MUSIC FORWARD AND GIBSON GIVES PARTNER FOR: LGBTQ+ EMERGING ARTIST AWARDS GIBSON GIVES TO DONATE OVER $43,000 TO UNIQUE AND IMPACTFUL MUSIC MENTORSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORTING YOUNG TALENT IN THE MUSIC
NASHVILLE, TN (August 5, 2024) Gibson Gives, the non-profit division of the legendary music brand Gibson, is honored to partner with Music Forward to present the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards for 2024. A unique and impactful grant program, the goal of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards is to help break down the barriers of access in the music industry, allowing artists to have thriving careers and promote a more inclusive music industry overall. With 45 of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awardsgranted, the new Music Forward and Gibson Gives partnership allows the program to continue to champion diverse voices from all backgrounds and communities, from Atlanta to Austin, and New York City to North Hollywood.
The screening process for the awards is extensive, with ten (10) LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awardees aged 18-24 years old to be selected based on many factors, including the strength of their body of music work, the breadth of their body of work, their artistic vision, and their articulation of their career goals. The ten US-based selected artists are dedicated to their songwriting craft, and their vision for themselves through music. The ten awardees will each receive:
· $3000 Grant
· $1000 Gibson retail for an instrument.
· Performance Opportunities that include the Gibson Garage Nashville and Gibson showrooms, as well as other venues.
· Quarterly Mentorship with established musicians, as well as the Gibson and Music Forward teams.
LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards submissions for applicants are open now HERE.
The timeline for the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Awards program is as follows:
· Monday, August 5: Applications open.
· Sunday, August 18: Applications close.
· Monday, August 19 – Friday, September 27:Application review and selection.
· Monday, September 30: Awardees notified.
· October 2: Announcement of Awardees.
· Mid-late October: Virtual Award Show.
Music Forward and Gibson Gives believe in music as a catalyst for discovery, connection, and transformation, and the power of amplifying artists and providing a forum for their diverse voices to be heard. Gibson Gives will donate over $43,000 to the program for 2024, including $33,000 in cash grants ($30k grants/$3k admin fees), and $10,000 in Gibson retail for an instrument. Music Forwarddevelops and administers the grant awards from selection to distribution, and Music Forward and the Gibson team collectively develop and execute mentorship programs. The Quarterly Mentorship Opportunities range from songwriting sessions with Gibson artists to exploring a variety of trending topics and skills, including Gibson and Live Nation Leadership professionals sharing knowledge and insight on what it takes to find success in the business, learning from experts who have turned their passions into professions in the ever-changing entertainment industry, from bands to boardrooms and everything in between. The program is designed to help nurture artists’ growth and progress, expand their social capital, and to reduce barriers, both external and internal, that may come between them and achieving their greatest artistic potential.
Singer-songwriter and record producer Butch Walker, one of the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award musician mentors for 2024, states “Hey all! I’m excited to be supporting the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award, and to celebrate the amazing talent and diversity within the community. This award not only recognizes artistic excellence, but also empowers emerging voices to inspire and create needed change.”
“Gibson Gives is proud to partner with Music Forward to support the LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award,” says Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director of Gibson Gives. “We believe in the power of individual voices and strive to break down barriers, promoting a more inclusive music industry. These awards support often-marginalized artists, nurturing their growth and helping them achieve their greatest artistic potential.”
“At Music Forward, we work towards inspiring young artists and providing resources to drive their careers forward while making the industry more inclusive for all voices,” adds Nurit Siegel Smith, Executive Director of the Music Forward Foundation. “The LGBTQ+ Emerging Artist Award is a staple of our programs, and we are excited for our partnership with Gibson Gives to continue to empower the next generation of LGBTQ+ musicians.”
A national nonprofit in the Live Nation family, theMusic Forward Foundation creates opportunities for young talent in the music industry by mentoring entertainment careers for the next generation through live performances, workshops and panels. Acclaimed artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Maxwell Frost, Trombone Shorty, and Andrae Alexanderare past program participants and grant recipients. While performers such as Kahlid, Sophia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Martina McBride, Carlos Santana, and Julia Michaels have served as Ambassadors for Music Forward:https://musicforwardfoundation.org/.
Gibson Gives is the non-profit division of the legendary music brand Gibson, Gibson supports the music community via its philanthropic endeavor, Gibson Gives, assisting non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, youth-focused music education, health and wellness initiatives, and inclusive musical partnerships worldwide. The Gibson Gives Scholarship program has provided direct financial support to young students with music career aspirations and is on track to help even more players in 2024. Gibson Gives a 501(c)(3),is committed to cultivating and offering steadfast support for all communities. To date, Gibson Gives has raised over $4.5 million and enabled $46 million in funding for key organizationsthrough product donations and meaningful giving worldwide, with 100 percent of all donations to and from Gibson Gives going towards providing the gift of music.
BEBE ZAHARA BENET RELEASES “HEAVY”
Photo Credit: Darin Kamnetz
Watch “Heavy” HERE
BeBe Zahara Benet, the iconic winner of the inaugural season of RuPaul's Drag Race, returns today with her thumping, bass-laden single, “Heavy.” “Heavy” follows Benet’s 2022 double release of “Waiting” and “Smoke Signals” and chart-topping AfroPop anthems “Banjo” and “Body on Me.” Fifteen singles in, the new release marks a sonic departure from Benet’s Afrobeat roots, but showcases the artist’s slick flow, sharp wit and uncanny ability to brag with charm.
