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They’ve become a vital figure in trans visibility and boundary-pushing music.
Neil Tennant
As the voice of Pet Shop Boys, Tennant helped make synthpop a vessel for queer storytelling. While she identified as bisexual in 2022, she came out as a lesbian in a 2024 interview with Andy Cohen and has been out and proud since.
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While many artists are celebrated for their allyship, this list highlights the queer musical talents that are carving out space for themselves and creating art that helps the LGBTQIA+ community feel seen and heard in an industry that often leaves them behind.
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Carrie Brownstein
Carrie Brownstein is best known for her work as a guitarist and vocalist for the riot grrrl group Sleater-Kinney. He’s long been embraced by LGBTQIA+ fans for his outsider appeal.
Mykki Blanco
A fearless voice in queer hip-hop, Mykki Blanco brings poetry, politics, and performance art into every track.
His refusal to be boxed in was a lesson in freedom.
Rob Halford
As the frontman of Judas Priest, Rob Halford shattered metal stereotypes when he came out in 1998. Boogie makes music for the person that knows who they are, what they want, and could care less what others think. The South African singer-songwriter Bella Latham, aka Baby Queen, composed the original song, “Colours of You,” based on the protagonist Nick’s journey discovering his bisexuality.
Sobule gave bisexual identity a radio-friendly voice in a time of silence.
Joan Armatrading
A musical force since the ’70s, Armatrading quietly opened doors for Black queer women in folk, pop, and blues. Her recent single, “Mad” makes me want to yell at my summer crush, cry about it at the lake, and then dance all the feelings away while I remember how incredible I am.
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Sometimes heartbreak needs a soundtrack to help you get through it, and that’s where Arlo Parks comes in.
He’s paved a path for other queer hip-hop artists.
Kim Petras
One of the first openly trans pop stars to top the Billboard Hot 100, Kim Petras is a shining example of trans excellence in music. 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.
His artistry and openness invite more dialogue and inclusion.
Wendy Carlos
As a pioneering trans woman in electronic music, Wendy Carlos revolutionized how we hear sound. He continues to support LGBTQIA+ causes and inspires with his artistic vulnerability.
Miguel Bosé
A global pop star, Bosé has long supported LGBTQIA+ rights and has publicly acknowledged his relationships with men.
But while acting in the Max series "The Sex Lives of College Girls," Rapp also started releasing music, with her well-received debut album "Snow Angel" dropping in 2023. The Chicago native and recent Island Records signee has been anything but quiet about his queerness, encouraging folks in the community to own their identity even in the hyper-masculine world of hip-hop.
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His music celebrates self-worth and queer joy with infectious beats and fierce lyrics.
Shea Diamond
A Black trans woman with a powerhouse voice, Shea Diamond creates songs rooted in survival and resilience.
"'Bisexual' always sounded very medical, like something you do to a frog in 9th grade science or something."
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Lil Nas X
At the peak of his fame after the viral release of his 2018 country-rap hit "Old Town Road," Lil Nas X publicly came out via Twitter in 2019, but didn't specify his identity.
Their activism and community-building continue to uplift LGBTQIA+ voices.
Jake Blount
Blount brings Black and queer history into the heart of American folk music. She’s been a powerful voice for queer and trans youth navigating identity and faith.
Frank Ocean
With his poetic, genre-blending albums, Frank Ocean became one of the first major hip-hop-adjacent artists to come out.
Music is love."
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David Bowie
Known for his far-out and funk-infused pop music, it wasn't necessarily a surprise when David Bowie developed the bisexual alien stage persona of Ziggy Stardust in the early 1970s.
I don't really identify as anything." The rock star went viral for a homoerotically charged performance of her song "Masseduction," layered with pop singer Dua Lipa's "One Kiss," at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
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Bessie Smith
Known as the Empress of Blues, Bessie Smith rose to fame during the Harlem Renaissance for her strong, low vocal tone.
And there were countless more albums dropped by out artists, including Demi Lovato, Brandi Carlile, Lucy Dacus, Japanese Breakfast, and Lola Young.
Of course, throughout history, there have also been musicians who couldn't leave the closet behind. In the same interview, when asked if she'd keep performing with the band, Grace joked, "However fierce our band was in the past, imagine me, six-foot-two, in heels, screaming into someone's face." Though Against Me!
went on hiatus after the COVID-19 pandemic, Grace continues to release music and perform around the world as a solo artist. She made headlines in March 2025 after performing her new song "Your God (God's ----)" at a Bernie Sanders rally to protest the Trump administration's treatment of transgender people.
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Ani DiFranco
With 20 studio albums since 1990, Ani DiFranco remains one of the most celebrated folk-rock singer-songwriters ever.
The self-taught musician released some of her first music on Soundcloud, which remains a springboard for some of the most exciting underground talent.