10 Queer Musicians That Owned The First Half of 2023

Queer music is alive and well in 2023!

Despite the constant attacks on the LGBTQ+ community coming from conservative politicians and pundits, queer musicians have been thriving more than ever and are conquering pop culture like never before.

From making history at the Grammy Awards to topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts to launching new supergroups to pushing the envelope when it comes to new music and world tours, we have an entire generation of queer artists breaking new ground in the music industry. Thankfully, in the face of bigotry, these artists are proving that they’re going to keep fighting and taking up space in pop culture – no matter what is thrown our way!

Scroll through to check out the LGBTQ+ musicians that dominated the music industry in the first half of 2023.

Kim Petras

Kim Petras had a landmark 2022 with her featured performance in Sam Smith’s “Unholy,” which landed her first-ever no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also her first Grammy Award. In 2023, Petras is keeping the momentum going with her debut album Feed the Beast featuring hit singles like “Coconuts” and “Alone” with Nicki Minaj.

Sam Smith

Much like Petras is breaking ground for trans artists, Sam Smith is having a huge moment and serving as great representation for nonbinary people. In 2023, Smith released their fourth studio album, Gloria, with a tracklist that includes “Unholy,” “I’m Not Here to Make Friends,” and “Gimme.”

Boygenius

Boygenius is a queer supergroup consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker, and Lucy Dacus. The band’s debut album, The Record, was released in 2023 and instantly became a huge hit. While they’re three incredible standalone acts, Boygenius proves how strong Bridgers, Baker, and Dacus are together as a group.

Pabllo Vittar

Drag superstar Pabllo Vittar released her fifth studio album, Noitada, in 2023. This new project’s sound and aesthetic is much more club-inspired than Vittar’s previous work, with bangers like “Descontrolada,” “A Meia Noite,” and “Cadeado” in the tracklist. Though Vittar is still focused on releasing Portuguese-speaking songs, this queen is once again touring Europe and North America this year.

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe always delivers, and it wasn’t any different with their new 2023 album The Age of Pleasure. With lead singles like “Float” and “Lipstick Lover,” Monáe is yet again dominating pop culture with music that is interesting, queer-specific (but also universal), and boundary-pushing.

Christine and the Queens

Christine and the Queens, also known as just Chris, has been on a gender journey in the past few years. In 2023, Chris released a new album titled Paranoia, Angels, True Love, which included two songs featuring none other than Madonna. This album is divided into three parts that go according to the title of the project: disc one (Paranoia), disc two (Angels), and disc three (True Love).

Thiago Pantaleão

The talented and seductive Thiago Pantaleão has certainly leveled up his career in the past two years, with a 2023 that has garnered him international recognition. While still promoting the album Fim do Mundo, Pantaleão dropped the music video for the “Mente Pra Mim” single in 2023, which made waves on social media.

Kali Uchis

Kali Uchis followed up her breakout song “Telepatía” with a new album in 2023 titled Red Moon in Venus. This has been another big moment for Uchis, with songs like “Moonlight,” “I Wish You Roses,” and “Fantasy” becoming new classics for the artist.

Miley Cyrus

The eighth studio album by Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation, has been one of the hottest albums of 2023 following the release of the bombastic “Flowers” lead single. Other standout songs from the project are “River” and “Jaded,” which have been released as subsequent singles. Overall, Cyrus has truly been at the top of her game all year long.

Shea Couleé

It was a long time coming for Shea Couleé to release her highly-anticipated debut album, 8 – and that finally happened in 2023. The project includes fan-favorite songs like “Collide,” “Your Name,” and “Let Go,” as well as new bops such as “Material” and “New Phone Who Dis?” Gotta stan Ms. Couleé!