QUEER ARTISTS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY - Glii (Blog)
We're all creative beings. We use art to express ourselves, our opinions, our feelings, as well as our take on social and political issues. Artists are known to use their creation as a tool to shatter stereotypes and conformist attitudes and bring about a revolution to make society more inclusive.
Queer artists are now using music as a very powerful medium to break the watertight compartments that are associated with gender and make room for everyone in between.
Four queer artists based out of India, America and South Korea are creating music with a message for equal representation of all genders in the society.
Teenasai, Friends of Linger, Lil Naz X and Holland are being praised by millions for their daring contributions in the musical scene as queer artists working hard to make the world a better place.
Teenasai Balamu
Teenasai Balamu also known as Grape Guitar Box is a new age music artist from Bangalore.
Born to be a musician, they started uploading song covers as well as their original music on YouTube.
Teenasai's big break came when Rolling Stone India featured them as India budding artists back in 2016.
Teenasai uses music as one the mediums to bring forth gender discourse into the mainstream music scenario.
They wish to create a community where the "oddballs" could feel understood.
Teenasai wishes to be that voice for everyone belonging to the queer community.
Along with that they participate in a series called The Queer Question on Instagram, educating people about the LGBTQIA community as well as guiding people struggling with their own identity.
Friends Of Linger
Friends of Linger is an Indie band based out of New Delhi, bringing together a group of musicians together to create music that addresses gender issues as well as political issues.
Sharif Rangnekar is the lead singer of the group and strives to write deep lyrics that target various social issues going on in the country.
In 2016 the band released their single, Miss You, which is a song about a love story between two men.
The music video of the song Miss You becomes the first music video in India that talks about homosexuality.
The band has up until now written songs on rape and women as well as homosexuality.
Lil Naz X
A household name in many countries, Lil Naz X is a Grammy-winning black queer hip-hop artist based out of America.
After gaining popularity on his debut single, Old Town Road, Lil Naz X gained further popularity by coming out ahead of the pride month in 2019.
The singer is known for boldly flaunting his sexuality in his music videos, lyrics as well as his style.
The music video of his famous song Montero (call me by your name) depicts a gay man sliding down a stripper pole and challenges toxic masculinity in his music videos.
His songwriting, performance, fashion and visual concept put him in the center of queer iconography in today's time.
Holland
South Korea is a country that is a home to the famous Kpop industry, but at the same time is not all inclusive to people of all genders.
Go Tae-Seob is a Kpop independent artist who identifies himself as gay and represents the LGBTQIA community in the Korean-pop industry.
He renamed himself after Netherlands–a country that was first to legalise same-sex marriage.
Holland came out as non-binary when he was in school and was bullied by his friends.
He saw no one in the Kpop industry openly came out and was talking about gender roles, thus, decided to take the lead and set up an open discussion about rethinking gender roles in Kpop.
In his debut single, Neverland, Holland portrayed homosexuality in a daring manner which gained popularity.
He hopes that his music helps Korean society to accept LGBTQIA community and openly talk about homosexuality in the Korean society to accept LGBTQIA community and openly talk about homosexuality in the Korean society.
It gives a sense of pride when homosexuality is openly expressed in media and art, slowly setting the tone to take over the mainstream pop industry.
Rooting for young artists to change the culture of the world by making it more coloured. So that the children and adults of all genders feel loved, included and supported
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