’s Hall
May 4 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues Chicago
May 5 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater
May 8 — Denver, CO — Summit
May 9 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
May 11 — Seattle, WA — Neptune Theatre
May 12 — Portland, OR — McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
May 13 — Vancouver, BC — Commodore Ballroom
May 15 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
May 16 — Los Angeles, CA — The Wiltern
May 18 — Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren
May 20 — Austin, TX — Emo’s Austin
May 21 — Dallas, TX — The Echo Lounge & Music Hall
May 22 — Houston, TX — House of Blues Houston
May 25 — Philadelphia, PA — Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia
May 27 — Toronto, ON — The Danforth Music Hall
May 28 — Montreal, QC — Théâtre Corona
May 30 — New York, NY — Irving Plaza
June 1 — Boston, MA — House of Blues Boston
June 2 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring
With every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race comes the long-awaited (for some contestants, long-feared) sewing challenge — and on season 15, the show decided to switch things up yet again.
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On last week’s episode (aired Friday, January 27), the 13 remaining queens were split into three fashion houses inspired by judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews, and tasked with turning unconventional home decor materials into runway-ready haute couture.
For Luxx Noir London, the challenge proved to be nothing short of triumph when she earned her first win for creating zebra-print pants and a flowing silk top. But for queens Salina EsTitties and Amethyst, their less-stellar looks landed them in the bottom two.
Facing off in a lip sync for your life to Janelle Monáe’s iconic single “Q.U.E.E.N.” in front of Monáe herself, Salina and Amethyst twerked, dipped and bounced their way through one of the most entertaining lip syncs of season 15, fighting for their right to stay. For her spot-on performance, Salina earned another week in the competition, while Amethyst was finally sent packing after her third time in the bottom.
Amethyst spoke to Billboard following her elimination about her grueling sewing challenge experience, her love of Lady Gaga, and how one piece of personal information turned into “high school” drama with the other queens while filming.
You’ve had quite the journey on Drag Race — what was it like getting to watch it unfold?
It doesn’t really feel real, if I’m being quite honest. I still get giddy over seeing myself on Drag Race — that’s actually still crazy to me. I’m still fangirl-ing a lot. I think that’ll go away soon. Otherwise, it’s been such a blast, connecting with the fans.
Were there any moments while you were filming in particular that made you go into full fangirl mode?
If the work room entrance didn’t do it for me, then I think walking the runway for the first time really did. It’s just the moment that it’s suddenly real.
Over the last few episodes, the queens have conducted a pretty thorough investigation into your prior relationship with Robin Fierce — was that a weird thing for you to deal with while filming this show?
It wasn’t weird, necessarily. Like, I didn’t mind explaining it to my sisters. I think the only super weird part to me was how much of a hot topic it was among them. Once I saw that Robin was on the show with me, my mind immediately was like, “Do we tell people? What’s the plan of attack?” So I told myself from day one that if somebody asked, I wouldn’t lie. I just never saw it getting to the point that it got to, weirdly — the whole “who broke up with who” conversation. It was just so high school to me. I didn’t mind giving my side of the story, but it was weird that this was our topic of conversation.
I gotta say, watching people try and unravel the “mystery” of your breakup despite you literally explaining that it was a mature, somewhat mutual situation is very funny to me.
Girl, it’s the gays, we just gotta make it a drama.
Before we get into this episode, I want to talk to you about the runway you served last week as Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs. You nailed the look — what made you choose this interpretation of the theme “Beautiful Nightmare?”
As we all know, Lady Gaga opened that performance by singing, “Amidst all of these flashing lights, I pray the fame won’t take my life.” That was the idea I wanted to run with for this, because when I saw “Beautiful Nightmare,” I thought, “Well, my beautiful nightmare is going to be watching myself look so good on TV and then having to deal with trolls online telling me I’m an early-out.”
I just think Gaga set that metaphor up so eloquently, and I’m a firm believer that if something isn’t broken, you don’t need to fix it. Or as RuPaul would say, “You ain’t gotta reinvent the wheel.” I knew, “Am I going to get read for recreating this look head-to-toe? Probably.” But I do feel like the performance of it all sold it and took it to that extra level, especially with the bleeding.
As soon as the blood came out, I said out loud, “Yep, she did that.”
Exactly! I knew people would forget the fact that I was walking down the runway in a bodysuit and thigh-highs if I could give them that gag. So I was really happy with myself.
