With Thanksgiving just around the corner, why not thank some of your favorite queer artists this week? Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our collection of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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Check out the latest videos, charts and news
Check out the latest videos, charts and news
From the highly anticipated Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande Bad songs to Lil Nas X's latest single, check out some of our favorite releases from this week below.
Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande “Defying Gravity”
Sure, we do could put the whole of the new one Bad soundtrack on this list, but there's something about Cynthia Erivo's rendition of the unmistakably queer anthem “Defying Gravity” that just deserves some special recognition here. Her voice is incredible, her performance is off the charts and she sells every second of this song along with Grande's gorgeous backing vocals. Especially in the song's famous final minute, Erivo gives it her all on “Defying Gravity,” making this an absolute must-listen for theatergoers and skeptics alike.
Lil Nas X, “Need Dat Boy”
As it proved Montero Standout “Sun Goes Down,” Lil Nas X is surprisingly good at stripping things down to get to the personal core of a song. “Need Dat Boy” begins in just that contemplative fashion, with Lil Nas showing off his ever-growing vocals as he croons for inspiration. And when the bridge comes in, Lil Nas turns up the heat as he lets the object of his lust know exactly what he'd like to do to him. It's a fitting combination of the rapper/singer's multitude of talents, packed into a 3-minute track you'll want to listen to.
Omar Apollo feat. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, “Te Maldigo”
Give Omar Apollo a guitar and a microphone and he'll make you some sweet music. In “Te Maldigo” (which translates to “I Curse You”) from Luca Guadagnino's upcoming film QueerApollo sings a lonely ballad of sadness and betrayal, asking why his former flame couldn't show him the love he deserved. “My heart, without you, doesn't beat,” he sings in Spanish in the song's second verse. “What a cruel world/ Where you don't love me.”
various artists, Transa
At a time when trans people everywhere fear for the future, Red Hot decided to give the community something hopeful. Transathe organization's expansive new compilation album, brings together trans icons and allies throughout its massive three-and-a-half-hour journey, reflecting on the nature of transness itself. With featured stars such as Adrienne Lenker, Moses Sumney, Anohni, Sam Smith, Beverly Glenn Copeland and dozens more, Transa takes care never to condense the trans experience into a single, simplistic message — like the community it serves, this album is as expansive as the universe itself.
Rahim Redcar (Christine and the Queens), “It's Okay to Cry (Hôtel Pour SOPHIE)”
It would be easy for Rahim Redcar (the newly adopted stage name for Christine and the Queens) to deliver a simple, largely unchanged cover of legendary producer SOPHIE's classic “It's Okay to Cry.” But she wouldn't be like him after all. Instead, Redcar takes the affirming track and strips it down to its molecular level, re-creating it into something entirely new that still manages to honor the legacy of the iconic artist who brought it into the world in the first place.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard's Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/culture/pride/queer-jams-of-the-week-cynthia-erivo-lil-nas-x-1235817519/
