What is it about women kissing or dancing on one another during musical performances that still manages to get people talking? Generally speaking, they are carefully plotted performances by singers (usually of the pop variety) who are looking to show off some edge. It seems that in the last eight years, there have been both performances of feigned lesbianism and honest bisexual play/exploration on major musical stages.
We decided it was time for a list of these antics and so have compiled The 11 Most Lesbian-for-Titillation Stage Performances. We rated them on a scale of 1 – 10 by Lesbian Quotient (how gay was the act), Titillation Rating (how sexy was it), and Repeat Offender Status (how likely they are to do it again/if they have already done it more than once).
What happened: The teen pop singer pretends to kiss a female dancer during a television performance of her single “Can’t Be Tamed” on Britain’s Got Talent.
Lesbian Quotient: 2. No lips touched and she later made a statement (to defend herself) that she “did nothing wrong.”
Titillation Rating: 4. The idea was to shock fans and viewers, and that she did. However it was more of a neck grab than anything else.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. She performed the same fake kiss for several other live performances of the song.
What happened: The MC brought out a sex toy at a concert in Providence. She waved it around, licked it and put it over her crotch.
Lesbian Quotient: 1. The toy didn’t appear to be brought out in connection with another woman, despite the presence of female dancers.
Titillation Rating: 3. Dick James was simply a prop, used by Minaj and no one else, but it still got tongues wagging.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. Her tour has only just begun and she’s utilized it on two dates so far.
What happened: The Pretty Reckless frontwoman brought a fan, clad in only a bra and jeans, on stage and then proceeded to rub against her while singing.
Lesbian Quotient: 3. There were two girls on the stage together, and the only thing that makes it quite lesbianish is the fact that they were both half-naked and stood quite close to one another.
Titillation Rating: 2. It was fairly tame and Momsen is 17.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. There’s always a girl in a bra at Pretty Reckless shows, apparently, as this happens frequently.
What happened: The three pop stars took turns kissing one another at the MTV Music Video Awards.
Lesbian Quotient: 6. Madonna has always had a queerness about her and the kisses that happened were more than pecks, and followed up by lots of grinding on one another.
Titillation Rating: 8. Three huge female stars french kissing while singing “Like a Virgin” was what spawned the rest of the performances on this list.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. All three women have capitalized on this part of their careers again in separate performances.
What happened: A year after the MTV performance, the singer pulled a dancer in for a kiss mid-song.
Lesbian Quotient: 8. The dancer obviously approved of this kiss, and Madonna always comes up with these wacky “let’s make out” ideas. Pretty gay of her.
Titillation Rating: 7. They made a cute fake couple.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. Madonna can’t stop kissing women, though it appears that she never actually seriously dated any. (Sorry Sandra Bernhard.)
What happened: Two Russian singers pretended to be gay for one another on stage and off.
Lesbian Quotient: 9. These two may have been playing, but they were pulling out all the stops by lying on one another, singing to each other while holding hands and making out in fake rain.
Titillation Rating: 10. They were going for it, and they got the attention they wanted.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. This was the whole shtick, until they were revealed to be (gasp!) straight.
What happened: The bisexual singer invited the queer comedian on stage to mock Katy Perry’s fake Sapphic single. This involved a sex toy, kissing, bridal gowns and boob touching.
Lesbian Quotient: 10. Considering both the performers are out and they fake gay-married a fake Katy Perry on stage, it was pretty lesbian.
Titillation Rating: 6. It wasn’t supposed to be titillating, it was supposed to be a statement! But, you know, they can’t help it.
Repeat Offender Status: Definite. The women performed the act together a few different times during Amanda’s tour.
What happened: After singing a hit song about it for at least a year, the pop star committed and bent down to kiss a girl (fan) during a live show.
Lesbian Quotient: 1. It was a short peck.
Titillation Rating: 3. Perhaps some people enjoyed the payoff after listening to her perform the song for so long without her following through (even in the video).
Repeat Offender Status: Not likely. Although if a camera is around, she will give a quick kiss to friends like Rihanna.
What happened: The Aussie and the Scissor Sisters singer kissed each other during a duet.
Lesbian Quotient: 4. Kylie is pretty pro-gay and Ana identifies as bisexual.
Titillation Rating: 5. Kylie also danced dirty with frontman Jake Shears, so it wasn’t explicitly girl-girl at Glatsonbury.
Repeat Offender Status: Unlikely. The performances together were one-offs.
What happened: Fergie felt on her fellow performer’s chest during a performance of “London Bridge.”
Lesbian Quotient: 6. Fergie is bisexual and she isn’t afraid to show it.
Titillation Rating: 6. The song is pretty sexy, but the performance happened two weeks after she married hubby Josh Duhamel.
Repeat Offender Status: Possible. Fergie isn’t shy and she’s always been open about her bisexuality, including in videos like “I Gotta Feeling.”
What happened: The singer acted out the lyrics in her song, “I’m kissing all the girls” by freak dancing with a gaggle of females on stage.
Lesbian Quotient: 3. Christina has been back and forth on her bisexuality, but it’s pretty believable when she looks like she’s enjoying herself with the women.
Titillation Rating: 3. It’s still pretty tame by Xtina standards. Her video for the same song set the bar pretty high.
Repeat Offender Status: Remains to be seen. But it’s likely she’ll utilize similar choreography in future performances.
