Tag: lgbtq

Hear From Some of Spotify’s Top EQUAL and GLOW Ambassadors of 2024

December 4, 2024

As we unveil 2024 Spotify Wrapped, a celebration of the fans, artists, and creators that defined the year, we’re thrilled to spotlight two global initiatives: EQUAL and GLOW. These programs amplify the voices of talented women and LGBTQIA+ artists through local and global playlists, partnerships, activations, and more. With EQUAL, we’ve continued our mission to foster equity for women in the music industry, while GLOW has shined as a beacon for inclusivity, celebrating the diverse contributions of queer artists and creators.

In 2024, we supported more than 200 ambassadors with increased editorial and on- and off-platform support, and generated more than 51 million discoveries through EQUAL and GLOW playlists. We also hosted more than 20 activations worldwide—from launching South Africa’s GLOW playlist during Pride Month to honoring the pioneering U.K. artist SOPHIE in her hometown; from running EQUAL networking and educational events in Mexico and Japan to planning charity galas in Italy and Spain.

“These programs are very special because of the immense global network and opportunities they represent,” said Bel Aztiria, Lead, Social and Equity Music Programs at Spotify. “At Spotify, a large team of us work on the programs as part of our core responsibilities, supporting the mission globally while honoring each market’s culture and needs. We maintain a constant pulse because we believe these communities are to be supported and celebrated year-round. This mission is ongoing, and while there’s still much to achieve, we’re proud to continue showing up globally to drive meaningful change.”

So without further ado, check out our top EQUAL and GLOW ambassadors of 2024 and hear from some of them about their standout year and the impact of women and queer artists.

Most-streamed artists within our EQUAL global playlist 

Having just debuted this year, South Korean girl group ILLIT has already captured the hearts of fans.

“We have had the privilege of spending a truly joyful year connecting with our fans,” they said. “One of the most fulfilling and memorable aspects of this year has been the overwhelming love that ‘Magnetic’ has received from fans worldwide. We were also deeply honored to receive several prestigious awards for the song.”

ILLIT

As for Mexican pop star DANNA, her happiest moment of 2024 was the release of CHILDSTAR.

“This album changed my life and has transformed me as a person and as a human being,” she said. “It was very special that [my fans] received it so beautifully and loved it as much as I do. Thank you for giving me this moment—I love you. You’ve made this the best year so far, and I can’t wait for everything that’s coming!”

DANNA

Turn up the volume on women artists with our EQUAL global playlist.

Most-streamed artists within our GLOW global playlist

For the Record had the opportunity to catch up with Slovakian alt-pop sensation Karin Ann, Italian electronic dance music duo Giolì & Assia, and Belgian electro-pop artist Mustii about their whirlwind 2024, the importance of representation, and more.

What were some of your 2024 highlights?

Karin Ann

Karin Ann: Putting out my debut album, through the telescope, was a big one. I also played SXSW for the first time, I shot my first indie movie, I had a cameo in Suki Waterhouse’s music video, and I got to do an incredible European tour with mehro. I played a show in Turkey and I also played in Canada for the first time while opening for renforshort. And obviously I became a Spotify GLOW ambassador. It was a crazy year full of amazing things.

I also just released a surprise cover of one of my all-time favorite songs, “Wicked Game,” to end the year. I decided to include a cover of that song on my set list while touring and the response has been absolutely insane. So many people came up to me after the show and asked me if I was going to release it, and even after the tour people continued to message me about it, so I decided to do it as a little treat for everyone who’s shown me so much love and support.

Giolì & Assia: Our live tour all around the world with special sold-out shows in cities like New York, Toronto, and more, but also our first back-to-back set with the legend Black Coffee in Ibiza.

Mustii

Mustii: The music video release of “BEFORE THE PARTY’S OVER,” which was the first single from my upcoming album, THE MAZE, and also my Eurovision entry for Belgium. People’s reactions were so touching and amazing! THE MAZE is a new era for me—this album is so personal and queer, and I’m really proud of it.

Which queer artists have you listened to the most this year?

Karin Ann: Reneé Rapp, Chappell Roan, and The Last Dinner Party.

What do you wish for queer artists in the years to come? 

Karin Ann: It’s so important, now more than ever, to have representation in media and to continue being brave and proud and show other queer people that there are safe spaces for us. I hope we never stop creating safe communities for people and that more amazing new queer artists will arise.

Giolì & Assia

Giolì & Assia: To see them headlining all major festivals in the world, but also to keep being so unapologetically queer and authentic—more and more!

Mustii: That we can hear their voices louder and louder, that they continue to spread freedom, self-love, to create some new doors and new ways against obscurantism and narrow-minded souls. Now more than ever, we need them so much.

What do you have planned for 2025?

Karin Ann: Where would be the fun in revealing my secrets like that! I love to be a little mysterious. I do have some very exciting things in the works, though, so people should keep their eyes peeled.

Giolì & Assia: Lots of new music, of course, and cool new live experiences for our fans!

Mustii: I’ll promote and play THE MAZE on several stages and festivals. I will also come back to theater as an actor, so it will be a year full of music and acting. I can’t wait!

Stream our GLOW global playlist to discover more talented LGBTQIA+ artists.

Explore your personalized 2024 Wrapped and learn more about this year’s campaign and experience on our 2024 Wrapped hub.

