FEATURE:
Put Yourself In Our Skin
IN THIS PHOTO: German-born Kim Petras is an inspiring and hugely successful transgender artist who announced in 2008 that her gender-confirmation surgery was complete
Opening Up Discussion About Transgender Artists in the Music Industry
_________
I am ending with a playlist…
PHOTO CREDIT: Vectonauta via Freepix
of songs from transgender musicians, because I feel that there should be celebration and recognition of their incredible work and relevance. At one time, there was not a huge wave of acceptance and recognition towards the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community in music. Things have changed - but I still think there is a way to go when it comes to embracing and normalising these wonderful and inspiring artists. Before going on, this website provides some really helpful resources. There is still a lot of hatred, ignorance and misunderstanding aimed at the transgender community (including sexual assault against trans women). In terms of discussions and comments, my timeline often has some of the most regressive, stupid and nasty comments made about trans people. I follow musician and LGBT rights advocate, Katy Montgomerie. As a trans woman, she has to deal with more than her share of trolling and hatred. She deals with it with great dignity and calm – often educating and informing ill-informed and horrible people in the process -, but the point is that the trans community should never receive anything but acceptance and love! That applies to music. Whilst I am not seeing a lot of comments aimed negatively at trans artists, neither is there a lot of discussion and celebration of them. I know that there are artists that are trans who have not come out in revealing this through fear of persecution and vitriol. Not from the industry or fans, but maybe the wider social media community. I wanted to use this feature to not only highlight and celebrate some remarkable trans artists, but also open up discussion and thoughts regarding a relative lack of features highlighting and celebrating the trans community. 17th May was the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia & Biphobia. I know there are many artists I might have missed out. I have found examples of great trans women being spotlighted, but if anyone can guide me to some trans men who are making big waves, then that would be amazing!
Many might know about modern legends like Kim Petras or innovators and icons like the late SOPHIE, but there are so many other trans artists who are breaking moulds and inspiring the next generation. From Petras, and SOPHIE, through to Laura Jane Grace (born Thomas James Gabel, she is the lead of Against Me!, and became one of the first prominent Punk musicians), there are these artists who are helping and inspiring fellow trans artists and the wider community who might feel unheard, unloved or misunderstood. There are invaluable articles that list transgender artists that we need to know. I am going to try and include as much music and information as I can in this feature. Trans Day of Visibility happens every 31st March; Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) on 20th November. There are opportunities for the music industry to proudly highlight artists, but also to wide discussion, because I don’t think the trans community are as visibly promoted and truly embraced as they deserve to be. I want to skip back and forth a bit. I am going to get to a couple of 2020 articles that focused on some amazing trans artists. Last year, for WECB, Stephanie Weber listed important trans artists to coincide with Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR):
“Sam Smith (they/them) and Kim Petras (she/her)
“Unholy,” the 2022 collaboration between Sam Smith and Kim Petras, is something that I didn’t know I needed until it was released. It’s a pop ballad about being sexy, using themes of infidelity and non-monogamy to describe two parents “getting hot/ at the body shop/ doing something unholy.” Smith, who publicly came out as non-binary and genderqueer in 2019, was discovered while singing on Disclosure’s “Latch,” and rose to popularity. “Unholy” is a lead into their fourth studio album. All of their songs are full of love and light, like the 2019 song “Dancing with a Stranger” with a feature by Normani or an earlier Smith class “Money on My Mind” released in 2014. Smith’s work is uplifting with fabulous collaborations and danceable tracks. Kim Petras has a similar stylized music presence. Categorized under EDM, pop, and dance-pop, Petras’ bubbly personality fits with her party-tracks. She came out at a young age while independently releasing music since 2017. Prior to her music career, Petras made a debut with the play One Piece of Tape in 2011, being regarded as a queer icon ever since. She’s been nominated and recognized at the British LGBT Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, and most recently the MTV Europe Music Awards for the “Unholy” collaboration with Smith. Both artists remain idols in the queer community by providing representation across the world and making fun music together that speaks to the lived experiences of both Smith and Petras.
