The 20 Greatest LGBTQ+ Artists in Music History
We hope you're having a great Pride Month! Frank Ocean is the kind of artist whose avant-garde music resonates with intelligent types. It's Prince's edgy songs like "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry" – as well as his sonic experimentation with a female alter ego named Camille – that have left lasting legacies on both the music world and the history of queer pop culture.
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From the pioneering brushstrokes of gay artists to the groundbreaking works of gay painters, as well as the innovative expressions of queer artists, this article illuminates the lives and artistic legacies of some of the most renowned figures in the realm of art who have proudly embraced their LGBTQ+ identities. Janelle Monae
Janelle Monae is a talented singer, rapper, and actress – in short, she is a superstar.
She has received many awards and nominations throughout her career.
And she has been known to make statements about her sexuality, including the fact that ‘she only dates androids.’
Nevertheless, she is generally supporting the LGBTQ community, and she said she identifies with both bisexuality and pansexuality.
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We'll never forget her dynamite live performances of "Ball and Chain" and "Piece of My Heart." Her voice crackles like electricity. George Michael
Like Bowie and Prince, George Michael was another LGBTQ+ icon that left us in 2016. In contrast, the right panel portrays Marilyn in grayscale, fading into a somber and ghostly presence.
The detailed focus on the subject’s face allows for an intimate exploration of their individuality, from the carefully styled hair and makeup to the distinctively chosen clothing and accessories.
Miss D’vine I is part of Muholi’s larger body of work dedicated to documenting the lives and experiences of Black lesbian, gay, transgender, and queer individuals in South Africa.
This article honors their talent, impact, and the indelible mark they’ve left on the music industry.
Top gay singers & musicians of all time
- Freddie Mercury
- Ricky Martin
- Elton John
- Mika
- Rob Halford
- Adam Lambert
- George Michael
- Sam Smith
- Melissa Etheridge
- Lance Bass
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Although he was open about his sexuality, perhaps Bowie's greatest contribution to the LGBTQ+ community was his androgynous stage presentation and epic makeup looks. Ma Rainey
On the other hand, Gertrude “Ma” Rainey earned the nickname the “Mother of the Blues.”
She was an influential early blues singer and an inspiration for many generations of blues singers.
Many of Ma Rainey’s songs emphasize her attraction to women.
And there was a rumor that she was romantically involved with Bessie Smith.
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However, artists like Michelangelo, who had same-sex relationships and created homoerotic art, or Frida Kahlo, who explored gender fluidity in her self-portraits, are among those who have contributed significantly to the representation of queer themes and identities in art. She was selected to take part in the 2019 ICA Live Art Workshop, receiving training from art experts all around the world.
Ruga’s use of extravagant, gender-blurring attire highlights the fluidity of identity and challenges the rigid categorizations imposed by society. David Bowie
Although Boy George helped pioneer the glam rock movement, David Bowie will forever be the face of it. By sharing what she has learned from a 10-year practice, Burger hopes to relay more directly the sense of vulnerability with which she makes art and the core belief to her practice: Art is an immensely important and powerful bridge of communication that can offer understanding, healing and connection.
Nicolene writes our blog posts on art history with an emphasis on renowned artists and contemporary art.
Rufus Wainwright
A Canadian singer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright has been open about his homosexuality since he was a teenager.
He married German art administrator Jörn Weisbrodt, and he also has a daughter – she was conceived via sperm donation to Lorca Cohen, daughter of Leonard Cohen.
Besides music, Wainwright has also worked in television, film, and theater.
All in all, he is a famous gay musician with a rich, versatile career.
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The subject, elegantly dressed in a sleek green gown, exudes sensuality and confidence, a hallmark of de Lempicka’s portrayal of women. The climax of this later period is marked by masterpieces, including his 1982's "Study for Self-Portrait" and Study for a Self-Portrait—Triptych, 1985–86.
In the late 1990s a number of major works, previously assumed destroyed, including early 1950s popes and 1960s portraits, reemerged to set record prices at auction. She also started focusing more on the sustainability of creative practices in the last 3 years and now offers creative coaching sessions to artists of all kinds.