Amplify LGBTQIA+ Voices With These Audiobook Authors and Narrators

June 25, 2024

June is Pride Month, a time to honor and celebrate the vibrant LGBTQIA+ community and its rich history, culture, and achievements. It’s also a time to elevate, uplift, and spotlight voices that have been historically marginalized and underrepresented, which is the driving force behind the work of Nicky Endres (they/she).

Nicky is an Asian American non-binary transfeminine queer actor, comic, voice artist, and audiobook narrator. Their projects span the gender spectrum and provide an authentic and versatile voice, which was just awarded the Publishing Professionals Award at this year’s Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the Lammy Awards. In partnership with Spotify, this year’s Publishing Professional Award honors an individual in the LGBTQIA+ community whose innovative work in the publishing industry helps amplify important LGBTQIA+ literature.

For the Record sat down with Nicky to learn more about their upbringing, their experience as an artist and actor, the intimacy of audiobook narration, and more.

Congratulations on winning the Publishing Professionals Award! How does it feel to be recognized for your work helping queer and trans authors reach more readers across mediums?

In a word? Affirming! I’m humbled and grateful. Amplifying queer and trans stories and connecting people to queer and trans hearts is very present in everything I do. I care deeply about representation, communication, and community. I care because I grew up in a homogeneously white, conservative, and religious small town without knowing there was anyone else like me in the world. Before I was consciously aware of my identity, I found myself committed to the arts. I think it’s because of art’s ability to communicate between words and concepts, to connect to an audience without necessarily having to clearly define itself, or to just exist—as if existence itself is the point, inviting itself to be experienced. Art was a way for me to “be” before I could explain who I was. 

Building bridges and opening hearts and minds—especially inviting people of all identities into the hearts and minds of queer authors and their stories—aligns directly with what inspires and drives me as an artist and actor. Narrating audiobooks is the perfect nexus where all the things I love most meet. It’s very affirming to know that the love and care with which I approach this work is being felt and shared by authors and listeners, as well as by publishers, producers, fellow narrators, and of course, Lambda Literary and Spotify!

Audiobooks have become a popular way to consume novels. As a narrator, how do you think reading the words aloud changes the experience for the listener?

My favorite thing about the oral telling of a story, as a narrator, is crafting the feeling of intimacy that invites emotional experiences that are different—not better or worse—from reading text visually. For some books and for some readers, this difference can feel deeper, more personal, funnier, or scarier depending on the genre, or—especially in the case of queer and trans books—it can add an additional layer of authenticity and representation. For some nonfiction books, listening can sometimes make the information easier to digest. Certain types of humor can also feel more dimensional in audio than on the page. But most of all, I think the biggest benefit of the audiobook experience is the accessibility. Accessibility is freedom. Having the choice to enjoy literature both visually and auditorily means literature can reach more people. And all people deserve to enjoy literature, no matter their situation.

What’s your earliest memory of stories’ being read aloud to you—audiobooks or otherwise?

I am so lucky that my mom was a kindergarten teacher! My sister and I had the enormous benefit of being read to quite regularly by both our parents. But my mom had a special knack for connecting with kids, and she never got bored of reading the same books to us multiple times. My sister and I both grew up taking literacy for granted. It wasn’t until I grew up that I realized what a gift and privilege that was, because she wouldn’t just read to us; she made learning to read fun, involving us in the stories. And now my parents can listen to me read to them! 

What is your favorite audiobook genre to narrate and why? 

My favorite genre to narrate is LGBTQIA+ literature. I love it for two reasons: Firstly, living as a queer trans person in a cisgender, hetero-normative world, I seek stories that include and reflect my lived experience in intimate, knowing ways. Secondly, I love that LGBTQIA+ as a “genre” is incredibly multidimensional. It’s less a “genre” in the traditional sense and more a category with the flexibility to include, blend, and overlap all genres. And I love that, because even as a genre/category, LGBTQIA+ literature is just like queer identities and queer culture: diverse and inclusive within the umbrella of what is “queer.”

You have mastered so many dialects across your range of work. Do you have a favorite?

I’m very fond of British Modern London dialects, or “Estuary English,” which features aspects of both British Received Pronunciation and Cockney. Honestly, I like it so much that I pull it out anywhere I’m not likely to have repeat interactions. And it was very validating when I last visited England that people assumed I was from London!

What are you listening to or reading right now?

I am having a blast listening to Greta & Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly, narrated by Gary Furlong, Eilidh Beaton, Natalie Beran, Jackson Bliss, and Nico Evers-Swindell. It’s an absolute delight and has made me both LOL and “awww” several times.

Here are more LGBTQIA+ author and narrator recommendations from Spotify’s audiobooks editors, who have curated our GLOW audiobooks shelf for Pride this month on platform as part of our GLOW hub. You can also check out our podcast shelf within the hub.

The Risk it Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation

Written and narrated by Raquel Willis 

Born in Georgia to Black Catholic parents, Raquel Willis spent years feeling isolated, even within a loving, close-knit family. There was little access to understanding what it meant to be queer and transgender. It wasn’t until she went to the University of Georgia that she found the LGBTQ+ community, fell in love, and explored her gender for the first time. But the unexpected death of her father forced her to examine her relationship with herself and those she loved. In The Risk it Takes to Bloom, Raquel recounts the possibility of transformation after tragedy and how complex moments can push us all to take the necessary risks to bloom.