Photo Credit: Darin Kamnetz
“As an artist, it’s always important to surprise my audience and keep them on their toes,” Benet says of the brassy banger. “‘Heavy’ is unexpected but is very much aligned with where I am as a person and as an artist in this moment. I’m telling my story and having fun.”
“Heavy” arrives with a futuristic and fashion-forward music video helmed by Assaad Yacoub, who previously directed Benet’s viral “Jungle Kitty” and “Banjo” visuals. “Heavy” is written by Ben Obi (producer), BeBe Zahara Benet, Taylor Hamilton and Diego Wyatt; and is released via Producer Entertainment Group/Warner Brothers/Savannah Street.
BeBe’s debut comedy special (Africa is Not a Country) is out now via Amazon Prime and Apple TV. BeBe is currently featured on the debut season of Drag Me to Dinner, out now on Hulu. She’ll bring NUBIA: A Brave New World to Seattle’s Moore Theatre on Juneteenth.
News about BeBe Zahara Benet’s forthcoming debut album and headlining solo tour will be announced shortly.
About BeBe Zahara Benet
International recording artist, TV personality and spokesmodel BeBe Zahara Benet breaks the drag mold. Born and raised in the Western African country of Cameroon, BeBe moved to Minneapolis 20 years ago to complete his college studies and be closer to his family. In that time span, he has left an indelible mark on the entertainment world.
BeBe’s first major performance was alongside pop diva Cyndi Lauper in a performance of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” during LGBT Pride. Soon, BeBe was wowing audiences with his international flavor and regal stage presence. In 2009, BeBe was crowned the winner of the inaugural season of RuPaul's Drag Race. He got right to work churning out hit music and unforgettable live shows.
BeBe Zahara Benet: Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / YouTube / Spotify
Photo Credit: Alvin Washington
Photo Credit: Alvin Washington
Tom Goss Rings in the Holidays with New EP “Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas”
A Rollicking Collection of Original Songs that Celebrate
Living Joyfully, Exuberantly, and Authentically Queer
Tom Goss isn’t a fan of Christmas music, but that isn’t stopping him from recording his first holiday album! His new EP, Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas, is Christmas-themed, but with songs like “Santa Slay,” “Put that Ass in Christmass,” “Sassy Santa,” and “Ho Ho Homo,” it’s not a traditional holiday album. “I want people to laugh and smile, then strip down to their undies and dance,” he says. “That’s the Christmas I’m most looking forward to this year!”
Joining Tom on the EP are some of the biggest names in gay hip hop, rock-and-roll and country music: Benjamin Koll, Big Daddy Karsten, Keith Lawrence, de ROCHE and more. “They are all a part of my queer family,” Tom explains. “We may sing in different music genres but we are the same in that we live our lives joyfully, exuberantly, and as authentically as possible!” Tom Goss’s Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas will be available on Apple Music, Spotify and all major digital platforms on November 18.
At first glance, the songs on Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas appear tongue-in-cheek, but those who look deeper will recognize a serious side to the record. “I have spent a lot of my life censoring myself,” Tom laments. “Censoring what I say, what I write, how I dress, what my music sounds like, and so much more. It’s been a constant state of second-guessing, carefully carving out a life that is unoffensive, in hopes that everyone will love me. But that’s not real. With my first holiday EP, I wanted to make something that was big, fun, unapologetic, body positive, and queer as f**k.”
Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas begins with “Santa Slay,” a dance/ballroom track that Tom wrote with Jaake Castro about a Santa who is big, confident, queer and in touch with his feminine side. “This Santa is not only delivering toys, he is throwing it down in bed,” Tom explains. Ned Douglas mixed and mastered the record. Drag queen Roxy Wood is the lead vocalist, Tom sings the chorus, Ryan Satyr provides background vocals and Drake Jensen serves the sexy deep-voiced Santa.
The second track on the EP is “Put that Ass in Christmass,” a song about celebrating Christmas with a booty shake. Big Daddy Karsten raps the first verse and Keith Lawrence raps on verse two. “I’ve been a fan of both guys for years,” Tom reflects. “I just love how aggressively big and queer Karsten is. As soon as I wrote the song, I knew I wanted him on it. As for Keith, we were casually texting and I asked “hey, do you rap?” I sent him the track and he immediately called me, excited. Like me, Keith loves a big boy, so it was wonderful to get giddy about ways we could paint men of size in a positive light.”
Tom Goss wrote “Sassy Santa,” the third track on Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas, with hopes of getting Benjamin Koll on the EP. “I have a huge crush on Benjamin,” Tom confesses. “I love the joy and positivity he brings to the bear community.”
Knowing Benjamin’s affinity for funk and dance runs, Tom worked both sounds into the song’s rough mix that he sent to Benjamin with fingers crossed. To his delight, Benjamin agreed to perform on the record! He added instrumentation, vocals, mixing, and mastering, turning “Sassy Santa” into a slamming retro dance/funk track that Tom loves.
Big Fat Gay Ass Christmas concludes with “Ho Ho Homo,” a beautiful track Tom recorded with his frequent collaborator, de ROCHE. He credits de ROCHE with bringing the song to life with vocals that sound like a group of carolers on the doorstep. “De ROCHE and I have been making music together for over a decade. I want her to be a part of everything I do until the end of time.”
