celeb news GRAMMYs: The Rise Of The Queer Pop Star In The 2010s (Gaga,Miley,Sam,LNX & more)

[Marry Illusion Glory]

 

The second decade of the new millennium saw a shift away from the tepid engagement with queer identity in pop. Lyrics became less thematically subtle, instead favoring direct and prideful exclamations, as well as nuanced songs of heartbreak. 

 

[...]

When Lady Gaga burst onto the scene in early 2008, the media zeroed in on her eccentric costumes and zany ear-worms. Yet her bisexuality and support for the LGBTQ+ community through song — most notably, 2011's "Born This Way" — was often criticized and allyship largely considered an eccentricity. Even still, her fame skyrocketed in an incredible show of progress. Gaga became a global sensation at a time where any political sentiment was rarely rewarded.

 

In a 2018 video interview with Vogue, Gaga commented that these formative pop songs were a career defining moment. "I want to be remembered for the message behind 'Born This Way.' I would like to be remembered for believing that people are equal," Gaga said. "I would like to be remembered for being courageous and different."

 

As Brian O’Flynn wrote in the Guardian: "Gaga did for my generation what Bowie did 20 years earlier. She re-queered a mainstream that had fallen back into heteronormative mundanity."

 

[...]

 

Gaga's queer-friendly pop would be emulated and iterated on for years to come. But the dawn of the 2010s brought with it a new age of queer pop, one where authenticity seemed to reign supreme and identity was placed under a microscope.

 

Queerness as a so-called marketing plot is commonplace, though it can also result in an artist's sexual orientation being dismissed or diminished. Halsey, Kiyoko and Miley Cyrus have all had to defend their status as LGBTQ+,  reflecting the ways bisexuality is often criticized in queer circles.

 

While some artists are accused of queerbaiting, others must deal with intersectional issues of identity. After coming out in 2019, Lil Nas X has become one of the best-known Black queer male artists — an especially significant fact as his has experienced success in both country and hip-hop — and boldy embraces his sexuality across platforms. The rapper has reveled in turning homophobic rhetoric on its head with outspoken lyrics, and explicitly devilish videos and performances.

 

 

Yet Black queer pop stars such as Lil Nas X face an extreme level of backlash around sexual performances that their straight, white counterparts often don’t get. When he openly kissed a dancer at the BET Awards — an unexpected, but authentic act of self-expression as a gay man — Nas X was demonized (so much that he commented that, next time, he would have sex onstage). None of the vitriol stopped Nas from achieving his second No. 1 of the year or winning Best Music Video at the 2020 GRAMMY Awards.

 

It appears that artists such as Lil Nas X are starting the 2020s off with pride — and more unabashed, explicitly queer music.

 

[...]

 

Emboldened by vocal online fans, queer musicians are able to reach huge audiences and raise awareness around LGBTQ+ identities. Yet criticism and backlash can still derail careers. Hayley Kiyoko was the only openly queer artist to break the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2018; meanwhile, Sam Smith’s album sales fell when they publicly came out as non-binary in 2019.

 

It is a sign of progress that we are beginning to dissect and examine these issues of queerness rather than ignore them. Yet the obsession with "true" identity and "correct" ways of expression can hamper queer creativity, especially for those with other intersecting identities. As LGBTQ+ stories are embraced in the 2020s, acceptance of queer pop artists can't be contingent upon the public's comfort with specific presentations of queerness.

 

We shouldn’t have to force pop stars to come out, or publicly present their sexuality, for us to appreciate their queer work — but if they choose to do so, we shouldn’t be trying to shove them back into that respectable, comfortable queer box. Long live the queer pop star, in any way they wish to exist. 

 

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Great article 

Happy Pride! 

 

Edited June 21, 2022 by Marry Illusion Glory

[Erotic]

THE Goddess of Pop gave birth to the modern pop landscape,

and she chose the gays as her disciples 

 

[Artur]

They way she was fighting since day one. I'm forever grateful for that.

[ZIVERT]

She was definitely one of the first new generation pop stars to go all out with her support for the LGBT community. The only other popstar I can think that was vocally supportive was Christina Aguilera during the Stripped era. However Gaga herself has said she isn't apart of the community, and only likes girls sometimes. Does this mean she kisses girls when she's drunk, or more? 

 

 

 

That being said, the next generation of pop stars will certainly have more room for queer artists. And hopefully with artists like Lil Nas X continuing to pave the way for gay men in the mainstream, I hope we will see more gay men be embraced in the pop world.

[Hephaestus]

A true ally and icon, we are so lucky to have her!

 

[State of Grace.]

5 minutes ago, ZIVERT said:

She was definitely one of the first new generation pop stars to go all out with her support for the LGBT community. The only other popstar I can think that was vocally supportive was Christina Aguilera during the Stripped era. However Gaga herself has said she isn't apart of the community, and only likes girls sometimes. Does this mean she kisses girls when she's drunk, or more? 

 

 

 

That being said, the next generation of pop stars will certainly have more room for queer artists. And hopefully with artists like Lil Nas X continuing to pave the way for gay men in the mainstream, I hope we will see more gay men be embraced in the pop world.

For the love of god, SH*T THE F*CK UP.

 

Yall annoying ass twinks do this every single time and ruin every single thread. Enough.

Edited June 21, 2022 by State of Grace.

[Patient Zero]

Truly the QUEEN of the gays

[JoeAg]

I love my bisexual queen, BISEXUAL like me! she's a true inspiration to the whole LGBTQ community! she's done so much advocacy and helped with representation for all of us queer people, and what she does really saves people  Lil Nas X is cool too, I'm excited to see where his career goes from here and I'm always rooting for him even though I don't listen to him a ton

 

I just wish Perfume Genius could permeate the mainstream tbh 

[Bang Up]

Gaga supported and fought for the LGBT community from day one. She didn't start once it became popular or once she wanted to transition into a popstar. True allyship.