And Don’t F&%k It Up: An Oral History of RuPaul’s Drag Race (The First Ten Years) 

Maria Elena Fernandez

Narrated by Alec Mapa

Dive into this definitive history and celebration of the groundbreaking show RuPaul’s Drag Race in its first decade. And Don’t F&%k It Up follows the growth and evolution of the show from its beginnings in a Burbank basement set all the way to the Emmys, as told by its creators, stars, producers, and fans.

The Gay Best Friend

Nicolas DiDomizio

Narrated by Daniel Henning

Domenic Marino has always been the token gay best friend and has become an expert at code-switching between the hypermasculine and ultrafeminine worlds of his two soon-to-be-wed best friends. But now stuck between the warring bride and groom, he decides he’s ready to focus on something new: himself.

The No-Girlfriend Rule

Christen Randall

Narrated by Natalie Naudus

Hollis Beckwith is fat, anxious, and lost at the start of senior year when she decides to learn her boyfriend’s favorite tabletop roleplaying game, Secrets & Sorcery. His “no girlfriends at the table” rule leads her to find her own all-girls game. She becomes fast friends with the girls and ends up developing a crush on one of them. The No-Girlfriend Rule explores how roleplaying brings Hollis new confidence, true friends, and a shot at real love.

Under the Whispering Door

TJ Klune

Narrated by Kirt Graves

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he might be dead. But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when given one week to cross over, Wallace sets out to live a lifetime in seven days. Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.

Celebrate and Honor Pride With LGBTQIA+ Artists, Creators, and Curated Playlists on Spotify’s GLOW Hub

June 11, 2024

From the rise of disco in the 1970s to the current wave of hyper pop, queer creators continue to shape trends, styles, and creative expressions in music and beyond. Last year, as part of Spotify’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity within the audio industry, we launched GLOW, our year-round global music program amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators.

Through GLOW, Spotify uplifts LGBTQIA+ creators and ensures that their contributions to music and culture are heard and celebrated year-round. That includes Pride Month, an annual time celebrated around the world to honor the community, raise awareness of issues and injustices, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ equality.

This year we’ll continue to celebrate the vibrant LGBTQIA+ community and its rich history, culture, and achievements. Through our GLOW artist spotlights, curated playlists, and more exciting content, we can feel proud supporting and streaming LGBTQIA+ creators.

We recognize the power of our platform to elevate, uplift, and spotlight voices that have been historically marginalized and underrepresented, and we’re committed to using it to continue to drive cultural change. Since GLOW launched in January 2023, Spotify has added more than 10,200 LGBTQIA+ artists to GLOW playlists globally.

GLOW artists received more than 140 million editorial streams within the first month of joining the program. In total, GLOW playlists have racked up more than 280 million streams and enabled more than 62 million discoveries.

LGBTQIA+ creators who GLOW

On Spotify, listeners in more than 50 markets can visit the GLOW hub. The hub serves as a dedicated space to highlight audio offerings from LGBTQIA+ voices year-round, with curated selections and monthly campaigns supporting spotlight artists. We’ve collaborated with stars like Tove Lo, Arlo Parks, Troye Sivan, and Villano Antillano, to name a few.

This month, we’re highlighting Orville Peck from Canada and Karin Ann from Slovakia as our GLOW spotlight artists; they are receiving increased support as part of our global program.

South African GLOW Artist Mx Blouse Proudly Combines Hip-Hop Beats With Dance, Kwaito, and Queer Themes

October 24, 2023

Johannesburg-based creative Sandi has been a writer ever since they could remember. Short stories and poetry gave way to a career in journalism, and, eventually, to song lyrics that were inspired by American hip-hop artists like Ms. Lauryn Hill and Nas. In 2016, after quitting their journalism job and traveling in Southeast Asia, Sandi wrote a set of lyrics to layer on top of their friend’s beats. “I didn’t know a thing about music at the time,” Sandi told For the Record. “I didn’t know about mixing or mastering. I just thought the song was done. ” Shortly later, it was posted to Soundcloud.

Suddenly after publication, blogs back home began picking up the song, and called to Sandi to release more songs and perform. Sandi quickly began writing, looking to communicate in their own authentic voice, and then returned to South Africa to begin rapping live.   

“The feeling of being onstage is what convinced me, okay, this is what I want to do,” they said. “I went up to my sister after the show and said, ‘sis, I don’t know how I’m going to pay rent, so I’m moving in with you. And I’m going to try to make this music thing work.’ And she said, ‘after what I saw tonight, go ahead.’” 

Since then, Sandi’s been releasing hip-hop tracks centering their non-binary queer and South African identities as Mx Blouse. They’ve garnered a monthly listening base and picked up steam abroad. And this month, as Spotify’s GLOW spotlight artist, we’re supporting them on our flagship GLOW playlist, as well as through billboards and other efforts. 

As much as Sandi has discovered and developed their voice since sharing that first song, barriers persist. “I kind of feel alienated from hip-hop as a queer person,” they shared. “I don’t really feel like I’m part of that community. A lot of my community are people in the dance music circuit. And I love dance music myself, so I’ve been trying to mold those two worlds together because I do love hip-hop, as much as I feel alienated from it. I’m trying to mix hip-hop with dance music sounds and obviously, talking about my queer experience.”

In addition to drawing inspiration from local queer creators like Athi-Patra Ruga and genres like kwaito, Sandi has found an incredible source of joy and hope in American rapper Lil Nas X. Growing up without much LGBTQIA+ representation, they simply never expected to see a Black, queer, global pop star. “What he’s achieved is something close to impossible,” Sandi shared. 

