Do you have a song about queer joy? We want to hear it!
The Homoground Podcast will release 4 episodes on the topic of queer joy. The episodes will feature inspirational music by queer musicians who share personal narratives of what queer joy means to them and the music they’ve made to embody and celebrate it.
Submit your original songs to be considered for Homoground’s Queer Joy series by filling out the application form below:
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Track IX / Thee Suburbia / Gorgeous / Electrosexual / Darkswoon / Jupiter Gray / rIVerse [Episode #264]
By HomogroundPowered by RedCircle
Below are the artists featured in this episode in order of appearance. Their artist name, location and song featured is listed beneath their photo.
Track IX – Los Angeles, California – “Lipstick”
Track IX is a beatboxer/a cappella artist who creates multi-layered tracks using just her voice. She uses her beatbox techniques to make her sounds less traditionally a cappella sounding and closely imitates the style of electronic Music.
“The beatbox community, which I have grown my music in, is predominantly heterosexual male. While there are some kinder members of the community, there is also too much homophobia that is left unaccountable due to the lack of people simply not caring for the well-being of the LGBT beatboxers. I’ve been distancing myself from the community for a while as a closeted beatboxer, trying to reach to an audience that will appreciate what I have to offer while also being accepting of my sexuality.”
Thee Suburbia – Brooklyn, NY – “Bitchwitch”
Thee Suburbia is a Brooklyn-based drag performer. She is also the founder of the POC Drag Art Collective in NYC. Queer visibility is how Thee Suburbia began.
“If it wasn’t for connecting with my queer brothers and sisters my music wouldn’t be alive. So, I want to be on HOMOGROUND because it’s prerogative is to share queer music and make is visible to the LGBT community and beyond. My biggest challenge is getting my queer allies to understand that everyone within the LGBT community has a different story that’s just as telling as the other. In life, in my music, at the venues were I perform my aim is always to lift and inspire. With that said some people walk through all doors not wanting the same for whatever reason. So, I make it my duty to be vision for those who need to escape from negativity.
Gorgeous – Oakland, CA – “Do Cowards Get Ahead”
Oakland’s Ana Ayon and Lucy Bayne have taken their anger over the passivity of the privileged and channeled it into their saucy debut track, “Do Cowards Get Ahead?” Planning a self-titled EP release this Halloween, the two lovers are looking to put a dent in the dance floor. Taking their inspiration from the likes of Sneaks, The B-52’s and many of the electro-punk bands from the early aughts, they create a surprisingly political and refreshing take on the post-punk genre.
“We want to be a political source of inspiration to radical lesbians and trans girls.“
Electrosexual – Berlin, Germany – “I’m Your Machine (Feat. Hard Ton)
Activism, feminism, queerness and electronic music! This is the combination of Electrosexual, brainchild of Romain Frequency. While remaining independent in the queer music scene for 10 years, Electrosexual has teamed with artists like Peaches, Aerea Negrot, Hard Ton and Hanin Elias (of Atari Teenage Riot). The content of Electrosexual’s world deals with gender, art and alternative sexualities: the latest album ‘Art Support Machine’ explores the machine as a supreme vision of the human condition, as well as the sexual fantasies and relationship with robots (notably in the songs ‘Automatic People’ I’m your machine and ‘Fetish’ [ASFR] (alternative sex fetish robots).
“I love that Homoground supports queer artists all over the world and especially the most independant and underground ones, this is SO important for our community and culture! voila! The biggest challenge is visibility and the feeling of not being heard, both artistically and personally.”
Darkswoon – Portland, OR – “Human Faults”
Darkswoon is a queer electrohaze band from Portland, OR with elemental post-punk roots, and musical moments bordering on dream pop to darkwave. Originating as the bedroom project and primary creative outlet of composer Jana Cushman, Darkswoon has since evolved into an energetic trio, with Cushman crooning on vocals and guitar, Rachel Ellis stacking the electronic backbone of danceable beats and haunting synth lines, and all of it punctuated by the intelligent, rhythmic bass lines of Andrew Michael Potter. The band evokes old school goth and post-punk of early 4AD label darlings, but maintains a modern edge and originality.
“I think queer representation in music is really important. We are known as a ‘goth band’ of sorts but we are also all queer and our songs are very queer at the heart. Rachel and I are partners and getting gay married soon and our bandmate, Andrew is also queer identified. It’s a big part of who we are. I’ve literally devoted my whole life to the music industry. I’ve spent my entire adult life working on music in a variety of projects. I make a living bartending at the famed music venue The Crystal Ballroom. I’ve worked there for 6 years. Returning to work and playing shows are a distant idea-my dreams and livelihood are postponed indefinitely. I feel like I’ve lost my identity. It’s real-this collective grief we are experiencing. Everyone I know has lost something. For now, I continue to focus on what I have and can be grateful for. My loved ones are healthy. I am healthy. I have what I need in this very moment. Day by day, I am trying to remember to be gentle, to breathe, to maintain hope.”
Jupiter Gray – Columbus, OH – “High Note” (Feat. Kidd Misfit)
Jupiter Gray is a trans rapper, singer and musical artist from Columbus, Ohio.
“Creating music is meaningful to me because growing up, I was never into sports and stuff. My family is very competitive and athletic. I never found that entertaining. I ended up getting into singing and rapping by doing orchestra when I was in middle school. One day my orchestra teacher walked in on me singing a song by OneRepublic. I was playing the piano, and she said, “Oh, you can sing.” So she put me in choir, and I just went with it. I started off playing instruments. I played the cello, clarinet, drums at some point. I don’t know. I just found music exciting.”
rIVerse – Toronto, Ontario, Canada – “Stand Up”
rIVerse’s mission statement has always been to represent the underrepresented — members Dizz, Khadija, Zak and Monroe meet across lines of race, gender and sexual orientation in their devotion to music as a force for positive change.