Girlpool
Duo Avery Tucker (he/him) and Harmony Tividad (she/her) makeup Los Angeles indie band Girlpool. They’re best known for their cover of Radiator Hospital’s “Cut Your Bangs” and their own “Before The World Was Big.” Much of their earlier music deals with growing up as a young girl in a world that isn’t tender despite valiant efforts towards securing girlhood. In 2014, Girlpool released their first self-titled album on Bandcamp but would later release their music on most music streaming platforms, amassing over eight million streams on “Before The World Was Big” and over 12 million on “Cut Your Bangs.” They have released four studio albums, with Forgiveness (2022) being their final release. A band announcement this last year saluted the end of the Girlpool’s existence, due to both artists going in different directions in their respective solo careers. Yet, they leave fans with a plethora of music to sustain any mood. Their earlier indie music deals with being young and growing up in a foreboding world of misogyny and harm. The xylophone opening of “Before The World Was Big,” with harmonizing lyrics about wearing dresses walking home from school, is young at heart. Their later music is rooted in moody dream pop and is quite emotionally charged. 2022 songs like “Faultline” and “Lie Love Lullaby” deal with heavier subject matters, such as complex relationships with others and oneself, with lyrics like “I hold my body like a butcher knife/ Smiling for the camera eyes closed,” on “Faultline.” This shift, in part, comes from Tucker publicly identifying as trans, grappling with being in a band called Girlpool but not being a girl. Sonically and lyrically the band started changing to match with his transition. It is clear from social media postings that for Tucker and Tividad Girlpool was a passion project and served a purpose for themselves and their fans. Yet, despite this breakup, Girlpool is one of the most tender bands and talented vocalist duo of the last ten years.
Dreamer Isioma (they/he)
With “Sensitive” trending on TikTok last year, Dreamer Isioma has gained rightful popularity in the indie and R&B scenes. Isioma is a 21-year-old, first generation Nigerian-American musician breaking binaries with both gender and music. Delving into R&B, afrobeats, indie, and hip-hop since 2019, Isioma’s discography is well-breathed for having only started releasing music the last few years. His first album was The Leo Sun Sets (2020) but previously released many singles including “Sensitive” earlier in the year. All their songs are danceable and groovy, like “Cookout,” a light and boppy song. With lyrics like “I don’t sip Robbitussin but I keep these functions bussin’” and “You want beef I want smoke/ It’s a cookout,” Isioma connects their many identities together. On “Huh,” Isioma sings “And I will not stop with this gay shit, nah/ Haters mad ‘cause I'm young, black and famous.” I love Isioma’s music and their ability to sing about themself, bringing in all areas of personality and identity into his music.
Cavetown (he/they)
Robin Daniel Skinner, better known as Cavetown, has risen to fame among Generation Z and fans of cute, queer music. At 23 years old, Cavetown has amassed over eight million monthly listeners on Spotify, allowing him to harness this fame into his own headlining tours. Cavetown blends indie rock and bedroom pop with acoustic stylings, creating a versatile and individualized music genre. They’ve been releasing music since 2015 with the single “This Is Home” and self-titled album in the same year. Their album Lemon Boy (2018), however, is a masterful collection of cute and young songs that represents Skinner in an album. In 2019, “Boys Will Be Bugs” was released on the collective album Animal Kingdom (2019) featuring similar artists like Chloe Moriondo, Simi, and Sidney Gish. “Boys Will Be Bugs” is heartfelt and endearing with lyrics “I’m a dumb teen boy/ I eat sticks and rocks and mud/ I don’t care about the government/ And I really need a hug.” In this song, Cavetown details living as a “boy bug,” possibly a metaphor for feeling like an outsider in a vulnerable world. My favorite line is “Don’t mess with me, I’m a big boy now, and I’m very scary.” Cavetown has a gift of combining themes of youth, intimacy, and love through his signature ukulele and acoustic guitar accompaniment.
Ms. White (she/her)
Although not as popular as SOPHIE or Sam Smith, Ms. White is a hidden gem trans musician. “Full Grown” was Ms. White’s first release in 2017, a jazz single about being in a first relationship featuring the repeated lyrics “I don't want to say it’s love/ If I don't know.” “Stone Street” was released the same year, telling the classic narrative of hook-up culture with rich Wall Street men in New York City, detailed with the lyrics “If you need me/ I’ll be where the rich men go.” Jade (2017) is her first EP, debuting Ms. White’s talented vocal range and tone. Marina (2019) is her only album, featuring the fan favorite “Arizona,” a song about being the other woman. Lyrics “And I’m just a bleach bitch/ She’s that tan on the beach bitch” and “If I had a pussy it’d be mine you’re railing” are moving yet delicate. Ms. White describes the particular challenges of dating as a trans woman, but ultimately sends the message that trans women, like any one, deserve love. She meshes indie and jazz with these lyrically genius moments, making her an uber talented artist”.
