 Jenn O'Hagan is the PR Director at Cyber PR. She and her team put together these articles for The Crush Blog to help female musicians find the best, most up-to-date resources to help advance their music careers. In honor of June being PRIDE month, we decided to highlight some of the most prominent female-identifying artists of the LGBTQ+ community over the years dating back all the way to the 1910s!  King Princess Years of Prominence: Present King Princess, born Mikaela Straus, is an American singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who identifies as both genderqueer and lesbian. At just 19 years old, she released singles “1950”, “Talia”, and “P***y is God” in 2018 - all anthems about lesbian romance. Each song Straus writes is explicitley queer. With her openly gendered lyrics she leaves no room for confusion as to who she is singing about and her fans love her for it! Having already earned a platinum record, her music is proof that LGBTQ+ artists can find success writing songs about queer relationships, and shows how far the community has come in regards to representation within the music industry. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Pragya Pallavi Years of Prominence: Present Pragya Pallavi is an Indian singer/songwriter, musician, percussionist, and performer who is classically trained as a Hindustani vocalist (not sure what that is? Learn more here!) Born in Patna and now based in Mumbai, Pragya describes herself as a gender-fluid lesbian, a label that until 2018 would have made her a criminal in India (yeah, our jaws dropped reading that too). In 2019, one year after the Supreme Court of India decriminalised homosexuality, Pragya made history by releasing the first explicitly LGBTQ+ themed record in India, titled Queerism. Of the release and her own queer, ethnic, and cultural identity, Pragya said, "No labels are needed if we don’t want to have one. No gender needs to be mentioned if you don’t believe in any specific gender. That’s the beauty of being queer in India in 2019.” Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  “Ma” Rainey Years of Prominence: 1910-20s Gertrude Pridgett, best known as "Ma" Rainey, was among the earliest Black musicians to record blues in the states. Known as "Mother of the Blues," she was famous for her moaning vocals and bright energy. Ma Rainey was born in the Deep South, just two decades after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed, yet rose to the top of the blues scene singing lyrics that directly reflected her experience as both a Black woman and as someone who identified as lesbian/bisexual. Ma was the mentor (and possibly a lover) of Bessie Smith, "Empress of the Blues” and spearheaded the popularization of blues music all while living a lifestyle that boldy reflected her true identity. Spotify  Big Freedia Years of Prominence: Present Known as the Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia almost single handedly elevated the New Orleans bounce scene to a nationwide scale. Her collaborations with other queer artists, such as Lizzo and Kesha (more on them below!), as well as many other ultra famous musicians (Drake, Icona Pop, and Beyoncé, to name a few), have made a huge impact on the industry. Freedia has identified as a gay man, but is openly accepting of all pronouns. She doesn’t wish to be put into a box we would never dream of doing that to such an icon. Freedia wears her feminine stage name with pride, and has become one of the few queer rappers to reach her mainstream level of success, bending gender expectations along the way. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Janelle Monae Years of Prominence: Present Janelle Monae is an American singer, rapper, producer, and actress. She identifies as bisexual and pansexual and is known for her androgynous wardrobe featuring her signature tuxedos. Queer anthems “Make Me Feel” and “Pynk” are two singles featured on her third studio album Dirty Computer, which received two nominations at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Monae describes this critically acclaimed album as an “homage to women and the spectrum of sexual identities.” As if we needed more reasons to celebrate her, she has won two Billboard Women in Music Awards, a GLAAD Media Award, and a multitude of other achievements for her musical success and activism in the LGBTQ+ community. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Gladys Bentley Years of Prominence: 1920s-30s Gladys Bentley was an American, black, lesbian blues singer and pianist prominent during the Harlem Renaissance. After years of struggling to find acceptance in her family, she ran away to New York at 16 years old where her career took off in the 1920’s. At a typical show, Gladys could be seen clad in her signature tuxedo and top hat and exchanging flirtatious interactions with female audience members (most of the time these included improvisational, risqué lyrics). Bentley experienced harassment and prejudice for wearing men’s clothing and was not allowed to perform in certain clubs. Despite her hardships, Gladys Bentley was a trailblazer for many LGBTQ+ artists and black women in music. Spotify  Hayley Kiyoko Years of Prominence: Present Hayley Kiyoko, dubbed the “Lesbian Jesus” by her dedicated fanbase, is an Asian-American and openly lesbian, pop singer and actress and it’s easy to see why. As an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, her music is centered around her experiences with her sexuality and various LGBTQ+ related issues. Her meaningful lyrics express the emotions she dealt with while coming to terms with her identity, something many people can relate to. Kiyoko aims to normalize WLW (women who love women) relationships in society and increase LGBTQ+ visibility in the extremely heteronormative music industry. Her live performances are known to be a safe-haven for her LGBTQ+ fans, filled with pride flags and a sense of community. Hayley also embraces her Asian-American heritage through advocating for people of color in the music industry. After her 2018 win of Push Artist of the Year at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, she dedicated her win to queer women of color. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Tegan and Sara Years of Prominence: 2000-Present Openly gay twin sisters, Tegan and Sara Quin, make up the a Canadian, indie pop duo Tegan and Sara. Since releasing their debut album in 1999, they have amassed major mainstream success and helped increase LGBTQ+ visibility in the music industry. More than just musicians, these political activists founded the Tegan and Sara Foundation, whose mission is to “improve the lives of LGBTQ+ women and girls” and is founded on a “commitment to feminism and racial, social and gender justice.” It’s safe to say they’ve done an amazing job since during the Coronavirus pandemic, they granted $28,000 to organizations who support the LGBTQ+ community. In 2019, they released a memoir titled High School about growing up as queer teenagers and their musical beginnings. Since their start, the twins have sold over a million albums, have four gold records, been nominated for a Grammy, and won multiple GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Music Artist among other achievements. Yes ladies!!! Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Kim Petras Years of Prominence: Present Kim Petras is an openly transgender German, singer/songwriter who has played large role in advocating both socially and legally for younger transitions for transgender individuals. Petras began hormonal therapy at 12 years old and gained popularity as the youngest person known to transition having completed full gender reassignment surgery by the age of 16. Kim has been releasing music since 2008 and gained most of her popularity beginning in 2017. Her latest release “Malibu” from May 2020 garnered over 4 million streams in a little over 1 month. Her singles “Heart To Break” and “I Don’t Want it At All” have close to 50 million streams combined which is extraordinarily exciting for a community who has largely been underrepresented. After transitioning, Kim shared "I was asked if I feel like a woman now – but the truth is I have always felt like a woman – I just ended up in the wrong body". You go, girl! Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Linda Perry Years of Prominence: 1990s-present Linda Perry is a prominent musician, songwriter and producer. Best known for the 4 Non Blondes hit “What’s Up?” she has contributed to a variety of other popular projects including P!nk's Misundaztood album, Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful,” and Gwen Stefani’s “What You Waiting For?” Perry has always been open and proud of who she is and stands strong as a queer, female rockstar. One awesome example? She famously played a guitar with the word “dyke” written on it at the 1994 Billboard Music Awards alongside the rest of 4 Non Blondes without a second thought. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify  MUNA Years of Prominence: Present MUNA is an American electronic pop band made up of Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson who all identify as queer. Early in their career they were hesitant to openly identify themselves as a queer band, but they have since embraced the label and use their music as a place where the LGBTQ+ community can feel like they’re a part of something bigger. The band purposefully does not use gendered pronouns in their lyrics and have created safe spaces at their live shows by advocating for gender-neutral bathrooms. MUNA definitely knows how to spread the love! Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Kesha Years of Prominence: Present Kesha (formerly Ke$ha) rose to fame in the early 2010s for her grungy stage appearance and fresh take on rock infused pop including hits “TiK ToK” and “We R Who We R.” She has spoken openly throughout her career about her own bisexuality as well as her support for the LGBTQ+ community, especially in regards to speaking out against bullying based on identity. She took an unofficial hiatus as she dealt with many personal and professional hurdles, including her lawsuit against Dr. Luke which is still ongoing. Kesha rose back to the top with her vulnerable and empowering single “Praying” that was featured in a female-empowered performance at the 2018 Grammy Awards. She stands strong in her legal battle today and as a community we continue to admire her strength and bravery. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Chely Wright Years of Prominence: 1995-Present Chely Wright is an American country music singer and gay rights activist. In a 2010 issue of People Magazine, she came out as lesbian and became the first major star in the country music genre to announce their homosexuality. This garnered her recognition as a pioneer in what has been considered more of a stereotypically conservative genre. Wright is a widely renowned artist who has won awards such as the Academy of Country Music Award and earned a nomination for the GLAAD Media Awards. In 2011, Chely released a documentary on her coming out story titled Wish Me Away which earned wins at both the Los Angeles Film Festival and the San Francisco International LGBT Festival. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  girl in red Years of Prominence: Present girl in red is the stage name of Marie Ulven, a Norwegian indie pop singer/songwriter and gay icon in the making. Openly lesbian, she is known for her bedroom pop anthems (literally, she makes her music in her bedroom studio) about queer love and mental health. Her music gives a voice to young members of the LGBTQ+ community around the world, with singles like “Girls” and “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend,” both of which amassed massive success on TikTok and other social media platforms. This rising star is the inspiration behind internet slang popular among WLW who ask “do you listen to girl in red?” in order to ask other girls if they are into women. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Shea Diamond Years of Prominence: Present Shea Diamond sings of loving herself as a Black, transgender woman while making music that is often political by nature. She first broke out onto the scene with the hit "I Am Her" - a track that was released in 2016 and written during her time in prison after robbing a convenience store in an attempt to fund her gender reconstruction surgery. Diamond is an advocate for prison reform as well as LGBTQ+ rights. Her musical style is primarily soul and R&B, frequently infused with rock and folk elements. Shea’s sound feels bold and grandiose - just like the messages in her music. On trans women in the music industry, Shea says, "We’re here, we’re definitely queer, and we’re making music. We’re making art. We’re talented as hell." Yes you are, Shea! Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Jackie Shane Years of Prominence: 1960s Born in 1940, Jackie Shane sung of her lived experiences as a poor, Black, transgender women living in the Jim Crow South. In her youth, Jackie joined a traveling carnival to escape the harsh confines of a segregated South. She wound up living in Toronto for quite some time, where she became a pioneer of soul and R&B performance. Jackie passed away in 2019 after many years of retirement, but her legacy as a proud trans performer in a time where it was largely unheard of lives on. Website | Spotify  FLETCHER Years of Prominence: Present Cari Fletcher, known professionally as FLETCHER, is a queer American pop singer and songwriter. She is a rising pop star who released her latest EP You Ruined New York City For Me last summer - a brutally honest and emotional collection of songs about heartbreak and the aftermath of ending a toxic relationship. Throughout her career, FLETCHER has been very vocal about the portrayal of women in the music industry and has used her platform to raise social awareness on feminist issues within the industry and beyond. She also pushes for greater LGBTQ+ representation through the use of female love interests in her music videos, and actively supports organizations such as GLAAD, The Trevor Project, and It Gets Better. In regards to being a queer woman in music, she has said “I think growing up as a little girl, I never felt represented by an artist. Looking to all of the other female pop stars that existed, I never really saw myself, and I have always said, I need to be the artist that I needed as a little girl.” Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Halsey Years of Prominence: Present Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, best known as Halsey, is one of the biggest names in pop music. Aside from being a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and artist, she is an activist for many social issues, such mental health and suicide prevention, sexual assault, LGBTQ+ issues such as transgender inclusivity and representation, and the Black Lives Matter Movement. She openly identifies as bisexual. Early in her career, Halsey faced criticism for dating men, and used the comments as a way to open up conversations about bisexual visibility and the dangers of bisexual erasure. Since then, she has used her music to highlight queer relationships with hits such as “Bad at Love” and “Strangers”, a duet with Lauren Juaregui, another bisexual singer. On using her music as a means to express her sexuality, she has said “I’m a young bisexual woman, and I’ve spent a large part of my life trying to validate myself — to my friends, to my family, to myself — trying to prove that who I love and how I feel is not a phase; it’s not part of some confusion that’s going to change or could be manipulated. So I tried really hard to find the courage this year to write female pronouns into my music.” Halsey is a highly decorated musician including an award for Outstanding Music Artist at the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify  Lizzo
Years of Prominence: Present Melissa Viviane Jefferson, known best as Lizzo, has taken the pop and R&B charts by storm over the last few years as a highly successful rapper, songwriter, singer, and flutist. She strives to be an advocate for body positivity and self love, as well as for the LGBTQ+ community. Her fans call themselves “Lizzbians,” and of her own sexual fluidity, she says that she prefers to not “ascribe herself to just one thing.” Lizzo’s music is empowering and feel-good, a perfect match for the work she is doing to open doors for other marginalized artists -- whether they are Black, queer, women, or plus sized, she carries a torch for them all and we are absoltuely here for it! Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify Written by Jenn O'Hagan From event coordination and marketing, to community management and performing, the PR Director of Cyber PR , Jenn has glanced behind-the-curtain in many areas of this industry. Well-versed in all things Cyber PR, Jenn works with artists to identify if they’re a perfect fit for our company and if so, which services will be the best match. Find out more about Jenn and Cyber PR here.
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