Tag: drag queen

GLOW Artist Trixie Mattel Reflects On Her Pop-Infused Inspirations

June 9, 2023

The world was introduced to the high-camp comedic antics of Trixie Mattel in the seventh season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. A fan favorite, she returned in the show’s third season of All Stars and went on to win the entire competition. 

But the drag queen is also a longtime singer-songwriter, taking inspiration from the likes of Sheryl Crow, Avril Lavigne, and Michelle Branch. In 2017, she released her first studio album, Two Birds, under her drag name. Since then, she’s released several albums full of glamorous pop tracks and has even collaborated with Branch. Now she’s one of Spotify’s featured GLOW artists for the month of June. 

GLOW is our global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators all year round. We’re supporting Trixie on-platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off-platform via billboards like those in New York City’s Times Square—a long way from her rural hometown.  

“My journey in music started in my childhood in the deep country of Wisconsin with no neighbors,” she explained in an interview with For the Record. “This was pre-digital age, so I spent a lot of time playing guitar, learning from female acoustic-pop music. I saw a guitar sitting around the house, so I bought a book that taught me how to play. I also learned a lot from playing with my grandfather.”  

In Trixie’s own words, she’s “looking good and feeling gorgeous” as an artist and queen. Read on to hear about her musical and queer inspirations. 

Why is it important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices year-round?

It’s important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices because our voices are present at all times, not just one month out of the year. We need to loudly amplify them, not just with a soft pause and a golf clap. We have always been here and we are not going anywhere. 

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

One thing people might be surprised about is how boring I am! Outside of my career as an entertainer, I love spending my time jogging, playing video games, and snacking. I lead a pretty ordinary life outside my work. 

What do you hope people take away from your music?

I want people to know how committed I am to my music, whether it is an original record or a cover song in any genre. I love to put my own spin on things and be the conduit for others, in addition to having a good time as the artist/songwriter.

Who are some queer artists or cultural icons who have inspired you? 

RuPaul, Divine, John Cameron Mitchell, The B-52’s; each of them has just been very true to themselves, which really showed me that I could do all of the things I do in drag. 

What makes you GLOW?

My Vitamin C brightening serum (before moisturizing), and these mega glow highlighters from Wet n Wild!

What is the best advice you received when you were growing as an artist and as a person?

When I was told to stop taking it so seriously; believing in the process of creating has shown me to be authentic to myself and the art I create.

How does music empower queer communities?

Music empowers queer communities through the voices of the community members themselves; queer people are the trendsetters, tastemakers, and curators of music. We’re always behind the scenes influencing what is cool and new, and chances are we made it. 

Catch Trixie and many other LGBTQIA+ artists this month and all year round on our flagship GLOW playlist.

Meet Bruses and Pabllo Vittar, Two of Spotify’s Inaugural GLOW Artists

February 9, 2023

Brazilian pop icon Pabllo Vittar and burgeoning alt pop singer-songwriter Bruses both have viral fan bases to thank for their ascendance to the stage. Pabllo’s Portuguese cover of Major Lazer’s “Lean On” (retitled “Open Bar”) was a breakout clip when it debuted in 2015, catapulting the drag queen to stardom and jumpstarting countless other collaborations, like “Sua Cara” with Best New Artist nominee Anitta, “I Got It” with Charli XCX, and several with RADAR artist Rina Sawayama.  

Bruses is the stage name of Amalia Ramirez, a Capricorn from Tijuana, Mexico. Growing up, Amalia knew she wanted to be a songwriter but never anticipated she could be a pop star. When she started posting videos of her singing on social media however, she found a community of fans who “wear the same band t-shirts, have the same hair colors, and make me feel safe.” 

Both now find themselves in each other’s company as two of Spotify’s first designated GLOW artists. 

GLOW is our new global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. At launch, we supported Bruses and Pabllo Vittar on-platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off-platform through billboards and other takeovers. Going forward, our commitment to both of them, and to equity in audio, will continue year-round.

Get to know Bruses and Pabllo Vittar and what makes them GLOW.

Why is it important to amplify LGBTQIA+ voices?

