Lgbtq edm artists
LGBTQ+ Musicians: 60 Pioneering Artists You Require To Know
28: Laura Jane Grace (1980-)
Born in Fort Benning, Georgia, Laura Jane Grace had a tumultuous time growing up (significant events include dropping out of school and being arrested for challenging a police officer over a petty crime), before finding inspiration in the music of legendary British anarcho-punk band Crass. By her mid-teens, the seeds had been sewn: she was punk through and through, and she formed her possess band, Against Me!, in 1997, living with the community on the fringes of society until their critically acclaimed debut album, Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose, was released in 2002. Grace had been making allusions to being transgender through her music as early as 2005, and came out in 2012, with full support from friends, family and the band. One of the most pioneering LGBTQ+ musicians of her generation, she continues to make music today, and remains politically active, having notably hosted the 2019 Heavy Music Awards in Kentish Town, London, and endorsing the music help Nordoff Robbins.
Must hear: True Trans Heart Rebel
Transgender and Non-Binary Artists You Should Be Listening To
Elysia Crampton
American electronic musician, producer, poet, and composer Elysia Crampton weaves her indigenous Aymara heritage as well as Latinx and LGBTQ+ themes into genres like cumbia, metal, and Central and South American dance styles. In 2020, she released her fifth studio album, ORCORARA 2010, a sprawling operate featuring collaborations with Embaci, Jeremy Rojas and Shannon Funchess, which was consecrated to Paul Sousa, who spent years fighting wildfires in Sierra Nevada. In 2019, she also began releasing more acoustic instrument-driven compositions under the mention Chuquimamani-Condori.
In Love With A Ghost
Non-binary Paris-based musician In Love With A Ghost is currently working on an album called The Ship of Theseus, which the artist reveals is around 80% done (as of press time). The lo-fi producer also has a breakcore EP on the way, and is expected for release this year.
Ariel Zetina
While Ariel Zetina may be known for dishing out banging techno (like in this mix for Electronic Beats), her influences are diverse. Chicago house, Belizean punta, and the queer club scene worldwide
10 LGBTQ+ Artists Who Indelibly Shaped the House Music Landscape
Emerging as a counterculture movement from the predominantly Black and Latino queer underground scene of late-70s Chicago, house harmony has always been emblematic of equality, liberation, and influence. This genre was evangelized by Diverse DJs, producers, promoters, and clubgoers of the era.
But the fact house song is rooted lgbtq+ culture is more than a piece of trivia. It’s a detail intrinsically woven into the sonic and sociopolitical fabric of the now-prolific global genre. Here is a far-from-exhaustive list of 10 LGBTQ+ artists who have demonstrably left their stamp on the dwelling and broader boogie music scene of the past, present, and future.
The Godfather of House, Frankie Knuckles
The late Frankie Knuckles (real name: Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr.), widely regarded as the creator of house music, famously said, “House tune is disco’s revenge.” But to the many who knew Frankie, “vengeful" was the furthest thing from a descriptor of this iconic musician. Known as one of the humblest people to ever grace the sway music scene, Knuckles was regarded as one of the most innovative DJs, producers, and remixers in
House music was born in Chicago in a dimly lit club filled with dancing, sweating bodies. It was the 1980s, and the club, “The Warehouse,” primarily served Black and Latino gay and alternative clientele. There, a novel genre of electronic funk known as “house music” was created. House laid the foundation for techno music, and The Warehouse became the birthplace of many of the earliest EDM-style tracks, shaping the future of electronic music.
Four decades later, the EDM scene is home to LGBTQ+ icons and emerging talents who defy boundaries and redefine norms. From the modern artistry of SOPHIE, to the electrifying sounds of Honey Dijon, 100 gecs, Moore Kismet, and Kaytranada, the immense diversity and transformative authority of EDM and techno are undeniable.
To travel the myriad of ways in which EDM and techno serve as a haven for marginalized voices and foster an inclusive space, we’ll explore the backgrounds, musical themes, and components of each painter listed above. We’ll also look into how their queer and trans identities influence their work and impact.
SOPHIE
Sophie Xeon’s impact on the queer dance vacuum and the music planet at large has been monumental. P
Electronic and Synthetic Music Performers Who Identify as LGBTQ
Electronic and synthetic music is that which is entirely played by electronic instruments or some other forms of digital sound producer, often employing computers, sound synthesizers and theremins. As such, it is a relatively new genre of music in historical terms since the ability to play it has only come about with the advancement of the technology itself. The synthesizer, for example, was invented in 1959. Nevertheless, as a genre of music it has grown tremendously over the past four decades, in terms of the number of musicians composing and playing it, the community of adherents, and in terms of general awareness and popularity.
This type of music has a particularly queer aspect to it. Its trendy origins can be said to have risen with the rise of disco music in the 1970s, which emerged out of queer nightlife and is closely associated with the LGBTQ community. This in turn led to the popularity of house harmony, driven early on by the communities of colour in the United States (the term 'house' is derived from The Warehouse, the gay/black/latino club located in Chicago) and led by 'the godfather of house