The album’s cover art is by Joseph Fortuno. “Joseph created something so much edgier, cuter, gayer, and more visually stunning than I ever could have imagined,” Tom raves. “It’s the perfect wrapping for this big, fat, gay ass gift of an EP.”
Tom Goss was raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin, a small city on Lake Michigan, between Chicago and Milwaukee. Much of his youth was spent focused on his studies and on wrestling. He didn’t feel much in the way of sexual and emotional desires growing up. In fact, he didn’t go on his first date until he was 22, while in seminary, training to be a Catholic priest.
That was when Tom realized he did have an appetite for sex, only it wasn’t towards women or even the men that society deemed as handsome. His attraction was toward plus-sized men, known as "bears" in the gay community. Many of his biggest pop hits today are odes to the large, furry men he loves.
Visit http://tomgossmusic.com
Jake Wesley Rogers Interview | Austin City Limits
Interview by: Wesley Smoot
Jake Wesley Rogers. If you don’t know the name already, you will. He’s an absolute powerhouse— singer, songwriter, showman, and a master on the keys. At 25 years old, he’s done Madison Square Garden (opening for Panic at the Disco), has been a musical guest on The Ellen Show, and currently has a track featured on the major Universal Pictures rom-com, Bros. His lyrics transcend generations with a kind of depth you’d find hard to believe is coming from someone his age.
I got the chance to chat with Jake Wesley Rogers at Austin City Limits.
Pinkies up, now sip!
Jake Wesley Rogers by Chad Wadsworth for ACL Fest 2022
Weslo: Howdy ya’ll, this is Wesley Smoot (Weslo) with Unleashed LGBTQ, in Austin, Texas at ACL– today I get the chance to sit down with Jake Wesley Rogers. How’s your ACL?
JWR: Hey! It’s very hot. Literally. But it has been so much fun.
Weslo: So freakin’ hot. Texas heat!
Well the crowd obviously loved your performance. What are your thoughts on Texas, besides the heat?
JWR: Well, I'm from Missouri, so I understand what it means to come from a complicated place, but I’m always astounded by how much love there is, even in a state where there is a lot of bullshit going on.
Weslo: It’s a big state with lots of fabulous folks, I’m glad you get to see there are all kinds, plenty of like minded people.
JWR: Of course. You sometimes have to remind yourself, we’re everywhere and we’re not going anywhere. So, I’ll always keep coming back.
Weslo: Please do.
I have to talk to you about the movie Bros with Billy Eichner. One of my favorites of the year, not just because it’s a gay film, but it’s just so well done. You have a song featured in the movie— your single Hindsight. What’s it like having your music on such a groundbreaking film?
JWR: It was mind-blowing to hear my song in a movie theater and be part of such a historical film. I would actually call it a surreal moment for me.
Jake Wesley Rogers & Wesley Smoot in Media Tent at Austin City Limits 2022
Weslo: So you’re on the cover of The Advocate this month, it seems like you’re well on your way to becoming a LGBTQ+ icon. How does that feel?
JWR: I don’t want to speak for anyone. I can only tell my story, I do that on purpose. Tony Morrison says “The function of freedom is to free someone else” so I think if I show up, even if I’m not feeling confident, tell my story, the hope is to allow anyone to feel free to be themselves, because that makes everything better.
Weslo: I agree 100%.
I know some LGBTQ+ artists might not care to be labeled or pigeon-holed as a gay artist, I’m sure with you, there’s a lot of crossover with other demographics.. I mean, you have been opening for Panic at the Disco. Have you seen your fanbase grow with the non-LGBTQ+ audiences?
JWR: I'm always surprised how many straight people are at my shows. I think my favorite thing about being queer is that it shows very explicit on the outside. But we all feel different, excluded, even if only to some degree. I think we’re the superheroes that have no choice but to show it.
Weslo: Well you really go into that with your song Pluto. Which I love by the way.
JWR: Yes! Exactly, and thank you. That is very much what the song is about, using Pluto as a metaphor, as the outsider. And just giving everyone permission to embrace it because I think that’s how things change, when everybody realizes we have this tendency to hide something. It’s the queer life. We’re accustom to it and learn it at such an early age. But not only us, everyone feels that on some level, we’re just the lucky, fabulous, beautiful ones that get to show others that it's ok. It’s ok to be free.
Austin City Limits 2022 | Jake Wesley Rogers | Photo Credit: Jakob Wandel
Weslo: Inclusion is incredibly important. I think ACL, it’s organizers, and bookers do an amazing job bringing in queer artists. I have been able to see so many over the last few years. Did you get to see anyone here? Lil Nas X? Boy George, Izzy Heltai?...
JWR: Sadly, because of the tour, no. We have been doing red-eyes to come in and make these events. Usually I come in, play, and go to bed (laughing). So I’m sad I missed Lil Nas X but hoping to catch Kacey Musgraves tonight.
Weslo: That will be a great show.
You covered I’ll Stand by You by The Pretenders. You did it magnificently. It has millions of streams… Do you plan on covering any other artists' songs in the future?
JWR: That’s a great question.
We have been covering Welcome to the Black Parade (My Chemical Romance) on the tour. But we’ll have to see. I enjoy singing so many… I’ll keep you posted.
Austin City Limits 2022 | Jake Wesley Rogers | Photo Credit: Jakob Wandel
Weslo: Your outfits for live shows are Everything! What inspires you in picking your wardrobe? Are you inspired by other artists?
