A Queer Music Kiki

At Liberty

News

4.8 • 585 Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2024

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

As we celebrate Pride Month and approach summer, one thing is on our minds: queer pop icons. From the fast fame of Chappell Roan and Reneé Rapp to praise for hitmakers like Billie Eilish and Victoria Monét, it feels like we’re in a moment for unapologetically queer music in the mainstream. This is especially true for queer femme artists, who are reaching pop stardom. To dive into this moment and see if others are noticing it too, we called up some fellow music-lovers who have been tuned in. In this episode, you’ll hear from the ACLU's Stefan Smith, head of digital engagement, and Gillian Branstetter, communications strategist for the LGBTQ Project. Later, we’re joined by music journalist Sasha Geffen, author of the book "Glitter Up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary." Together, we discuss what we're noticing in the world of queer music, our favorite artists, and the rich history that led us to where we are today. To listen to the artists discussed in this episode and others we've been loving, check out our playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2PsXHQfSwtfxP2a3fiQ7RF?si=2daac59c447d4d3d

Transcript

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0:00.0	From the ACLU, this is at Liberty. I'm Kendall Seasmeyer, your host.
0:11.4	Welcome back to the show and happy Pride Month. As we celebrate pride and approach summer,
0:19.6	one thing is on my mind.
0:21.6	So I don't know what's come over me, but I feel like the only thing I'm listening to these days is lesbians.
0:27.6	Lesbianism. First it was Renee Rapp, who I've never felt like I wanted to be more like than anyone else in my life.
0:33.6	Then it was Chappel Rowan who makes me feel like I'm 16 again.
0:36.6	And now, Billy
0:37.7	Alicia. Billy Alicia. They're killing it. I love it. And as I sit here looking out at the window,
0:43.3	I do wonder to myself, do I want to eat a girl for lunch? I have to agree. It feels like
0:52.1	we're in a moment for unapologetically queer music in the mainstream.
0:56.8	And this is especially true of queer femmes in the industry, who are seemingly reaching pop stardom.
1:03.0	I wanted to know if others were noticing this moment too. So I called up some fellow ACLU music lovers who, like me, are also creatures of the internet.
1:12.9	I'm so excited to be here.
1:14.7	Stefan Smith, head of digital engagement here at the ACLU.
1:17.9	And I'm just such a huge music fan.
1:20.9	And the moment we are experiencing right now with this, like, queer resurgence we're getting,
1:27.4	it's everything, the sort of closeted 12-year-old and new one. out with this like queer resurgence we're getting.
1:31.7	It's everything the sort of closeted 12 year old didn't be wanted.
1:35.8	And I'm now getting it in my late 30s-ish.
1:38.2	My name is Gillian Brandstetter.
1:41.3	I'm the communication strategist for the ACLU's LGBT work. And I'm, I've always been an obsessive about music and music history and I'm
1:48.7	also especially interested in any space where queer politics meets culture.
	...

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