Them opened their feature by explaining how trans women have been instrumental and influential in the music industry for years. They went on to write about transgender artists that should be in everyone’s minds – those who have already helped to change the world:
“Trans women have enjoyed a long history in the music industry, and an equally long history of pushing that industry forward. In the 1960s there was the legendary Jackie Shane, an openly trans Black soul singer who made waves across Canada with her hit “Any Other Way” and her unapologetic, unashamed live performances. Europe has had stars like Coccinelle and Amanda Lear, who worked as models and singers in mid-century France. More recently, artists like Anohni, Laura Jane Grace, and Katey Red have found success in genres from art pop to punk to New Orleans bounce.
Today, a new generation of young trans women are rising up and taking over the pop music game. Beyond being relatable to an increasingly queer Gen Z, these stars are by and large bringing a vulnerable, honest approach to their music, a perfect salve for a daily news cycle full of liars and abusers. And whether they’re hitting magazine covers or Times Square billboards, writing top 10 hits or working with A-List producers, this new class is quickly proving that they’re among the new vanguard of pop. Below, we rounded up seven rising trans pop stars you need to know.
Pop fans might already be familiar with Geiger’s name; the former pop idol came out as trans last year, but before that, Geiger had already seen major success as a songwriter for acts like 5 Seconds of Summer, Tiësto, One Direction, and Shawn Mendes. Geiger is perhaps best known for writing a string of Mendes’ hit singles, and was nominated for a Song of the Year Grammy just last week for Mendes’ “In My Blood.” That major achievement came on the back of a new, nine-song album released under the name teddy<3 last month, LillyAnna (named after a handle she used online before coming out). Her music has evolved into a lovely dream pop sound that brings to mind the likes of Grimes, Ariel Pink and Perfume Genius, and she’s quickly showing that coming out has powered an interesting new chapter in her musical journey.
The Oakland-based songwriter Star Amerasu (also known as Ah-Mer-Ah-Su) is creating some of the dreamiest indie electronic pop around these days. And with the release of her self-titled debut album, Star, earlier this year, the artist is hitting her stride and singling in on the kind of beautiful, flowingly catchy music she’s always wanted to make. Her single “Klonopin” is a hazy trip through a dream-like afternoon, one that doubles as a confessionary look at her very real struggle with addiction: “I pop my Klonopin in the morning/I pop my pills to keep me going/I think that I might have a problem/But I still ain't hit rock bottom,” before a dreamy loop at the word “Klonopin” comes in for her to sing over. Her music may sound like a beautiful dream, but it’s also filled with deep and relatable truths — songs that tackle her hopes and fears, and ultimately, the strength she needs to be herself in today’s society”.
Even if there are amazing trans women and men who have helped to open doors and emphasis how valuable, important and vital the trans community is, you do not get many mainstream playlists, features and discussions around trans artists. When researching, the playlists I found were from fans. I don’t know if Spotify have compiled a trans playlist. In terms of podcasts, there aren’t many relating to artists I cannot find many recent features either about trans artists and their significance. I know there is a lot of negativity and toxicity being generated online about the transgender community. Perhaps a time when many trans artists feel invisible, prejudiced against or spited, there does need to be more in the way of promoting and promulgating their stories and music! Elevating their voices. I want to flip back to 2020, as there were a few articles written about trans artists. A year before we lost the beloved SOPHIE, it is great that she was mentioned as a leader and iconic trans artist. Insider were among those to write about trans artists that are creating phenomenal work and speaking to a lot of people who are still seen as marginal by many:
“In 2009, Kim Petras made headlines as she battled to become one of the youngest people to get hormone therapy in Germany. After that, Petras worked on her music, sharing it on YouTube. In 2017, she released her song "I Don't Want It At All," which became a hit. In the short amount of time since then, Petras has released a lengthy discography. In fact, her music has over 2 million listeners on Spotify and over 16 million streams.