JWR: This outfit I’m wearing now is like a red dandy number inspired by the movie The Velvet Goldmine, it’s like an unofficial David Bowie bio pic and there’s this one scene where a character is wearing this dandy outfit — I did a photo shoot for Vogue, they had me wear something similar, and when i wore it, I felt I had been there before. So I wanted to make something, something to recreate that feeling.
But you know before every tour, I think about what I want to wear, feel like, and present to my fabulous audience. But yes, I’m proud to say all the costumes from my tours are made by queer designers— which is always very exciting to me. I love a great collaboration between creative minds.
Austin City Limits 2022 | Jake Wesley Rogers | Photo Credit: Jakob Wandel
Weslo: I love that.
Many queer artists I see perform to tracks in the background. You not only have a full band but you are also slaying it on the piano. Has that always been the vision?
JWR: When it comes to music, for me personally, it’s always been me and the piano. I don’t think that will ever change. As far as having a band to perform with, it just feels right to me.
Weslo: Well, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. You’re an amazing talent and we wish you all the success. You have our full support.
JWR: Thank you for that, I appreciate you as well.
Make sure to check out Jake Wesley Roger’s new EP LOVE
The EP includes two brand new songs “My Mistake” and “Call It Love” along with previous releases, “Modern Love,” “Lavender Forever,” which he performed on ELLEN, “Dark Bird” and the most recent “Hindsight” from the Billy Eichner film Bros.
Jake Wesley Rogers to Perform at Austin City Limits
Rising superstar Jake Wesley Rogers is set to play ACL both weekends with sets Sunday 10/9 and 10/16 @ 1:15pm on the Miller Lite Stage. Attendees will not want to miss this electrifying, live show.
With the release of new song “Hindsight” for gay rom-com film, BROS this past Friday, major buzz is surrounding up-and-coming queer artist and advocate Jake Wesley Rogers.
Jake released his first major-label single “Middle Of Love” last May, Paper Magazine said “Give Jake Wesley Rogers a stadium” and now he is performing in arenas across the country, opening for Panic! at the Disco.
“Hindsight” along with earlier releases from this year including “Modern Love” and “Lavender Forever” which he performed on Ellen and HBO Max’s Legendary can be found on Jake’s upcoming EP.
"My new song Hindsight is very special to me, especially since it will be the end title track in Billy Eichner’s historic new film, “Bros”—the first gay rom-com made by a major motion picture studio. I wrote it with my go-to collaborator Justin Tranter, as well as the producer, Jason Gill. The song is about looking back at the past and longing to make the future better, by actually living and loving (and dancing) to your fullest potential." – Jake Wesley Rogers
Interview coming soon.
Queer Synth-Rocker Caleb De Casper Performs at Austin City Limits Festival
Austin, Texas– Caleb De Casper, the “alternative diva crowds want to rally behind” (Austin Chronicle) will be playing Austin City Limits Festival on weekend one, Sunday, October 9th on the Barton Springs Stage at 1:15pm before synth-poppers, Muna. As always, the show promises to be spectacularly unforgettable, but De Casper and the band have new surprises in store for the ACL audience. As Culture Map declared last month, "If theatrics are what you are after, don't miss this performance." The classically-trained artist was previously scheduled for the following weekend, October 16th at 11:15am, but was moved to a more ideal time slot.
The queer, electronic glam-rocker was invited to join the lineup of the popular festival (which draws crowds of 450,000 yearly) after a whirlwind year, which included the release of his new album Femme Boy, the designation of Caleb De Casper Day by the City of Austin on April 21st and being named June Artist Of The Month by tastemaker radio station KUTX FM. The artist also performed at The Long Center for a 2,000 cap Pride event, shared the stage with Big Freedia and A Giant Dog in front of packed crowds, as well as landing notable press including Teen Vogue and an interview on one of the most popular queer podcasts in the country, Feast of Fun.
Up next for De Casper is an otherworldly video steeped in fantasy and mythology for the single “Do You Feel” directed by Mexican filmmaker Robbie Cabrera. Stay tuned…
Photo by Stephanie Tacy
STEWART TAYLOR RELEASES VISUAL FOR SONG, “MAYBE WE SHOULDN’T TALK”
Stewart Taylor is out now with the visual for “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk”, his catchy true-to-life pop tune about breaking ties with an ex-lover. Directed by Benjamin Farren and filmed primarily at Vasquez Rocks National Park in California, the video depicts the unraveling of Taylor’s last serious relationship. “It can be extremely difficult to move on from someone you love,” he reflects, “even when you know it’s bad for you. Sometimes the only thing you can do to stop the unhealthy cycles of a toxic relationship is to stop talking altogether.” Stewart Taylor’s "Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk" is being distributed independently and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms.
“My ex and I argued over anything and everything,” Taylor continues from his LA home. “If there was a boundary that I set, he would cross it every time. I’m not saying he was a bad person. I did things, too, that hurt the relationship. It’s just that we all have our demons. I didn’t respond well to his and he didn’t respond well to mine. Some people simply shouldn’t be together.”
The video for “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk” reflects on the song’s portrayal of the struggles of a venomous relationship. Taylor made sure to include a game of tug of war to depict the constant push and pull. There are also scenes with the two lovers chasing one another, battling it out and then passionately making up, all in front of a fantastical canyon backdrop. “It was fun to recreate my life through the lens of fantasy,” he says. He admits he took some creative license. “Did my ex and I ever fight and chase each other through a desert? No. But it’s more interesting to recreate our dynamic against that backdrop because it represents how it often felt for me emotionally.”
Jake Dean Taylor plays the role of the ex-boyfriend in “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk”. Australian Actor Stephen Multari and up and coming pop artist Kelechi also play troubled love interests in the video. Dancers are Kyle McCraw and former Glee cast member RILAN. Julie Vegliante, who has worked with Lady Gaga, choreographed the video. The role of the snake is played by Beau, a real-life sweet and well-behaved python that was provided by the same family of handlers who supplied Britney Spears with the seven-foot python she performed with in her “I’m A Slave 4 U” production at the 2001 VMA’s.
Stewart Taylor is an LA-based singer, songwriter, dancer, and MMG model. He grew up in a small town outside of New York City, performing in local talent shows and Lower East Side clubs. He graduated from Boston’s Berklee College of Music.
He has collaborated with a number of Grammy-nominated songwriters and producers including Charlie Puth, Kara DioGuardi, (P!nk, Katy Perry) and David Pramik (Selena Gomez) and has released multiple singles, notably 2019’s “Mess Your Hair Up,” 2021’s “Cover Boy”, and 2022’s “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk,” a song Stewart Taylor premiered earlier this summer at California’s first-ever Venice Pride Festival.
“My look, sound, and artistry have changed dramatically since I first started releasing music in 2015,” Stewart Taylor acknowledges. “Back in college, I was heavily inspired by David Bowie and everyone I came across expected me to sing rock music. I love rock, but my heart is in soul and pop, more in the line of early George Michael and Prince. I’ve worked hard to get in touch with the R&B influences I grew up on and I’ve become a better dancer, singer, and songwriter in ways that I never could have imagined a decade ago.”
If there is one thing Stewart Taylor has learned these past few years, it’s the importance of great friends, creativity, and walking away from unhealthy relationships. “I learned the hard way that being half of a destructive duo will never make a person whole,” he says. “Walking away is so much easier said than done, but if I can leave the toxic relationship I was in, I believe anyone can.”
Stewart Taylor’s “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk” is being distributed independently and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Visit stewarttaylorofficial.com. Follow on IG @imstewarttaylor
Non-Binary Queer Femme Artist THE ORACLE Releases “Cloud 9 Angel” Visual
The Final Single from Debut EP, Lost Amulet
THE ORACLE returns this month with a new visual for “Cloud 9 Angel”, the final chapter of their debut EP Lost Amulet. The track is magical, dreamy, ethereal; it celebrates the abundance of nature by offering a moment of surreal escapism. Reflecting on the fantastical whimsy of the song, THE ORACLE and co-director Laura Weyl @metametagasm shot its visual in several iconic NYC locations including the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and on the historic carousel in Prospect Park.
“We aimed to capture the crystal desert, a beautiful place of dreams, in the visual,” THE ORACLE explains. “When I think of the crystal desert, I think of Brian Froud’s Faerie realm, the sandscapes in the sci fi classic Dune, as well as the hallucinatory visual landscapes of the liquid planet in Solaris. The crystal desert can be a wondrous place, but it is also treacherous with danger lurking in hidden corners. It is best to travel over it securely with a loved one at your side.”
“Cloud 9 Angel” is one of the six tracks on THE ORACLE’s debut EP from August 2021, Lost Amulet. In the album, the nonbinary queer femme artist blends a love of poetry with soaring vocals, a futuristic sound, and deeply emotional narratives. “Cloud 9 Angel” stands apart from the other moody tracks on the EP due to the hopeless romanticism and naivete of the lyrics and sound. No other track on the EP features the bouncy glitches, progressive drums, and soaring melodies that carries this track.
“Cloud 9 Angel was written while a friend and I were on crystal cave exploration in Riviera Maya, Mexico,” THE ORACLE continues. “The song came to me with the beat, a progression of dreamy, enduring and playful love between two souls. Galen Tipton provides the production, which is a satisfying blend of drum, bass and twinkly pop beats.”
The song relates to THE ORACLE personally because they are a self-identified hopeless romantic who works to paint the reverie of love through all of their relationships. “I am deeply spiritual, a dreamer, but also woefully timid. It can be hard to relate my deepest wishes to someone I care about when there is so much fear involved. My heart wrote the song from this state of mind.”
THE ORACLE was born in Jerusalem, Israel as Julia Sinelnikova and until five-years-old, lived in St. Petersburg, Russia. Now living in Brooklyn, NY, THE ORACLE remains an artist, working predominantly in sculpture, lighting design and performance, but also currently expanding their expressiveness into recording and DJ production.Their music has become a soundscape for THE ORACLE’S video art and light art ideas to come together through performance. “I want my music to encourage psychedelic exploration, excessive dreaming, and the imagination of new, utopian and dystopian worlds,” THE ORACLE sums up. “Through listening to my songs, I aim to reveal my personas and the details of the worlds in my mind to my audiences.”
THE ORACLE is nearly ready to reveal their ORACLE666 album, the follow-up to Lost Amulet. A music video shot at THE ORACLE’s NYC studio and at The Invisible House in the Joshua Tree Desert is forthcoming, from that album.
Follow THE ORACLE on Instagram.com @ or_acle. Other links.
MEGAN THEE STALLION RELEASES NEW VIDEO FOR “HER” FROM NEW LP “TRAUMAZINE”
“Traumazine is an album that leaves you reeling slightly, both impressed and strangely grateful – convinced of Megan Thee Stallion’s brilliance” - The Guardian
“Traumazine, is a thrill ride of a listen, a motley mix of slick bops and searing confessionals that wonderfully encapsulate all of her various vibes.” - Rolling Stone
Grammy award-winning recording artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist Megan Thee Stallion unleashed the brand-new music video for “HER”, which was directed by Colin Tilley. Watch it HERE.
“HER” comes off the Houston native’s latest LP ‘Traumazine’ and is an anthem that celebrates strong, independent women across the world and embraces all elements of who they are.
Megan recently released her highly-anticipated LP ‘Traumazine’ on Aug. 12, which includes features from the hottest names in music including Dua Lipa, Key Glock, Jhené Aiko, Rico Nasty, Latto, Lucky Daye, Pooh Shiesty as well as Houston staples such as Sauce Walka, Big Pokey & Lil Keke.
The new project invites listeners into Megan’s deepest thoughts and touches on her journey of self-actualization and dealing with trauma. It also includes previously-released songs, such as “Pressurelicious,” “Sweetest Pie,” and “Plan B”.
New music video - BIG DIPPER w/ TT The Artist + cameo from Nicole Byer pole dancing
Queer internet rapper BIG DIPPER releases A ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ inspired music video for HAM AND CHEESE. Featuring TT The Artist, a 3D world of meats & cheeses, and a pole dancing cameo from Nicole Byer!
Big Dipper - HAM AND CHEESE (feat. TT The Artist)
The music video for HAM AND CHEESE is a fantasy world where Big Dipper, TT The Artist, and their dancers, shrink to miniature proportions and get jiggy in a grocery bag, a baseball mitt, and on a picnic table in the park all surrounded by giant food items.
Featuring a bikini clad pole dancing cameo from everyone's favorite BBW queen Nicole Byer, the video for this high energy club track makes you want to shake your ass on a ham and cheese sandwich (apologies to the vegan contingency).
Of the collaboration with TT The Artist, Dipper said “Working with TT was so great because she is such a good writer, sounds amazing on any track she works on, and she was so down to play around with this wacky idea we had for the video!”
This is the first of 3 music video releases slated for Big Dipper for summer 2022, following a brief hiatus after his video for BACK UP OFF ME came out in 2020.
The HAM AND CHEESE music video was created in collaboration with animator Michael Chadwick, editor Julian Lormant, choreographer Melissa Schade, and stylist Patrick Gainer with custom clothing pieces by airbrush artist Malcom Stuart.
HAM AND CHEESE was written by Big Dipper and TT The Artist, with music production by So Drove, who created all the music for Big Dipper’s EP: THE HAM AND CHEESE EP (May 2020). Past collaborations between the two include Big Dipper’s body positive viral anthem LOOKIN.
FELIX III DEBUTS “THE SOUNDS I MAKE” VIDEO TODAY
Queer, Mexican-American musician and composer FELIX III releases his new video for "The Sounds I Make" today. FELIX III’s music focuses on giving into carnal pleasures at the cost of mental wellbeing – and centers around unlearning the damage caused by poverty, homophobia, higher education, heartbreak and the great sadness of not living up to the American Dream that we are conditioned to believe in as our ultimate goal.
Of “The Sounds I Make” and its accompanying video, FELIX III says: “This song is about dancing away your problems. ‘The Sounds I Make’ is my lyrical mantra. It is facing the things you aren’t happy with in your life, and letting them go. Every sound you make is a chance to grow, learn and expand your potential. I used Big Room style beats with rave-ready anthemic synths to drive the song forward, much like life. Then I used a modulating vocoder to change my voice as the song progresses like the way we change our points of view as we mature and grow wiser.
The video is shot vertically. We want you to watch it on your phone, just like everything else. “The Sounds I Make” was shot in a swimming pool, a bathtub, and at the ocean. I wanted to capture the vulnerability of being in and beside a body of water. Water can be both healing and dangerous - one minute we are floating at the top, and the next we are under the waves. Being in water is also a place where we cast aside inhibitions and expose our bodies. As the ingenue in the video, we wanted that voyeuristic side of the starlet in the swimming pool gazing at the Hollywood producer debating how far he would go to get the part.”
FELIX III is the official artist-in-residence for OUTsider Fest – an Austin-based transmedia nonprofit that celebrates the bold originality and creative nonconformity of the LGBTQ+ communities through the presentation of provocative, overlooked and out-of-the-box film, dance, theater, performance art, music, writing and visual art. Through OUTsider Fest, FELIX III will be the recipient of the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts Grant). The residency began with a performance earlier this year and will continue with the presentation of a semi-surreal feature film to be shot this year and premiere in 2023.
FELIX III will perform at Brooklyn’s 3 Dollar Bill on July 20.
Felix III: Instagram / Spotify / Apple Music / TikTok / Twitter
D’Arcy Releases New, Highly Anticipated Single “Crazy”
Today, NYC singer-songwriter D'Arcy shares a brand new single entitled "Crazy," alongside a music video and live video performance.
Speaking on the track, D'Arcy wrote:
"'Crazy' is about falling in love with someone and being transported into a different world where just the two of you exist. It is about wanting to feel that intense emotion no matter the cost, which sometimes can result in darkness. I really wanted the lyrics to capture what it feels like to really fall in love for the first time, where your whole world becomes this other person and you would do anything to keep that feeling alive."
On its accompanying music video, she continued:
"We spent a whole night and day shooting this video in and around Los Angeles. Is it a dream ? Is it real ? The character in the video is based on the female lead of a movie script I’m currently developing. Collaborating with director Mynxii White, she really helped me capture the fantasy elements that show the intensity of emotion the character is experiencing."
D'Arcy's debut EP, Hard to Kill, came out last year. The EP consists of six tracks, including three that are new: "Forever Numb," "Dangerous," and title track "Hard to Kill." Thematically, the EP focuses on self-empowerment, young love, addiction, and heartbreak. At times dark and moody, and at times strong and powerful, Hard to Kill is imbued with honesty, attitude and confidence, taking the listener through a range of emotions, sounds and narratives.
D’Arcy is a new alternative artist most recently deemed “our favorite thing to come out of NYC” from the ultra hip indie music outlet When The Horn Blows. Her debut EP Hard To Kill, released Aug 6 2021, has over 500k streams, and coincided with her 40 city tour across the US. The EP was also a success at college radio being spun at 65+ radio stations, and making the top 20 on over 10 stations.
“Mulit-Dimensional” and “Alluring,” D’Arcy has received incredible praise from Grimy Goods, EARMILK, Flaunt, and Under The Radar.
MEGAN THEE STALLION UNLEASHES “PLAN B” AFTER TEASING SNIPPET DURING OPENING WEEKEND OF COACHELLA
3x GRAMMY® Award-winning superstar, entrepreneur and philanthropist Megan Thee Stallion released her eagerly-awaited new single “Plan B” ahead of her upcoming set at the second weekend of Coachella.
The Houston native initially teased the track during a dazzling performance at Coachella’s opening weekend in front of hundreds of thousands of fans. The hype around the snippet, which samples Jodeci’s “Freek’n You (Remix)”with Wu-Tang Clan, quickly spread online as fans quickly clamored for Megan to drop the full-length single.
The release of “Plan B” comes on the heels of a scorching stretch for Megan, who teamed up with Dua Lipa to unleash their powerful collaboration “Sweetest Pie” in March and is now Top 10 at pop radio. She delivered a dynamic performance of “Sweetest Pie” at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards, where she was also honored with the Trailblazer Award.
Megan followed her iHeartRadio Music Awards appearance with a special rendition of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” at the 2022 Oscars that also included Encanto cast, Luis Fonsi and Becky G.
To kickoff her 2022 Hot Girl Summer, Megan will perform at the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15, where she is also nominated for Top Rap Female Artist. She came away victorious in the same category in 2021.
Felix III Interview SXSW 2022
We got to chat with Felix III during SXSW 2022 at the iconic Cheer Up Charlies in Austin, TX. This up and coming, queer, singer/songwriter had a lot to share. We talked new single After Hours and Felix even answered fan’s questions live via Twitter.
Drag DJ-production Duo JAWBREAKERS Release Debut Music Video - "Boyfriend"
Kali Forni-Kate and Sabrina Babyslut are drag producer/DJs! Together, they are known as the Jawbreakers. In their first EP, Just A Taste - being released through Vicious Recordings, the label that discovered Avicii when he was a teenager, and released his first ten records - the duo dish out delicious dance, pop and tech house songs that reflect on their live DJ shows. "Boyfriend," the EP’s first single, is out now. It’s video emphasizes how Kali and Sabrina not only DJ their parties, they are their parties.
Just A Taste, the debut EP from the drag-duo DJ-production team known as Jawbreakers, dishes out dance, pop and tech house songs suitable for clubs and partygoers at home enjoying a late-night kiki. “The EP is a sampling platter of beats with something for everyone,” says Kali Forni-Kate of Jawbreakers. “It’s Just A Taste, because there is 100% more to come,” adds her collaborator, Sabrina Babyslut. With songs like “This Is Dirty” and “Ciao Bella,” the EP reflects the group’s live DJ shows that emphasize how Jawbreakers are not only playing the party, they are the party. "Boyfriend," the EP’s first release, is a modern-day remake of Ashlee Simpson’s 2005 hit that chronicled her stealing Wilmer Valderrama from Lindsay Lohan. The Jawbreaker version features vocals from Amunda (formerly from Operator Please). Its accompanying music video, directed by Nyssa Mitchell, conceptualized by Jawbreakers with editing and FX by Zachary McSweeney, is a technicolor dream, with Kali and Sabrina dressed in eye-catching lewks. The Just A Taste EP is being distributed through Extrovert Music, a division of Vicious Recordings, and will be available on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms on April 1. Jawbreaker’s “Boyfriend” music video is available on YouTube.
Kali and Sabrina first met in 2016, performing in a Britney Spears tribute show in Melbourne. They immediately clicked as both came from similar middle-class, nuclear family backgrounds, discovered drag via their passions for musical theatre, and began their individual adventures into the art form after high school. When they learned of their shared interest in music production, they decided to join forces as a DJ duo. They bought a mixer and six months later they were in business.
“The biggest hurdle was deciding who stands where in the booth,” Kali explains. “Sabrina is left-handed and I’m right. We had to fight over who uses the left and right DJ decks. Swapping throws off our groove!”
Their Jawbreakers name harkens back to the iconic candy from their childhoods and the 1998 teen film that starred Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart and Julie Benz as the “it” girl clique who reign supreme in their high school. “It’s a reflection on how the drag that we do is heavily inspired by pop culture,” Kali continues. “Like the girls in the movie, we dress to have fun and through the music we play and the energy that we exude, it makes everyone want to party with us!”
The duo has already headlined several international festivals including Sydney Mardi Gras and Milkshake Festival in Netherlands. Their next big gig will be Summer Camp Festival where they will perform alongside Years and Years, Big Freedia and The Veronicas. They are also slated to perform the next Goodlife U18 event, as well as Adelaide Festival, St Kilda Festival and Melbourne Pride.
“We have been keeping an eye on Jawbreakers for several years,” says Damien Platt of Extrovert Music, a division of Vicious Recordings, the label that discovered Avicii when he was a teenager, and released his first ten records. “When Kali and Sabrina presented us with demos of the EP, we were instantly fans of the music. It's fun, its camp and its quality music.”
Jawbreakers is not Extrovert Music’s first foray into gay dance floor music. Label co-founder Andy Van, of the band Madison Avenue, had a #1 dance anthem with “Don’t Call Me Baby”. More recently, Sgt Slick’s recut of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” went gold and has become a major queer anthem. “Extrovert Music is focusing on dance pop/disco/commercial/cross over releases,” Platt continues. “A majority of our new signings and existing roster who identify as LGBTQIA+ are producing this sound.”
While Jawbreakers’ unique look has helped attract attention to their work, Sabrina admits that performing as hyper feminine drag artists has made it harder for fans and the music industry to take the duo seriously. “We’ve had straight DJs hit on us and others wonder who the random chicks were in the booth,” she explains. “But way more people have shown their support and their desire to see us succeed.”
“We’re lucky to live in an era when queer culture is proving that we can be a force in any and every industry,” Kali adds. “Never underestimate what a queen can achieve. It only makes us work harder.”
Jawbreakers’ “Just A Taste” is being distributed through Extrovert Music and will be available on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms. The “Boyfriend” video is available now on YouTube. Follow on Instagram @ JawbreakersDJ
Gender-Bending Queer Artist ALONE Releases “Everything”, An Ode to His Trans Siblings
Debut Single Declares “Opulence is a State of Mind”
“Everything”, the debut single from the gender-bending Queer artist ALONE, pays homage to the shiny, brassy days of Motown while also serving as an affirming ode to the Transgender Community who continue to enrich our world while battling tremendous negativity. “I want my siblings to know that they are blessed, loved and perfect just the way they are,” says ALONE, who’s own lewk blends disco-rock camp fierceness with svelte Hollywood glamour silhouettes. He wrote, composed, and arranged the soulful RnB Pop track, and topped it off with soaring falsetto vocals brimming with joy fitting for a true anthem. The song was recorded in New York City with a full live band on all-analog equipment. “It is meant to be a bright and feel-good reminder that you already have everything you need to be happy and thrive,” he explains. ALONE’s “Everything” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms. Its music video is available on YouTube.
“Everything” started as a love song to a guy I was dating who had a fabulous life but couldn't stop complaining about everything,” ALONE recalls from his NYC home. “I wrote the song to try to convince him to see how good he had it and help him cultivate a spirit of gratitude.”
During the production of the song, the message grew larger than a simple love song. It became a proclamation for all to appreciate life regardless of unfavorable circumstances. "Your joy is not dependent on external factors," ALONE urges. "Right now, just as you are, you are already as good, as well and as complete as anyone can ever hope to be — and therefore you are already, in fact, everything."
“I wrote the lyric, ‘Opulence is a state of mind,’ while sunbathing on the crumbling roof of an old house I was living in,” he continues. “At the time, I was barely making rent and struggling to find work and ways to bring my music to life. I laid down a patch of Astro turf on that hot tar, covered it with a piece of leopard fabric, treated myself to a box of strawberries and felt like royalty.”
In the song’s music video, ALONE spotlights an all Trans and Gender Non-Conforming cast. “I wanted to assure the Trans and Queer youth out there that there is a family here for them and that they are beautiful, powerful and worthy,” he says. He enlisted some of the leading activists in the Black Trans Lives Matter Movement including Tahtianna Fermin, founder of Bridges 4 Life, an organization that serves Trans youth in the foster care system; Danni Gucci, founder of the #Wontberased campaign for Trans visibility; and Suburbia, a drag queen who has been featured on HBO Max’s And Just Like That, and is the founder of the POC Collective.
ALONE was born Alon and raised in Israel, in a small coastal town called Herzliya. His father died in military action when he was three and a half years old. He grew up in a household of women, with only his mom and sister. His musical influences were Prince, Grace Jones, George Michael and Sylvester. “Growing up as a Queer kid who never fully fit in anywhere, seeing a Queer artist like Sylvester was a beacon of hope,” ALONE reflects. “It made me feel like I wasn't alone, like there was a future for me and that there were others out there like me.”
Upon moving to New York City, Alon changed his name to ALONE to reclaim the word; empowering its meaning from something sad and scary to independent and in control. “Being alone is one thing everyone experiences from time to time. There is beauty and strength-building in it. The binary concept that being alone is bad and being together is good is false. Both are equally important to our growth and well-being.”
ALONE’s next single, "Fine", is currently in production and scheduled to be released on April 8th with an accompanying music video. A sultry tribute to homo- and pansexual attraction, it pays homage to 80s rock strip songs while challenging the prevalent notions of sexuality and gender.
ALONE’s “Everything” is available now on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms. Its music video is available on YouTube. Visit his website and follow ALONE on Instagram @ TogethALONE.