To this day, that stands as one of the most iconic awards show performances of all time.
That’s why it was so far in the front of my brain and I was able to replicate it so quickly! Ever since I saw it in 2009, that’s just where it lives, girl. Like, pure horror, the audience was literally scared of her!
Speaking of looks, this week was our first sewing challenge of season 15. What was going through your mind when they announced the challenge, knowing that you’d already been in the bottom twice and you’re not a seamstress?
A lot of explicit language that I probably should not repeat in an interview. [Laughs.] I will say, when Ru said it was unconventional materials, my ears did perk up a little — because I feel like that’s weirdly easier? Then, I can get away with using hot glue because it’s weird objects. That just didn’t work out for me, as we can now see.
I would like to talk about that — I feel like this was a very strong showing from everyone including you, and that made it harder to single out a bottom two. There were no LaLa Ri’s on that stage.
Yeah, for sure. Ru even said while we were walking the runway, “Y’all are making this hard.” It wasn’t that I looked bad, it was just that it didn’t measure up to everybody. But that’s another reason why when they announced the sewing challenge, I was saying a lot of swear words; 11 out of the 13 of us were sewers. It was like, “Well, there’s simply no way for me [to win].” I got really in my head and I started to rethink things that I shouldn’t have been rethinking, because in a situation like that — having less than a day to put this look together — you don’t have time to sit around and stare in a mirror and rethink. You have to go.
I really want to commend you on your lip syncs this season — you’ve killed every lip sync you were in, especially this “Q.U.E.E.N.” one. What, to you, is the key to nailing a lip sync?
It’s so nerdy and boring, so be ready; I went to theatre school for acting, and my approach to lip syncs is actually how I would approach doing a monologue, or a scene. I was trained to have an action for every line, and you want every action to be different. So you’ll pick very descriptive lines of the song, and then figure out what it is that you’re going to sell with that line. That’s why I love lip syncing, because you’re telling a story through your performance of the song.
Another week, another opportunity to rock out to some of your favorite LGBTQ artists! Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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From Sam Smith’s glorious new album to PVRIS’s scintillating new single, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Sam Smith, Gloria
The old Sam Smith can’t come to the phone right now. Gloria, the long-awaited new album from the British pop phenomenon, is a full-on reinvention for Smith as they take a bold step into a new musical (and personal) era. Sure, there may be a few leftover heartbreak songs that fans have come to associate with the singer (“How to Cry,” in particular, stands out) — but the majority of Gloria revels in playing with new topics and new genres, from seductive disco anthems (“I’m Not Here to Make Friends”) to electro-pop pleas (“Lose You”) to chorales of self-worth (“Gloria”). With a bolstered sense of raw confidence, Smith sounds as though they’ve reached a new artistic breakthrough with Gloria — and we can’t wait to hear where it takes them next.
PVRIS, “Goddess”
Lynn Gunn is done waiting around for anyone’s respect — on PVRIS’s thrilling new single “Goddess,” the lead singer let’s her divine side out, excoriating the standards she’s expected to uphold. The relentless drums keep the song constantly moving, while a blown-out guitar line adds the urgency to the throbbing track. It’s Gunn’s killer voice, though, that makes “Goddess” so endlessly entertaining, as she growls out lyrics like, “I’ve been iconic since I started/ I keep climbing and clawing/ This s–t is so exhausting.”
Adam Lambert, “Getting Older” (Billie Eilish cover)
While Adam Lambert has made a habit out of covering old-school rockers and iconic divas, his latest rendition sees the American Idol alum taking on a newer sound to cover Billie Eilish’s “Getting Older.” For the majority of the track, Lambert remains largely faithful to Eilish’s original, adding in some drums and guitars for a little extra glam kick. But by the time he reaches the song’s bridge, Lambert goes all-out with his stratospheric voice, making the song sound entirely his own with some pure rock flair.
Khai Dreams, Absolute Heartbreak
To call Khai Dreams’ music “bedroom pop” feels incredibly reductive — “bedroom chaos” feels like a more appropriate descriptor. Nowhere is that more present than on Absolute Heartbreak, the rising singer-songwriter’s debut album; Dreams’ songs run the musical gamit from folksy ballads (“Panic Attack”) to pop-punk anthems (“May”), all while maintaining a cohesive identity under the banner of the LP. It may be named after romantic anguish, but make no mistake; Absolute Heartbreak will make you fall in love with Khai Dreams.
