If you’re in need of some queer additions to your Labor Day weekend playlists, look no further; Billboard Pride is here to help with First Out, our weekly roundup of some of the best new weekly music releases from LGBTQ artists.
From a colorful new video courtesy of Bright Light Bright Light and Caveboy to Fletcher’s new single, check out some of our favorite new releases from this week below.
Bright Light Bright Light & Caveboy, “It’s Alright, It’s OK”
With their brand new music video for their track “It’s Alright, It’s OK,” pop singer Bright Light Bright Light and indie star Caveboy shifted the focus away from themselves. Instead, the entirety of the new clip focuses on New York drag performer and activist Glow Job, as she puts her makeup on while social distancing in her apartment.
As the song kicks up into its full disco-anthem glory, Glow Job appears, fully formed on the rooftop of her apartment building for a special solo show. “It’s alright, it’s OK/ Break the silence, break the chain,” Rod Thomas wails towards the end of the song.
Fletcher, “The One”
The latest track off of singer-songwriter Fletcher’s upcoming EP The S(ex) Tapes, “The One” sees the 26-year-old singer finding some serious flirtation amidst the fallout of her relationship. Things start to get hot and heavy, including the song’s production, when Fletcher makes clear to her partner that they shouldn’t get their hopes up. “I’m having fun right now/ You’re not the one, but you could be the one right now,” she croons.
Flavia, Out Loud
With her electro-pop infused debut EP, Flavia is ready to chart out the different touchstones in her coming out journey. Each of the four tracks off of her new project see the up-and-coming pop singer dishing about a different aspect of her process — “Switch,” for example, explores the star’s sex life in the queer space, while a song like “Them” stands as a loving tribute to the trans and non-binary community. The connective tissue between her songs, though, is the excellent production and vocals she brings to her project, proving that she is a musical force destined for greatness.
Gia Woods, “Chaos”
If there is a word to describe the state of the world in 2020, Gia Woods knows that it’s “Chaos.” On the woozy new pop single, Woods examines a toxic relationship she was a part of where the whiplash-inducing highs and lows became too much to bear.
“Relationships are great because you get comfortable with each other, flaws and all, but when things aren’t working, it becomes more of a codependency,” she says of the single in a statement. “One thing I realized though is not to confuse this sort of rollercoaster relationship with love. When you’re young and immature, you think that’s the only thing that matters. And while it can be fun, a relationship needs to be more than that.”
John Cameron Mitchell, New American Dream (Part One)
It’s not common to see an artist promote their own work as “a lockdown-inspired remotely-organized platonic musical orgy” — but then again, not all artists are quite like John Cameron Mitchell. The Hedwig and the Angry Inch creator unveiled his brand new benefit album New American Dream (Part One) on Friday, supporting causes important to Mitchell, like Burritos Not Bombs, the Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Trust Fund, while also featuring a cavalcade of special guests, including Leland, Alynda Segarra and Ezra Furman.
Dua Saleh (feat. Bas), “Re(a)d”
On her entrancing new single, singer-songwriter Dua Saleh is teaming up with rapper Bas to get her message out there. With “Re(a)d,” Saleh combines her vivid lyricism with some sweet and simple production value, flipping meanings and handing the track over to Bas for some rapid-fire bars. “If you hit the town, I’ll paint it red/And if you decide to hit my phone, I’ll leave your ass on read,” she sings on the song’s chorus.
Shuga Cain, “Sweet Love”
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 alum Shuga Cain is ready to show her fans what she’s got with her debut single “Sweet Love.” The grooving dance track sees the star laying down some powerhouse vocals over big beats as she pines for the attention of her beau. With her music video, Shuga pulls no punches — from costumes to special effects to choreography, this drag star is making sure that you remember her debut.