Bruses: I’ve always been out, and I talk about me liking girls in my music from time to time. It’s not the main focus but I don’t hide it. But when the industry finds out, they want to highlight you for Pride month, and not the rest of the year. But I don’t want to feel used. I don’t want to feel like my art only matters from time to time, just because I am a lesbian. That was what I was afraid of when I started doing this. The industry is changing and it’s finally catching up with us. 

In your own words, what does it mean to GLOW? 

Pabllo Vittar: To me, GLOW means that you can be yourself and to love yourself the way you are! It’s about not caring about what other people say. We need GLOW because we have lots of LGBTQIA+ artists who are super talented and just don’t have the space to show it! That’s why we need to amplify it even more and more. 

What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?

Bruses: A lot of people think I’m super tough because I’m covered in tattoos. But I’m super soft inside. That’s what I’ve been working on in therapy—I use this shell, this thing to give me confidence onstage and in my everyday life. That’s how I present to the world—this is my drag. But I’m a super-shy introvert. And sweet. Most people don’t know that about me until they meet me.

What do you want people to know about your music?

Bruses: Most of my lyrics talk about mental health. Most of the hit songs, most of the time, especially in Latin America, talk about love or heartbreak. But I wasn’t really connecting to that much. I feel love, of course, but I’ve felt pain most of my life. That’s the monster I’m familiar with. So one day, I was like, “Maybe I should write about it.” So that’s what I did with Bruses, and that’s my first record, Monsters. It was a healing process. When I hear my songs, when I sing my songs, I’m constantly feeling like I’m connecting with my monsters in a totally new and different, healthier way. I don’t hate them anymore, I’ve learned how to cope with them and celebrate them. They made me who I am, and I’m thankful for that. 

Tell us about your journey into music. How did you find your voice?

Pabllo Vittar: Music has always been a part of my life, ever since I was a small child. But I think I found my voice when I started singing as a drag queen! After that I started to feel complete as a human being and an artist. 

Who are some queer artists or cultural icons who have inspired you? 

Bruses: Definitely Lady Gaga. She was one of my first crushes. In general, drag queens inspire me so much. One of my friends here in Mexico who is a queen, Rebel Mork, is super inspiring to me because she also uses her art to talk about mental health. And she’s actually designing my costumes for my next tour. We do a lot of great stuff together. And Freddie Mercury. David Bowie. Elton John. The gay icons!

What is the best advice you received when you were growing as an artist and person?

Pabllo Vittar: My mom told me, “Never hide who you truly are.”

When or where do you find your voice?

Bruses: When I’m healing. When I’m being my true self. When I’m feeling a lot of emotions at the same time. When I’m around my cat. When I’m around my community, my fans, my supportive friends. I hate being alone. So I’m always thinking about other people. And if they’re okay, I’m okay. I glow when the people I love are glowing as well. 

 

Catch both Bruses and Pabllo Vittar on our flagship playlist, GLOW. 

Pop Star Pabllo Vittar Gives Voice to Brazil’s LGBTQ Community

January 23, 2019

On Saturday evening in early November, 10,000 Brazilians gathered at the Hopi Hari amusement park just outside São Paulo and held their lighters aloft. It was Pride Day, and the celebrants were there to see Pabllo Vittar, one of the country’s biggest pop stars and the most famous member of its LGBTQ+ community. Amidst cheers from her fans, whom she lovingly refers to as Vittarlovers, she commanded the stage, powering through her anti-bullying anthem “Indestrutível.” The song is a paean to resilience, a tribute to Vittar’s own well-known struggle against homophobic harassment as a teen.

Onstage at Hopi Hari, Vittar stood a regal six feet, one inch in flats, her long blonde hair slicked back behind her ears; she looked like a video game character who comes in peace, but will defend herself if the situation calls for it. “If I receive pain, I give you my love,” she sang to the audience, who mouthed every word. “And the more pain I get, the more I realize that I am indestructible.” The ballad concluded as Vittar raised her fist, leading her Vittarlovers in a familiar chant: “Eu resisto, Eu resisto.” I resist. I resist.

A Voice for Brazil’s LGBTQ Community

Vittar welcomes me with a hug. She is friendly and engaging—laughing easily and often. She is one week into the tour in support of her second LP and wants to talk about the positives.

“I feel great!” she says as we begin our conversation. “I feel full of energy. We have a whole new show, new album. It’s like I’m giving birth. I’m euphoric!”