Blondshell, “Joiner”
While some other artist may write songs about aiming their romantic sights as high as humanly possible, indie up-and-comer Blondshell is perfectly content writing about a whirlwind romance founded near a dumpster. “Joiner” basks in the messy parts of romance, as Sabrina Teitelbaum knocks her distant, mesmerizing vocal performance out of the park.
Jordy, “Story of a Boy”
As interpolations and samples continue to flood our new music feeds every week, it’s nice to find one that feels like a genuine tribute to the original. Jordy’s “Story of a Boy” takes the iconic chorus of Nine Days’ 2000 hit single “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” and retrofits it with some queer messaging. Now detailing Jordy’s long-term, constant infatuation with a guy who simply doesn’t know he exists. It’s the kind of sweet-but-sad single that Jordy has already proven to be a master of, now with a smartly-chosen nostalgic twist to get you listening ASAP.
Dakota Jones, “Sugar Pie”
Let’s get some good old-fashioned funk in here: Brooklyn-based funk four-piece Dakota Jones’ new single “Sugar Pie” sees the band hitting their stride with a deliciously smooth sound. Bringing all of the drums, organs and bass together is lead singer Tristan Carter-Jones’ sultry alto tones, crooning about “sweet songs since day one” in a way that feels timeless and up-to-date all at the same time.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
With the long-awaited release of their fourth studio album Gloria, Sam Smith is riding a massive high. But as the singer tells it, getting to where they are now took a while.
In a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Smith spoke at length about their coming out as non-binary back in 2019, and how they had to manage both the private and public parts of that process in full view of the world.
“In my personal life, there’s not one negative,” they said, pointing out that both their family and romantic lives have thrived since opening up. “Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school.”
But when it came to their public life, Smith says it continues to be a struggle dealing with bigotry on a regular basis. “What people don’t realize with trans non-binary people in the U.K. is it’s happening in the street. I’m being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have,” they told Lowe. “So that was the hardest part, I think, was being at home in the U.K. and having people shouting at me in the street. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”
Continuing, the singer shared that their experience was one of the better ones by comparison to trans and non-binary people trying to get on with life around the globe. “What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other queer kids are feeling?” they asked. “And it’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting.”
But it’s not all bad. In December, Smith performed “Stay With Me” at the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act by President Joe Biden at the White House. The new law enshrined marriage equality for same-sex couples into U.S. federal law, protecting against a potential overturning of the Supreme Court’s landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that Justice Clarence Thomas recommended in June 2022.
“I was like, ‘I’m at the White House. I’m surrounded by the gays and the queers and we’re celebrating some good news.’ It’s sad, but it’s a rare thing sometimes within our community,” Smith said. “So it was really beautiful to be able to celebrate that.”
Check out Smith’s full interview with Zane Lowe above.
As the music industry evolves, so do expectations surrounding new music. With trends and listening patterns shifting at a break-neck pace, artists are expected to usher in each new project as a brand new “era,” creating a recursive loop of authenticity, followed by slight reinvention, followed by re-established authenticity.
But when Sam Smith reintroduces themselves on Gloria, the pop superstar’s long-awaited fourth studio album, it feels different. This is not a pop star merely trying to make headlines or fulfill a promise of something “new” — Gloria sounds like it’s coming from an artist who finally feels comfortable enough to take risks with their sound in the name of honesty.
For that reason, Gloria can sound a lot like whiplash. In one moment, you’re listening to a slowed-down, smooth R&B-tinged song about a selfish ex; in the next, the sonic landscape has shifted to reggae-pop, where Smith is singing frankly about sex and desire. Bouncing around from song to song with wildly different sounds, this LP refuses to be pinned down to any specific label of genre or lyrical atmosphere.
That spirit of eclecticism is not for its own sake; in creating a sound this varied, Smith is making a point. For the last decade of their career, Smith has often been perceived as the crooner-next-door: a soulful, comforting voice conveying their own heartbreak as a means of soothing their pain — and in the process, their fans’ as well.
But alongside that image has always been a sharper, more fun Smith, crafting dance-adjacent anthems of elation and anger and sex. Gloria is Smith’s proof of concept — they contain multitudes, not just the sad broken heart of the person from In the Lonely Hour.
To celebrate Gloria’s release, Billboard takes a closer look at each of the album’s 11 original tracks and ranks them (we’re not including the album’s “Hurting” or “Dorothy” interludes here — ranking two less-than-30 second tracks against the rest feels unfair). Check out our picks below: