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2011 Year in Review: Music

The year in music was dominated by women, with Adele, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry at the top of the best selling charts. Out of the four, Gaga is the only out bisexual musician, but her 2011 offering Born This Way was a symbol of the forward-thinking things that happened for the LGBT community over the past 12 months. Gaga solidified her presence as someone who speaks out for us (even if you don’t always want her to) and when her album’s title song was covered on television shows and other performances, we looked to see who would sing out, “No matter gay, straight or bi. Lesbian, transgendered life. I’m on the right track, baby. I was born to survive.”

Gaga’s performance as her drag alter-ego Jo Calderone queered up this year’s MTV Music Awards. She spoke about herself as Gaga’s lover and performed “You and I” while simultaneously blowing the minds of her peers in the audience and people watching at home. It was an exciting performance all around, and likely the first time a drag king was on the MTV Music Video stage for more than 10 minutes – and opening the show. The only other out women on the Billboard Top 100 this year include Fergie for her work with Black Eyed Peas and Ke$ha, who is arguably out as sexually fluid.

Out in the Public Eye

However, several other gay and bisexual-identifying performers were in the mainstream this year, including British songwriter-turned-pop star Jessie J, who came out as bisexual and released Who You Are to critical acclaim this year. After 2010 being a banner year for musicians coming out, Jessie J was one of the only new artists this year to be publicly out and proud – although she tweeted that she wanted people to know she’s never hidden her sexuality; it just became public knowledge as she became more well-known. Australian musician Sarah McLeod was outed by a newspaper Down Under but laughed off the situation, embracing her newfound status as an out singer. She told us, “For all of five minutes and then i didn’t care so much. I tried to look at the bright side – at least now I get more action.” Sarah released a single cover of Bruce Spingsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” while readying her next solo album.

Kreayshawn came forward with another viral hit this year in “Gucci Gucci.” The out performer from the Bay Area is decidedly without a label, but is open about her relationships with women. She made some bizarre statements to Complex magazine this year (which she later recanted): “… I’m not a raging lesbian, I can tell you that. I’m an occasional lesbian, but it’s more for me about a personal connection. I’m a creative person. I’m a busy person. I’m not seeking anything out be it color or gender or anything. I’m just out here in the free world doing the free thing.” Kreyshawn’s new album is being readied for release in 2012 on a major label. In the meantime, she’s been on magazine covers and the subject of curiosity by all kinds of new fans. She didn’t release a new album this year, but out songstress Sia appeared on The Voice as a guest coach/judge alongside her friend Christina Aguilera. She also toured throughout the year and is working on a new album with Kate Pierson of The B-52s. Sia wasn’t the only out singer on The Voice, though. The show, which was a huge hit for NBC, had two lesbian performers in the top 10. Vicci Martinez placed third at the show’s end, and told us she never once thought to put herself back in the closet for the show. “I’m not going to hide it,” she told us. “I’ve been very public about it and I’ve had people say, ‘Well, why don’t you just keep them guessing? You can hit all the markets.’ No. Especially if you’re with somebody; it’s so disrespectful. It was hard for me coming out to my parents and for me, I’ve already gone through that hurdle and I’m not going to go through it again.” Vicci’s competitor, Beverly McClellan, wowed with her renditions of Melissa Etheridge and Janis Joplin songs. In May, she talked with us about her partner’s presence on the show backstage. “She’s my every day. I would never deny her. I don’t live like that. She is my life. It was a no-brainer for me. I’m going to live who I am.” Beverly just released her new album, Fear Nothing.

Homophobia Hits Home

Uh Huh Her became the focus of attention in November, but not because of their new album as much as their Southwest Airlines debacle. Bandmates/girlfriends Leisha Hailey and Camila Grey took to Twitter to complain and then released a statement that they were kicked off a flight for kissing, which stirred up some controversy over the alleged homophobic actions of a flight attendant. Nonetheless, songs from their second LP, Nocturnes, accompanied them on the Keep A Breast tour around the U.S. throughout the fall. Spin published a piece on homophobia in indie rock in October, quoting out female artists Holly Miranda, Erin McKeown and JD Samson. The consensus was that even in a creative space, there is still room for homophobes to damage the experience of queer musicians and attendees. And while not all artists agree on whether or not being considered a “gay/queer/lesbian band” is a good thing, they seem to all want fans from all walks of kinds to enjoy them and respect them, as well as their peers.

Tegan and Sara put out a live CD/DVD set called Get Along, but also became newsworthy when Sara Quin posted a blog with her thoughts on Odd Future’s homophobic and misogynistic frontman Tyler the Creator. Tyler shot back via Twitter and maintained he doesn’t hate gay people, which is why he has a lesbian, Syd tha Kid, as one of his crew members. Syd toured with Odd Future and played several huge festivals over the summer and was also the only out lesbian to be on the cover of Spin this year. (She was pictured alongside her Odd Future co-horts.) In November, she released the first single, “Cocaine,” off her side project, The Internet, which came with a disturbing video in which she gives a girl drugs and then pushes her out of her car. Syd has stated it was supposed to be a warning that cocaine is bad, but the vibe of the video is something else altogether. Sara Quin also appeared on MC Theophilus London’s track “Why Even Try?” and appeared with him on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Elsewhere in hip-hop, LGBT record label Rainbow Noise created a popular viral video for their song “Imma Homo.” The gay-positive message was delivered via a sick beat and talented crew of out rappers, mostly female.

