Openly LGBTQ+ artists are releasing tons of great music, now more than ever. To help you with this extremely good problem to have, them. is selecting the best songs released by queer musicians on every New Music Friday. This week, we’re highlighting tracks by Mykki Blanco and Kari Faux, Hope Tala, Gia Woods, Lazarus Lynch, Serena Isioma, Ambar Lucid, Indigo De Souza, Alus and Cakes Da Killa, and Freddie Atlas. Scroll down below to see our regularly updated playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, and see earlier music roundups here.
Mykki Blanco: “Summer Fling” [ft. Kari Faux]
Mykki Blanco and Kari Faux have teamed up for “Summer Fling,” a breezy banger about curving would-be suitors and enjoying the beach with friends. The track appears on Mykki’s new mini-album, Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep, out today. This is a song about freedom; atop a sparkly, bass-heavy beat, Mykki raps about times they freed themselves from some wack dude’s nonsense, while Kari backs them up with sensual vocals and a stunning verse of her own. “I don’t fuck with no cops,” she sings in the irreverent chorus. The song’s intro, which features Southern rap-leaning, pitch-shifted vocals, sets the tone immediately: “Summer come, no time to be booed up.” — Michael Love Michael
Hope Tala: “Mad”
Hope Tala wants you to know she’s angry. On her new single, “Mad,” the 23-year-old Londoner bemoans an unrequited love, one that has got Tala all messed up while her lover remains unperturbed. With her trademark ethereal vocals, Tala continually declares that she’s “mad, mad, mad/And I’m tearing my hair out,” her quiet desperation contrasting sharply with the production’s punchy guitar and uptempo bossa nova groove.
Upon first listen, the words feel self-reflective, removed from the initial betrayal of the person who refuses to “come back” to her. Yet the accompanying music video — replete with close up shots of Tala’s gnashed teeth and wide, hungry eyes — brings a sense of immediacy to the artist’s emotions. By channeling her fury through this sweet summer tune, Tala paints a complex portrait of how rage can be almost unnoticeable, simmering just beneath the surface. — Mary Retta
Gia Woods: “Enough of You”
For months, rising pop artist Gia Woods has been teasing fans with something called “Heartbreak County.” Now, with the release of her new single “Enough of You,” listeners finally have a sense of what that world sounds like: fun, emotional, and sexy. The buoyant track finds Woods singing about being in a “fucked-up paradise,” in which she simply can’t satiate her hunger for love. The playful chorus is repeated for maximum impact, as Woods’ breathy vocals effortlessly channel the magic of Britney Spears. “Enough of You” is so filled with sugary, addictive melodies, it’ll make you wanna go wherever Gia Woods is hanging out. — MLM
Lazarus Lynch: “Black Queer Anthem”
With his latest song, “Black Queer Anthem,” musician Lazarus Lynch has created “shit that’s for us,” as Solange once sang in her song “F.U.B.U.” As a Black, queer and trans person, I deeply identify with the song’s straightforward message that our community is powerful and indisposable. “I’m Black, so queer,” Lynch calls out with megaphoned vocals on top of a marching drum beat. The repeated call-and-response format acts as a reminder that political movements for queer liberation have always been spearheaded by Black queer people. Amid the chant, Lynch shouts affirmations like, “remember who you are,” and “remember you are powerful.” In a world that often treats Black queer people as disposable, this song is a potent reminder of just how essential we are. — MLM
Serena Isioma: “Huh?”
Chicago artist Serena Isioma steps out this week with their latest single “HUH?,” a groovy track that delivers a refreshing dose of funk. Staccato synths strut across an old school bassline as Isioma nods to their hard-earned success: “I will not stop with this gay shit/Haters mad ‘cause I’m young, Black, and famous.” While humble, Isioma makes it clear that they’re not too cool to celebrate their work.