“It’s a struggle for a lot of queer artists, trying to fit into a music industry that, for the most part, doesn’t see you,” they said. “I’m also very blunt about my gender and my sexuality. If you listen to ‘ICON,’ there’s a part where I’m like ‘I’m not a rapper telling you that I’m an icon.’ It’s me recognizing that I’m not a traditional rapper, and maybe you shouldn’t see me that way. And that’s fine, because this is who I am, and I’m going to do things my way.”

Over the years, Sandi has learned more about the music industry and what it takes to have a career as an artist. “First of all, I learned about mixing and mastering,” Sandi laughed, “but people have also taught me how to consider song structure and putting a song together. It’s not just writing. Anyone who’s paying close enough attention can see the improvements.” 

They’ve also become stronger as a performer, incorporating a band into several of their live shows, and they now serve as their own manager, booking agent, social media manager and producer. They’re also their own advocate, carving out space locally and globally for their work and work of those around them. “Recently, my friends and I got together to do a fundraiser for queer people in Uganda because their existence has been outlawed. Being pushed to do that, first of all, was very scary, but the feeling of being able to contribute to my community is something that really makes me feel proud.”

Sandi unabashedly claims that they “love people,” and “love being around people.” What they love most as an artist is a strong feeling of contributing to their community, and even while still early in their career, they’re advocating for more equity in available opportunities.

“I’ve played at a lot of festivals where the queer stages are always separate from everything else,” they said. “In many ways, we can celebrate that and say, ‘we are being included, we are being given our own space.’ and I think that’s great. But at the same time, we are being alienated. Why can’t the queer artist be on the mainstage? There’s a catch-22, in creating something that is explicitly for queer people, and something where all kinds of people can hear you. I would like to see a world where queer artists don’t have to have that prefix in front of them, where they can be artists, period.” 

Catch Mx Blouse on Spotify’s flagship GLOW playlist.

British Pop LGBTQIA+ Icon MNEK Helps Rising Artists GLOW

July 11, 2023

Artist-writer-producer MNEK credits Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Jermaine Dupri, Darkchild, and Jam & Lewis—the masterminds he grew up playing on repeat—as the inspirations behind his personal style. But in the 14 years since he came onto the scene, MNEK has inspired countless artists in his own right, amassing over 4 billion streams on songs he’s written, produced, or appeared in. 

The Grammy award–winning and BRIT- and Ivor Novello–nominated artist has collaborated with British pop luminaries Zara Larsson, Stormzy, Gorgon City, Years & Years, and Craig David, as well as international stars Beyoncé, Little Mix, Dua Lipa, Christina Aguilera, BTS, Mabel, Anne Marie, Madonna, Kelly Rowland, Selena Gomez, Jax Jones, and Clean Bandit. 

MNEK is also an icon in the U.K. and global LGBTQIA+ communities, having performed at New York World Pride and U.K. Black Pride, and having appeared in roles such as coach and guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. This month, he’s also Spotify’s GLOW spotlight artist and is a part of the year-round campaign. We’ll support MNEK in our flagship GLOW playlist, as well as through billboards and other out-of-home efforts. 

MNEK himself knows the importance of visibility and amplification. He set up Proud Sound in 2019, a writing camp dedicated to supporting LGBTQIA+ singer-songwriters, and has since worked hard to bring more inclusivity to the industry as a contributor to the Guardian UK diversity panel and his own “MNEK’s Inter-Section” YouTube panel. 

“There’s an affirmation that people feel when things like this exist and center them,” he said. “It shouldn’t just be Pride Month when this is happening. Opportunities like Proud Sound should happen throughout the year. People have flocked to this in such a beautiful way. They didn’t realize they needed it, but now that they’ve found it, they want more—more spaces with queer people where they feel safe, comfortable, and relaxed to make their best art.”

For the Record spoke to MNEK on the last day of his 2023 “Proud Sound songwriting camp presented by MNEK & Warner Chappell Music; powered by GLOW.”

What was the beginning of your journey into music?

I started out as a ’90s kid who was always watching MTV and was very fascinated in how music was made. It inspired me to really want to make music. I’m very blessed to have grown up in the time that I grew up in. It was really the beginning of young producers’ being self-sufficient with bedroom studios. There was a time when studio equipment was so far removed and you really had to be an adult with funds to have access to that kind of stuff.

So, that was my gateway to making music, and I just started getting myself out there by putting stuff on MySpace. And then I got discovered and feel like I really came up within the music industry. The first half of my life was me figuring it out, and then this half has been being in my job and enjoying it, but also growing up and into it. 

How would you say your identity has played into the way you work? 

I grew up in a house full of boys. So, it was me, my two brothers, my dad, and my mother. And I think I do yearn for female connection in certain aspects. I love writing with women. I love writing music [sung] by women. I love listening to music by women as well. And so it’s kind of always gone hand in hand that way, as far my own approach to femininity.

And I think there’s something to be said about me being a listener. I like listening to people, and I think that I get a lot of things from my feminine side and from my mother and her being a listener and her being an empath. I know that’s absolutely helped as far as what I’m able to bring to a session, or what I’m able to bring to someone’s life when I’m working with them.