Some of her hit songs include "Heart to Break," "Hillside Boys," and her most recent single, "Malibu."
"I don't care about being the first transgender teen idol at all," Petras told the New York Times. "I just want to be known as a great musician. On the other hand, that would be totally sick."
SOPHIE got her start in the music industry producing for notables like Charli XCX and even Madonna. Eventually, the Scottish artist started producing her own experimental music that mixed voice distortion with mechanical sounds on singles like "Lemonade" and "Bipp." The unusual pop music became popular among fans, earning the artist a cult-like following. But for the majority of the time, no one knew much about the person behind SOPHIE until she released "It's Okay to Cry" with her face and voice at the forefront, officially coming out as transgender.
"Transness is taking control to bring your body more in line with your soul and spirit so the two aren't fighting against each other and struggling to survive," SOPHIE told Paper magazine. "On this earth, it's that you can get closer to how you feel your true essence is without the societal pressures of having to fulfill certain traditional roles based on gender."
“Shea Diamond spent the early 2000s in prison after she said she robbed a convenience store to get money for gender reassignment surgery. During those years, she worked on her singing and songwriting, so that when she finally got out, she jumped into the music scene. In 2016, she released her first single "I Am Her," which defined what type of music she would create. Two years later, she released her first EP, "Seen It All." Her other top songs include "American Pie" and "Don't Shoot."
"To be a 40-year-old woman, a trans woman, to make it to that age it's not really heard of. We get killed off before we're 25," she told Variety. "The only type of entertainment you want from us — no shade — is Jerry Springer. People don't want to see the struggle of what it takes for a trans woman to survive. It's more comfortable for people — for everybody now — for entertainment purposes to see a drag queen. That's a person who can take it off. The trans experience is a person who isn't doing it for entertainment purposes. Everything this person does is for survival. What does survival look like? It looks like [me]."
Lucas Silveira's career began when he created his band, The Cliks, in 2004. Their music was featured in the lesbian drama series "The L Word," bringing the band widespread attention. Just two years later, he made history becoming the first transgender man to sign with a major record label. Since then, Silveira and his band have released several popular songs, including "Complicated," "Dirty King," and "Oh Yeah."
"Something that I would like to do [as a public figure] is to bring some aspect of normalcy to people like me," he told HuffPost. "We're a very, very diverse community — I've never met two transgender people who've had the same experience".
It is clear that there are so many influential and inspirational trans artists in the music world. Mainstream artists like Kim Petras are helping when it comes to making the industry more visible for transgender artists. I think there is a long way to go for the industry as a whole to emphasis the importance of trans artists. In the sense that they should naturally be on their radar; their stories need to be heard; their music should be much more commonly discussed and highlighted. As I said earlier, there probably are quite a few transgender artists who are wary about getting into the industry, or else are under-played and have to fight to be heard. It is a time when there is so much anti-trans rhetoric and abuse online. It is not only from anonymous and low-key Internet trolls. Figures such as comedy writer Graham Linehan and author J.K. Rowling have shown that there are huge and well-known public figures who are adding fuel to a hateful fire. I can only imagine the sort of fear, upset and anger that many in the trans community feel, whether they are directly targeted, or they see their community is being degraded and disrespected. There is still so much ignorance around that needs to be corrected. A lot of the defence, educating and fighting back is from trans people themselves. I think we all need to do more to support them. There are annual remembrance and celebration days, but I look at the music industry, and there is not the level of support and discussion as there should be. In a rich, diverse and wonderful music industry, trans artists are integral and crafting some of the best music around. If there are articles emphasising this, is the industry doing enough to celebrate trans artists?
IMAGE CREDIT: Freepik
I am going to round off with a few interview and words. To start, The Guardian spoke with one of the most influential transgender artists, ANOHNI (of ANOHNI and the Johnsons) about her experiences in the industry. ANOHNI and the Johnsons release the album, My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross, on 7th July. ANOHNI spoke about the new music, but we get insight into her experiences as a transgender artist/L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ pioneer:
“The title is a pointed reminder of the sacrifices made by LGBTQ+ pioneers such as Johnson. “A lot of the people that have done the most heroic work for the culture have done it at great cost for their own wellness and their own comfort,” says Anohni. “As queer-bodied people, it’s easy to relate to that. Kids in the 70s and the 80s were still often getting thrown out of their houses before they finished high school. You find yourself fleeing to a big city where you can find an alternative to the family structure that you weren’t welcomed within on account of your gender variance.” There can be a hard-won upside to this, she recognises. “In a weird way, that experience becomes a gift, because it gives us a path out.”