On Juneteenth, rIVerse released what may be their most powerful video to date: “Stand Up,” a searing call-to-action in the current global fight against police brutality and systemic racism. The track empowers listeners of all races to fight back against police violence, racial profiling and a corrupt system that targets Black men, women, and children. Watch above.
“Nobody deserves to have done to them what’s been happening to people of color,” says rIVerse songwriter Dizz. “At the foundation, this track is an anthem for basic human rights and justice for Black people. It’s a reminder of what our purpose is: as a band, we need to stand up and maybe our listeners will be influenced to do the same.”
CREDITS
This episode was produced by Casper
Homoground Theme Song by data.data.data
SPONSOR
Struggling with business financials? Homoground uses SusieQ Bookkeeping, a motley crew of queer bookkeepers and accountants who love the finances as much as you love your business. At SQB they know that entrepreneurs of all kinds need to spend their time doing what they love and growing, not worrying about payroll and taxes. SQB provides financial and administrative support to all industries tailored to your needs.
Schedule a consultation today!POD RING
On this episode you heard promo trailers from:
Tampon Rock a scripted podcast – equal parts musical and comedy featuring characters and creators from the LGBTQ community. Tampon Rock follows the dating foibles of the two lead lesbian characters – Deja and Chloe – as they luckily and unluckily navigate the Oakland love and music scene.
The Novel Queers is a bi-weekly queer novel read-along meets book club podcast.
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Trumpet Wom – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [Episode #268]
By HomogroundPowered by RedCircle
Trumpet Wom is a Philadelphia-based musician who combines trumpet, keys, & singing into original and badass music.
In this episode, Trumpet Wom speaks with musician and Homoground Producer Maia Macdonald about music process, inspiration, living in a capitalist regime, our responsibility to understand and heal our ancestral trauma, and of course… trumpet!
Songs featured in this episode: Smooches, Your Fool, TY FY, Protons and Electrons
Support Trumpet Wom on Patreon, Bandcamp or get updates on her official website.
If you enjoyed this episode, please consider contributing to our Patreon to support this free podcast.
http://patreon.com/join/homogroundWe do not have a transcription of this episode available. To help us create a transcription of this episode, please donate to our Patreon to support our transcription efforts.
CREDITS
This interview was recorded and produced by Maia Macdonald
Executive Producer: Lynn Casper
SPONSORS
Struggling with business financials? Homoground uses SusieQ Bookkeeping, a motley crew of queer bookkeepers and accountants who love the finances as much as you love your business. At SQB they know that entrepreneurs of all kinds need to spend their time doing what they love and growing, not worrying about payroll and taxes. SQB provides financial and administrative support to all industries tailored to your needs.
Schedule a consultation today!COMMUNITY SUPPORT
RSVP to Homoground’s Queer Podcasters Meetup on Sunday, April 25th at 3pm ET.
Hey Homoground listeners! I’m Anna, co-creator of PB&Qs (professionals, business, and queers), an online community for queer women, trans, and gender-nonconforming entrepreneurs and business professionals.
In addition to our Slack group, we host a monthly discussion series called “Thinking Out Loud.” On the first Wednesday of every month we dive deep into a topic, creating a space where we can share our stories and learn from each other. On May 7th we’re exploring the feeling of not being queer enough—whether you don’t have an undercut, got married and had kids, don’t know the latest label or trending phrase, can’t name a celebrity to save your life, or have to day-in and day-out confront the continued erasure of bisexuality from queer culture.Join us, a group of LGBTQ+ women, trans, and gender-nonconforming folk, to hear stories, get ideas, and remind yourself you’re not alone. Go to https://pbandqs.ck.page/join to learn more.Country Queers is an ongoing multimedia oral history project documenting the diverse experiences of rural, small town, and country LGBTQIA+ folks in the U.S. – across intersecting layers of identity such as race, class, age, ability, gender identity, and religion.
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Young Kaii – Providence, Rhode Island [Episode #262]
By HomogroundPowered by RedCircle
Young Kaii is one of those rare artists that effortlessly brings raw emotions using just her talent and her powerful lyrics. In this episode, Homoground correspondent Maia Macdonald chats with Young Kaii about the life of being an artist, smoothies, swimming with dolphins and choosing happiness.
Songs featured: “Careless”, “Speechless” and “Memories”
You can stream the episode above, on homoground.com or via your favorite podcast app.
Connect with Young Kaii:
Official Website
Instagram @iamyoungkaii
Twitter @YoungKaii
YoutubeIf you enjoyed this episode, please consider contributing to our Patreon to support this free podcast.
http://patreon.com/join/homogroundTo help us create a transcription of this episode, please donate to our Patreon to support our transcription efforts.
CREDITS
This interview was recorded and produced by Maia Macdonald.
Executive Producer: Lynn Casper
Intro Jingle by data.data.data
SPONSORS
Struggling with business financials? Homoground uses SusieQ Bookkeeping, a motley crew of queer bookkeepers and accountants who love the finances as much as you love your business. At SQB they know that entrepreneurs of all kinds need to spend their time doing what they love and growing, not worrying about payroll and taxes. SQB provides financial and administrative support to all industries tailored to your needs.
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