Personally, they both have taught me the importance of embracing sexuality and advocating for what I believe in.
-- Avynn Stanley
With only a few months left of 2018, it’s safe to say that this year’s musical artists have shown more inclusivity than any other generation. While there have been more artists in 2018 talking about queerness and queer love, there remains minimal representation for queer youth of color. Even though many black artists use their platforms to talk about controversial topics pertaining to the mistreatment of black people and the lack of discussions within the black community, few have dove deep into the topic of queerness and queer love.
I interviewed a few queer youth and asked them what queer artists they listen to, and what influence their music has had on them. Two names that consistently came up were singers Janelle Monáe and King Princess. Because these two artists range from mainstream to completely underrated, there needed to be a further examination of who they are and what they and their music represent for queer youth.
Janelle Monáe recently came out as pansexual in a Rolling Stone interview this past July , after releasing her third studio album entitled Dirty Computer. With songs like “Make Me Feel” and “Screwed”, Monáe emphasizes her feelings on sexuality and feminism, establishing a name for herself in the LGBTQ+ community.
Monáe has been a musical artist for quite some time releasing her self-financed and self-released demo album The Audition in 2003, and is only recently receiving recognition. From being mentored by the pop icon Prince to running her own record label, Wondaland Records, Monáe has taken a completely different route in her music career. In her new album, she is far more blunt with her messages, causing many to relate which results in the large fanbase she has now.
When interviewing a queer youth of color about Monáes music, she had some positive things to say. “I love hearing people talk about love, and not just heterosexual love, but all kinds of love, ” said sixteen year old Akaysha on what messages resonate with her. “Not only does her music speak to me, but also the visuals she uses in her music videos. She shows me it’s okay to embrace being a woman of color, especially one that loves other women” says seventeen year old Amina. This type of influence on queer youth and youth in general is what makes Janelle Monáe such an amazing artist amongst the many other things that contribute.
Being an openly queer person of color, Monáe has helped many young people who are also queer and of color find their true identity and embrace their very being.
After leaving University of Southern California to pursue her music career, 19 year old King Princess has definitely brought queer love to the surface with her new EP entitled Make My Bed. With this album, she allows listeners to step inside queer relationships and realize they are no different than any other. Her most recognizable song, “1950,” talks about the love between two young lesbians and the many things they do to keep their love private, while still allowing it to be whole and present. The 1950s wasn’t a huge time for lesbians and their place in the world, which contributes to the significance of the song. In the music video, King Princess toys with gender roles by wearing mustaches and suites, while still singing about the forbidden love of two girls.
I interviewed a few queer youth and asked them what queer artists they listen to, and what influence their music has had on them. Two names that consistently came up were singers Janelle Monáe and King Princess. Because these two artists range from mainstream to completely underrated, there needed to be a further examination of who they are and what they and their music represent for queer youth.
Janelle Monáe recently came out as pansexual in a Rolling Stone interview this past July , after releasing her third studio album entitled Dirty Computer. With songs like “Make Me Feel” and “Screwed”, Monáe emphasizes her feelings on sexuality and feminism, establishing a name for herself in the LGBTQ+ community.
Monáe has been a musical artist for quite some time releasing her self-financed and self-released demo album The Audition in 2003, and is only recently receiving recognition. From being mentored by the pop icon Prince to running her own record label, Wondaland Records, Monáe has taken a completely different route in her music career. In her new album, she is far more blunt with her messages, causing many to relate which results in the large fanbase she has now.
When interviewing a queer youth of color about Monáes music, she had some positive things to say. “I love hearing people talk about love, and not just heterosexual love, but all kinds of love, ” said sixteen year old Akaysha on what messages resonate with her. “Not only does her music speak to me, but also the visuals she uses in her music videos. She shows me it’s okay to embrace being a woman of color, especially one that loves other women” says seventeen year old Amina. This type of influence on queer youth and youth in general is what makes Janelle Monáe such an amazing artist amongst the many other things that contribute.
Being an openly queer person of color, Monáe has helped many young people who are also queer and of color find their true identity and embrace their very being.
After leaving University of Southern California to pursue her music career, 19 year old King Princess has definitely brought queer love to the surface with her new EP entitled Make My Bed. With this album, she allows listeners to step inside queer relationships and realize they are no different than any other. Her most recognizable song, “1950,” talks about the love between two young lesbians and the many things they do to keep their love private, while still allowing it to be whole and present. The 1950s wasn’t a huge time for lesbians and their place in the world, which contributes to the significance of the song. In the music video, King Princess toys with gender roles by wearing mustaches and suites, while still singing about the forbidden love of two girls.
Many queer teens can appreciate her music because it speaks to relationships that they’ve had before.Whether they were open with their relationship or closeted, many youth still experience that feeling of not wanting to fully expose themselves, but still wanting to tell the world about the love they have. Being able to listen to a love song and hear pronouns like she/her to describe both people in the relationship really allows the listener to feel the songs and relate to them.
Interviewing a 17 year old who preferred to remain anonymous, she explained to me that when she first listened to King Princess, she instantly fell in love with her music and felt represented, a feeling she hadn’t felt before when it came to music. “I feel that by creating positive art that is open for all to listen to, they are both helping to normalize queerness in society,” she said of both Monáe and King Princess.
Both artists have clearly influenced queer youth and the greater community in a multitude of ways. Their music inspires many to be themselves and take pride in who they are. Personally, they both have taught me the importance of embracing sexuality and advocating for what I believe in.
Although there still remains a lack of representation for the queer community of color, there are still artists like Frank Ocean, Syd the Kid, Kaytranada, and Kehlani that contribute to inspiring queer youth and making sure they feel represented in the world.
Interviewing a 17 year old who preferred to remain anonymous, she explained to me that when she first listened to King Princess, she instantly fell in love with her music and felt represented, a feeling she hadn’t felt before when it came to music. “I feel that by creating positive art that is open for all to listen to, they are both helping to normalize queerness in society,” she said of both Monáe and King Princess.
Both artists have clearly influenced queer youth and the greater community in a multitude of ways. Their music inspires many to be themselves and take pride in who they are. Personally, they both have taught me the importance of embracing sexuality and advocating for what I believe in.
Although there still remains a lack of representation for the queer community of color, there are still artists like Frank Ocean, Syd the Kid, Kaytranada, and Kehlani that contribute to inspiring queer youth and making sure they feel represented in the world.