As far as my own solo records and my identity, it’s definitely helped me be more real and more honest. Of course, there will always be moments where I’m like, “Should I be saying that? Will someone really want to hear me say that?” But the answer should be yes. If there’s something I’m feeling, I can have conviction that someone else will relate to it. So let it be; let it come out into the world.

Can you tell us more about the songwriting camps you host?

I started a writing camp with Warner Chappell in their studios in 2019. It was a select few writers between two studios. They connected, shared stories, and wrote songs. But the main objective was to empower them, to make them feel valued, and to have them in the room with other queer people.

Even today, people who were part of that come back to me and say, “I’ve never been in rooms where it’s all queer people. And the safety that I feel, and the peace that I can feel being around these people when I’m doing something I love, is just priceless.” And they’re thanking me for doing that. And that’s exactly what I wanted to achieve. The root of it, for me, is building connections, building who could possibly make the bangers of tomorrow. I think that queer people are the center of so much creativity and art, and this is no different. 

What has this week’s camp been like?

It’s been beautiful. I have been hovering across the rooms and kind of giving advice or pointers as opposed to necessarily setting up shop and writing a song. It’s been great to have Black and queer writers and producers, trans producers, lesbians, bi, everyone has been here sharing their stories, having jokes, and having really good food. We’ve been here at Three Six Zero Studios and they’ve been so accommodating. It’s been so great to use this space for the past couple of days. It’s been really cool to see the music that’s been coming out. It has been really fun and great to hear how different people’s vibes can intertwine and influence each other. 

How does music empower queer communities and creators? 

Music absolutely saved my life, in so many ways. It gave me a place to be able to express myself and to be able to communicate what I wanted to share with the world, my gift to the world. For a lot of queer people, the arts in general have always been a vehicle for us to evoke everything we keep in the little closet. 

As far as music goes, it follows us everywhere. Music has been the soundtrack to mine and my friends’ lives, whether that be through spending time at home or going to the club. Music just shapes so many areas of our lives and so many moments. I know that with all the people who have been here, I can hear how it has changed their lives as well. 

My best self right now is making the music I love and bringing in other people to make music that they love, whether it be through starting my label and developing people or even this camp. And that’s my life’s work; that’s the best thing I want to be able to do.

Stream MNEK and other LGBTQIA+ artists on our flagship GLOW playlist.

Turn Up the Volume on LGBTQIA+ Authors This Summer

July 11, 2023

Looking for your next great summer read? This season, we are raising the volume on books by LGBTQIA+ authors, celebrating their stories and helping even more listeners access audiobooks on Spotify.

Starting today, and for a limited time, we’re giving away a very limited amount of audiobook copies of five books that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, including All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson, Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo, Real Life by Brandon Taylor and Ace by Angela Chen. Learn more here.

Spotify GLOW and Interview Magazine Celebrate Pride in NYC With LGBTQIA+ Musicians From Around the World

June 29, 2023

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - JUNE 21: Byrell the Great spins during the Interview Mag x Spotify GLOW Party at 3 Dollar Bill on June 21, 2023 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Spotify )

Photo credit: Getty images. Above: Byrell the Great

Pride Month may be coming to a close, but the energy and vibrancy of the LGBTQIA+ creator community will continue to resonate with Spotify’s global music program, GLOW at full volume year-round. Amid the parades, parties, and other Pride celebrations, we teamed up with Interview Magazine in New York City to create an unforgettable night of joy, dancing, music, and community where all guests were “Free to Be.”

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.

Celebrate Pride on Spotify, Where Everyone is ‘Free To Be’

June 1, 2023

From punk to ballroom, EDM to drag, music and culture from LGBTQIA+ creators have helped shape and inspired our world. 

At Spotify, we’re creating a platform where everyone is Free To Be, no matter who they are, where they live, or what communities they belong to. 

In January when we launched GLOW, a global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators, we did so to ensure that queer creators and their contributions are heard and honored year-round. That includes during Pride Month, the annual worldwide celebration that makes time to commemorate the LGBTQIA+ community’s culture and achievements, raise awareness of issues and injustices, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights. 

This Pride Month, LGBTQIA+ listeners and allies in 26 markets can come to Spotify to discover a world where communities and freedom of expression are celebrated. Through our GLOW platform spotlight, and themed podcast playlists, we’re highlighting a place where queer stories and voices from around the world shine. 

GLOW support and spotlights for Pride

To kick off Pride, we’re turning up the volume on the talented LGBTQIA+ artists in our GLOW hub. This month, in addition to our flagship GLOW playlist, we’re making local GLOW playlists available in Thailand, Israel, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Nordics, the U.K. and Ireland, and North America. 

We’ll also highlight Trixie Mattel from the U.S., Urias from Brazil, and Dana International from Israel as our GLOW spotlight artists. We’ll support them with features on the GLOW hub, a billboard in Times Square in New York City, interviews here on For the Record, and more.

Fans can also find recorded playlist stories in our GLOW flagship playlist from Victoria Monet, TAAHLIAH, Marina Summers, Zemmoa, Angie Oeh, Isak Danielson, and G Flip. Each creator spoke about the need to protect and celebrate LGBTQIA+ communities and subcultures. We asked queer U.S. band The Aces and British DJ and producer TAAHLIAH to reflect on what Pride and GLOW mean to them. 

There’ve been many advances in LGBTQIA+ rights and representation during the last decade. Why is it still important to celebrate Pride?

TAAHLIAH: We still have a long way to go collectively, as a consciousness. Whilst acceptance is rife amongst the few, the majority still see queerness as some kind of imposing negative force. It’s important to showcase a varied way of existing, beyond the binary, overlooking the constraints that a white-cis-hetero patriarchy has placed upon us.

GLOW is Spotify’s always-on campaign dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ music community. Why is it important to uplift queer artists year-round and not just during Pride Month?

The Aces: Because queer visibility saves lives, and it’s important to both celebrate it and make it accessible to those who may need to see it all year round.

LGBTQIA+-themed podcasts for Pride

The GLOW hub is also getting a glow-up with the addition of podcasts and podcast playlists so listeners can sink into the stories, experiences, and knowledge of LGBTQIA+ hosts and guests. Catch new episodes telling stories of underground LGBTQIA+ subcultures on the BBC Club, Camp Counselors, Two Dykes and a Mic, Aware and Aggravated, and the Ty French Podcast. 

Here are a few must-listen-to LGBTQIA+-led podcasts for Pride Month and beyond. 

We Said What We Said, featuring hosts Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion

With bold advice, hot takes, and risqué storytelling, longtime besties Rickey and Denzel dish on everything that matters, from pop culture, sex, and struggle to love, music, and friendship. Tune in for new video podcast episodes on Tuesdays, only on Spotify.

Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

Come on a journey with Queer Eye co-host Jonathan and guest experts as they explore anything and everything under the sun.

You’re Wrong About, “We Need to Talk About the New York Times with Tuck Woodstock” 

In the episode of the show that gets you to rethink topics that have been miscast in the public eye, Gender Reveal host Tuck Woodstock takes listeners on a journey through the New York Times’ coverage of trans issues, and in the end, he points the way toward a better future.

Stories with Sapphire with host Sapphire Sandalo 

Join host Sapphire Sandalo, a queer Filipino (Cebuano/Ilonggo) American occultist on a mission to add more empathy and diversity to the paranormal, supernatural, and horror communities through stories and interviews from the Philippines and around the world. 

The Laverne Cox Show

Each week, The Laverne Cox Show features intimate conversations with a wide range of guests. These perspectives aim to inspire new behaviors in each of us, which in turn get us closer to becoming the very best versions of ourselves.

Girlish with Gage Adkins and Olivia Noel

As trans women of color in their 20s, Gage and Olivia strive to create a podcast that speaks volumes by discussing issues like transphobia, coming out in college, body dysphoria, and what it’s like being trans in the 21st century.

Kick off Pride by streaming our flagship GLOW playlist.

GLOW Artist Arlo Parks Is Inspired by Vulnerability, Personal Connection, and Queer Representation

February 16, 2023

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Arlo Parks’s 2021 debut, Collapsed In Sunbeams, is a tender and raw plea from the artist to listeners. But what fans of honest ballads like “Hurt” and “Eugene” may not realize is that Arlo is a self-proclaimed extrovert with a “frantic approach to creativity” who is constantly in motion. 

Arlo’s energy for her passions has been at the fore recently, as she revealed news of her upcoming sophomore album, My Soft Machine, the same week that she was named one of Spotify’s GLOW Spotlight artists. GLOW is our new global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. At launch, we supported Arlo on-platform with a dedicated hub and flagship GLOW playlist, and off-platform via billboards and other takeovers. And our commitment to the artist, and to equity in audio, will continue year-round.

With her latest single, “Weightless,” the London native leans a little more heavily toward her deep love of techno, electronic music, and nightlife culture. “I taught myself to DJ, and I’m inspired by a lot of dance music, actually,” the artist told For the Record. “I feel like it’s a perfect intersection of queerness and music that makes you move—that marriage is super organic.” 

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

I started playing piano when I was very young. That developed into learning to play the guitar a little bit and falling in love with bands like Deftones, My Chemical Romance, and Smashing Pumpkins. I fell in love with the energy of these people who were smashing into each other onstage. Around the same time, I also discovered the more gentle use of guitars with people like Phoebe Bridgers, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, and Jeff Buckley and seeing how deeply emotionally profound music could be as a medium. 

So, those two things’ colliding led me to teach myself how to produce on GarageBand and just make terrible little demos in my bedroom and in my closet. Making music in the closet turned into making music in the studio. And now I’ve been doing music full-time since I was about 17, so about five years.

How has your music changed as you’ve gotten older?

Over time, I’ve become more brave, more vulnerable. I think honestly, it’s just from having lived more life, becoming more assertive in the studio, and picking up more skills and balancing it with the advice from the people around me. I feel like my approach to writing itself has been quite consistent. I’m often struck by melodies in the middle of the night or at the most inconvenient times and voice-noting those, reading excessively, and mining my lyrics from poetry. 

How does your queer identity influence your music or your songwriting? 

My queer identity has always made its way into my music because it’s who I am. And I’ve always written about love and finding myself in the world and coming of age. I feel like music was also treated as a journal for me, and it was a way that I processed the world around me and became more comfortable and confident with who I was. I’m also super inspired by queer artists, as well as books and films. 

Who are some of those artists?

SOPHIE. Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker—that boygenius release has sent me into a frenzy. Another major one was Syd from The Internet because she had her own sense of style, her own sense of confidence and presence in herself. The fact that she was a producer who was active and leading the group—I was really inspired by her when I was a kid. 

How does music empower queer communities?

Music builds connection, and a lot of queer people find real comfort in their chosen family. I feel like music really serves to build that, especially in spaces like queer clubs, and especially in London. Many queer kids really find themselves on nights out when they’re finally surrounded by people who they can relate to who they feel close to. And I feel like music is so vital in that dance culture, but music also serves as representation. 

I remember the first time that I heard somebody singing a song about being queer and using pronouns that I felt I could apply to love stories that I had been through, and then also wanting to give that back to people. A big part of encouraging people is just making them feel less alone, and it’s a really powerful tool for empowerment too. 

What do you hope people take away from your music?

I would hope that people feel confident in being vulnerable, because of how vulnerable I am. That’s what I learned from my favorite artists, from listening to “Speed Trials” by Elliott Smith. And I want it to be something that acts as a companion through life, when they’re in the car or bus on their way to work, or hanging out with friends. More softness, that’s what I want. 

Why do you think it’s important to have a program like GLOW that amplifies LGBTQIA+ voices?

What makes a difference is when young people feel like they’re seeing people like them amplified and lifted up into the mainstream—seeing people on billboards and TV and being queer and being happy and making art that a lot of people like. Seeing that was so important to me growing up. I imagine having Heartstopper as a 13- or 14-year-old and what that would have meant to me as a teenager. 

I feel like also the fact that GLOW is amplifying such a range of different queer artists. And there is a sense of variety and acceptance of the fact that there is nuance even within the larger umbrella of queer artistry, that there are so many different people making so many different things. Having that for young people is super important, and long may it continue. 

What’s one piece of advice that you got as a young person that has stuck with you? 

It sounds harsh, but stay with me: At the beginning, nobody cares yet, right? In that anonymity and in that lack of people seeing you; that is when you truly have time to grow. Because you can nurture your craft without people having eyes on you. So in the beginning, nobody cares—and that’s okay.

Catch Arlo on our flagship GLOW playlist as well as Alternative Pride.

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. 

Spotify Debuts GLOW, an Equity Program for LGBTQIA+ Creators

January 24, 2023

Glow header

The LGBTQIA+ community has greatly influenced music, and both music and culture have long been moved by the community in return. As more and more artists feel empowered to share their authentic selves onstage and off, the power and influence of queer creators grow as guiding forces across culture.

Today, Spotify introduces GLOW, a new global music program celebrating and amplifying LGBTQIA+ artists and creators. It’s our latest initiative to support people of this historically marginalized community of voices and reassert our commitment to equity in audio. It ensures that queer creators, and their contributions to music and culture, are heard and honored year-round.  

Putting LGBTQIA+ artists front and center

GLOW is supported by an on- and off-platform ecosystem where LGBTQIA+ artists and users are authentically represented and meaningfully included. 

All in, GLOW will streamline and heighten the support Spotify has provided through our annual global Pride activations. It will be available in 50+ markets across Europe, India, Asia, Africa, North America, Latin America, the Nordics, and Southeast Asia. 

To launch, we’re hosting LGBTQIA+ artists and songwriters at the Spotify At Mateo office in LA, including jesse saint john, who has written for Britney Spears, Lizzo, and Kim Petras; JHart, who has written for Troye Sivan, 5SOS, and Little Mix; Ilsey, who has written for Panic! at the Disco, Miley Cyrus, Mark Ronson, and Harry Styles); and INK, who has written for Beyoncé, Leon Bridges, and Lil Nas X. The attendees will participate in three days of writing sessions aimed at celebrating and inspiring collaboration among creators in the LGBTQIA+ community. 

We recognize the power of our platform to elevate, uplift, and spotlight voices that have been historically marginalized, and we’re committed to using it to drive cultural change. GLOW is supported by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund as the latest part of our ongoing commitment to fostering equity in the audio space. By providing equitable resources to queer artists on a global level, GLOW is another way we’re working to create greater equity, empathy, and representation for the LGBTQIA+ community. We work closely with our partners at GLAAD and others to ensure GLOW best represents LGBTQIA+ artists and listeners in authentic and meaningful ways.

Meet the team behind GLOW

The backbone of GLOW is Spotify employees who are passionate about music, artist empowerment, and above all else, their queer community. 

Lisa Ritchey, she/her, Manager, Artist Partnership Team

Lisa Ritchey

What is your role in bringing GLOW to life?

I am a manager on our newly formed Artist Partnerships Team, but I’ve been in this type of role for the past three years. I currently work across pop, dance, and indie, finding ways that we can bring Spotify into the entirety of an artist’s career outside of a record cycle—touring, festivals, merchandise, integrating artists into campaigns within those genres and our playlists—finding new and creative ways to partner together with artists. 

I’ve worked on Spotify’s Pride campaign for the past three years. I came in and was very, very passionate about LGBTQIA+ artists and how we can better serve that community and the fan base. After working on Pride, I started working on what would be an evergreen program very similar to Frequency or EQUAL with a colleague (the Head of Rock on our Editorial Team, Laura Ohls). We started working on this probably two years ago and in that time, the team has grown exponentially, become more robust, and received a lot of support company-wide.

Why is GLOW important to you?

I, along with the majority of the community, am very weary and skeptical of corporatized Pride. If a company is going to show up in June, they have to show up throughout the year. Where this program is amazing is that its sole purpose is to support the community on- and off-platform year-round. The way that we are showing up in this program also feels different—we’re supporting these artists because of who they are holistically. These are artists who are doing incredible things and they just so happen to be queer.

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

In the ’90s it was hard to find robust queer representation, and you had icons like Elton John and George Michael, so when The xx showed up and I found out that Romy and Oliver from The xx were both queer, it kinda blew my mind and it was the first time that I felt seen. St. Vincent was pretty huge for me and really made me understand myself more in college. Frank Ocean—truly, his tumblr coming-out letter, I want to get it framed and put it up in my house because that was so huge not only to me, but to music and culture in general—I think that was around the time that I was truly figuring myself out, so it meant a lot.

And the beautiful thing that we’re seeing now is just, more. The floodgates have opened and we have so many artists to choose from. 

 

Cahleb Derry, he/him, Associate Manager, Music Marketing

Cahleb Derry

What would you say is the ethos of GLOW?

We always go back to this commitment to amplify LGBTQIA+ artists. So while there’s a lot of other flashy aspects of GLOW, and there’s billboards and there’s editorial support, behind all of that, the question we go back to is, ‘How do we tangibly influence the resources that LGBTQIA+ artists have?’ We know in the industry that there are hurdles that marginalized artists face in creating and putting out music that other artists don’t face. 

We know that a lot of artists only get hit up in June during Pride to do campaigns. And then July 1 hits and there’s no work to be found again. Performative support wittles down an artist to their identity. If you only ask artists to activate during Pride, you ask them to give this boxed-in, performative version of themselves. For some artists, their identity is crucial to their work, right? It drives their writing, their artistry. For other artists, they’re just artists who happen to be LGBTQIA+ and they still should receive the support that LGBTQIA+ artists need. And we know that we, at Spotify, have a responsibility as the largest music audio platform in the world to fill in these gaps.

Why is GLOW important to you?

I am gay, so as someone who’s in the community, this program means so much to me. For example, Sam Smith, one of our 11 launch artists, their sophomore album, The Thrill Of It All, was my coming-out album and it saved my life in so many ways. I know firsthand how important LGBTQIA+ artists are for representation, but also for validation, and it just means a lot to see a company like Spotify really doing the amplification work. And to be helping lead the charge? I kind of have to pinch myself a lot and realize like, yeah, this isn’t just a campaign.

LGBTQIA+ culture is the culture. LGBTQIA+ artists, since the beginning of time, have shaped  some of the biggest genres that we have—from disco to jazz to pop—and unfortunately, with the way our industry functions, artists aren’t given the proper tribute, support, or platform that matches the effect and impact of LGBTQIA+ artists’ contributions. 

How does music empower queer communities? 

To me, it’s survival. Literally, “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor being a gay anthem is an example, but it’s about connecting people, and it’s about safe space. We know that in New York and Chicago and Detroit and LA, the ballroom space was where Black and Latine queer folks who were shunned were able to go and shine. And music was the soundtrack to this. Even when queer culture and queer people were relegated to basements, to spaces deemed “unused” or in “disarray,” music kept those spaces alive.

Music is how I made sense of my emotions growing up. It gave me language to describe how I felt and gave me validation to feel confident in those emotions. Music is the soundtrack to our lives and to our survival, and it’s the soundtrack to our joy. Music is this creative playground where you’re allowed to imagine anything. Music is the most tangible thing we have to imagine queer futures that are happier and brighter and better and freer. 

Bel Aztiria, she/her, Equity Global Music Programs Lead

Bel A

What is your role in bringing GLOW to life?

I lead our Equity Global Music Programs, such as GLOW and EQUAL. I am in charge of bringing our equity principles to life within Spotify’s 360 programs, which elevate and celebrate artists for who they are, around the world. I lead the go-to-market strategy through ideation, launch, and adoption. My role is focused on the vision of contributing to a music industry where everyone is fairly represented and included for who they are, and wherever they are from. 

Within GLOW, my role is to take the program from ideation to launch and beyond, setting the overall strategy towards the mission of celebrating and elevating LGBTQIA+ creators and serving users all year round and beyond cultural moments. By bringing together my expertise in equity programs and in international strategy and in music, I have the privilege of being the connector of experts in over 20 different company functions and music representatives for the 50+ countries where GLOW is live, to ensure that this program utilizes Spotify’s resources as best as possible to serve the community and honor its immense contribution to music and culture. 

Why is GLOW important to you?

I grew up in a small town in rural Argentina, where I didn’t have any positive examples of people being accepted, included, and celebrated for who they were. I migrated at a young age, which exposed me to more expansive experiences around sexual orientation and identity, but also to a new way of feeling different, of living within another culture. When I started working in music, which was always my passion, I had more positive experiences of inclusion through seeing colleagues from the community thrive and be inspired by the music itself, and I made it my mission to contribute to a world where we can all feel included and valued for who we are.

Today, I feel safe to be who I am in most places I inhabit, and I have the chance to put my experience, resources, and skills back in service, for more people to hopefully feel included and represented, too. To me, GLOW represents the opportunity and privilege to work within a company that is well positioned to drive social change, where people are passionate about equity and gather to take steps in that direction.

What do you see as the future of the program?

I know we live in a world that is far away from equity for all of us, that the issue is bigger than music, and that we can’t do it alone. But I also believe in the power of music, and I hope that GLOW can inspire and uplift more of our voices to the narrative, contributing to a future world where people are free to be.

Tune into GLOW to hear the latest, hottest songs coming from LGBTQIA+ artists around the world.