Rappers T.I. and Fat Joe both discussed their views on gay people this year. While both are supportive of the community and an individual’s being who they are, the former had some eyebrow-raising things to say to Vibe about how we can all learn to take a joke. He was referencing the Tracy Morgan controversy from earlier this year, when the comic made a joke about killing his son if he came out to him as gay. Tracy has since apologized and asked T.I. to stop talking about it.

Out in Indie Land

Carrie Brownstein’s new band Wild Flag became an instant indie hit with their self-titled debut album this fall. The bisexual frontwoman has also brought considerable new fans to her music after appearing on her hit IFC series Portlandia. The album has hit several best-of lists for the year. JD Samson’s band MEN released a significant dance-pop album this year, Work in Progress, which was full of queer and gender-based themes and lyrics. Their tour with fellow queer band CSS was consistently sold out across the U.S. CSS also had a dance-pop hit with their third album, La LiberaciĆ³n.

Vanity Theft (who released Get What You Came For this year), Sick of Sarah and Hunter Valentine took to the road together for The Lady Killer Tour. In the UK, Heather Peace and Jill Jackson teamed up for a tour. Heather played songs from her forthcoming album and Jill played from her 2011 album Back To Zero.

Austra became a band to watch in 2011 with out frontwoman Katie Stelmanis wowing with her esoteric style and operatic voice. Their album Feel it Break was nominated for the 2011 Polaris Prize. Katie told us of being part of a “gay band”: “I’d like to say being a ‘gay band’ means being gay and being in a band, but most of my band mates are gay and we’ve never really had that classification. I’m not sure if it’s based on the type of music we make or the community we come from, but I’ve always wondered why we seem to be exempt from the label. It probably has to do with the fact there are a lot of stereotypes of what a gay band – particularly lesbian-identified band – should sound like, and we don’t really fit in with those stereotypes, which is confusing.” Out singer Beth Ditto released her solo EP this year with four songs. Her single, “I Wrote the Book,” reached the Top 100 charts in Australia, the UK and Belgium. After a short tour of Australia with bandmates in The Gossip, we should hear some new music from them in the next year.

Blasts from the Past

Patty Schemel reminded us of her contribution to rock history with her documentary Hit So Hard: The Near Life and Death of Patty Schemel. The out drummer attended film festivals with the directors (who used her original footage) while on tour with Hole in the 1990s. Patty told us of coming out in Rolling Stone in 1995: “I didn’t care. I thought from where I was with my band and my peers – I felt safe with them. I had had experiences of sexist discrimination about being a female drummer growing up and also the fear of being an out lesbian but when I started to play music and I got into my band and came out, I didn’t really think twice about being out. It’s part of my identity and it’s something that I can’t hide.” Patty is also in the new band Green Eyes. Chely Wright, too, attended events for her documentary about coming out, Wish Me Away. The country singer was also recognized with the Community Award by New York’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Another familiar face from the 1990s returned to us in the form of a new band. Linda Perry has kept up with music as a songwriter, but her new group Deep Dark Robot released their debut album in 2011. She told us back in February the album was all about one girl: “Many gay women can relate to falling for the straight girl who shows all of this interest and wants to keep you around because, damn, us lesbians, we give good attention.” Linda also recently began a high-profile relationship with Sara Gilbert, which will hopefully bring some attention to her band. Samantha Ronson also released an album with a new band, The Undertakers, called Chasing the Reds. The DJ/musician can’t seem to stay out of the news, as she’s continued to be tabloid fodder ever since her relationship with her famous neighbor, Lindsay Lohan.

The Go-Gos, which includes out bisexual member Jane Wiedlin, received a star on the Walk of Fame, while bisexual musician Laura Nyro was voted into the Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Fame. She will be inducted in 2012.

Other Lesbian-Related Trends

In the always-part-of-pop-culture arena known as faux-lesbianism, actress/singer Jessica Lowndes put out a song and subsequent video for her song “I Wish I Was Gay.” In it, she dances around women, burlesque-style, all to tantalize her cheating boyfriend. Kelly Clarkson went on a press tour for her new album and couldn’t stop talking about how not a lesbian she is. She addressed persistent rumors by continuing to discuss her sexuality on camera and in interviews, saying she’s never even made out with a girl.

Rapper Bobby Brackins released a single called “Lesbian.” Too bad it’s offensive – it’s pretty catchy.

Rock group Train made a gay-themed music video for their song “Save Me, San Francisco.” It ends with a “surprise” lesbian wedding. Other lesbianish videos include Duran Duran’s video for “Girl Panic,” which featured supermodels gone wild, including some girl-on-girl making out and Pitbull’s video for “She Doesn’t Mind,” which followed women feeling each other up (and down) at the airport security terminal.

Lesbians and bisexual women were largely shut out of the 2011 Grammy nominations, with Lady Gaga looking to be the sole LGBT-identifying female nominee. She’s up for Album of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album.

Other significant new albums that reached a mass audience came from k.d. lang, Girl in a Coma, Meshell Ndegeocello, Vanessa Carlton, Jennifer O’Connor, Tender Forever Shunda K, Light Asylum, Hercules & Love Affair, Indigo Girls, The Shondes, Catie Curtis, Melissa Ferrick, Little Brutes, Making Friendz, Sarah Jaffe, Shunda K, Joan as Police Woman, Thao & Mirah, The Belle Brigade and The Sounds.

In 2012, we can look forward to new music from Brandi Carlile, Goldfrapp, Holly Miranda, Lissy Trullie, The Gossip, CREEP and The Blow. All of these out artists will have albums on our radar in the next year. We can only hope that homophobia in society will decrease, and that this will be reflected in the music industry as well.

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