Anohni’s last album, 2016’s Hopelessness, was an unsparing condemnation of systemic injustice. Over grinding electronic beats, it conjured barren landscapes pockmarked with graves. But My Back …, with its gorgeous bed of pastoral folk and 70s acoustic soul, casts a more empathic gaze. Lead single It Must Change addresses suffering the blows of prejudice and trying to relate to those who wish you ill. “I always thought you were beautiful in your own way,” Anohni sings gently over laid-back guitar and lush strings, “that’s why this is so sad.” The video stars author and LGBTQ+ activist Munroe Bergdorf.
“The song is wider than just trans rights,” Bergdorf tells me. “But as a trans person at the epicentre of the movement, it really spoke to my experience, wherein ‘the way you talk to me, the things you do to me’ – it must change.” She adds that she wanted to communicate a serene confidence in her performance. “The conversation around transgender rights is chaotic. But the community is calm, resilient, and strong.”
While Anohni’s themes have not wavered, she says, her approach has become more tender. There is a lot more forgiveness in a song like It Must Change, she says, “an almost impossible necessity for forgiveness that, paradoxically, we’re going to have to move through in order to resume any agency to make change”. In part, she credits this shift to her age. “As you get older, one’s approach does subtly shift,” says Anohni, now 51. “And I keep circling different themes, trying to find different ways to [approach them]”.
IN THIS PHOTO: Taylor Swift onstage for the opening night of the Eras Tour in Arizona on 17th March/PHOTO CREDIT: John Shearer/Getty Images
There is also the question today as to whether artists are doing enough to speak up for trans rights and against laws that discriminate against them. Are artists in the U.S. for instance using their platform to react against the wave of anti-trans legislation? The Guardian highlighted why Taylor Swift should do more to speak for her L.G.B.T.Q.+ fans. Are we expecting too much of modern mainstream artists? Are there commercial risks if they take a stance like that?
“But the issue of pop and politics goes beyond Swift, raising questions about our expectations of pop stars, figureheads who have by and large become more politicised over the past decade. Should artists use their platforms to speak out on social issues, and if so, how often and to what extent? (The current calls for Swift to denounce past controversies by her rumoured boyfriend, Matty Healy of the 1975, for example, are both misogynist – expecting a woman to account for her partner’s behaviour – and demonstrative of fan entitlement.) Do we expect them to understand and respond to all the hot-button issues going on around the world? Which countries (or states, for that matter) is it OK for them to perform in?
Now more than ever, these are valid questions to ask of pop stars. Major pop tours are watercooler events akin to sports games, Succession and Eurovision: one of the biggest platforms around, speaking directly not only to young audiences who look to their idols for support, but the wider public who might be influenced by their views. And queer fans can reasonably expect to see support for their causes because today’s pop spectacle was built on the backs of trailblazing queer icons, to whom every star owes a spiritual debt. (In 2017, Swift’s Reputation tour paid nightly tribute to the 19th-century US dancer Loie Fuller, a gay woman who pioneered modern dance and theatrical lighting and fought for artists to own their work.)
It’s understandable that many stars are wary about speaking out, particularly when on stage. Audiences have come for a show, not a political rally. Perhaps that’s why some stars opt for softer actions, such as Harry Styles waving a Pride flag or Beyoncé making venue toilets gender-neutral on her current Renaissance tour. These gestures of support can mean so much for a young queer or questioning fan. But Madonna put her career on the line in the 80s and 90s with her HIV/Aids activism, including a card detailing The Facts About Aids enclosed with 1989’s Like a Prayer album. Considering we’re living through an era of humanitarian and climate crises with a growing backlash against the rights of women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ people, today’s pop stars aren’t taking radical enough action”.
At such a tough time for so many in the trans community, there need to be interviews, playlists and documentaries made about trans artists – the struggles they have faced, what they bring to the music industry, and the people they are inspiring. It is blindingly clear that they are…
SO important to the music industry.