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Frankie Simone's Queer Pop Will Empower the Love//Warrior In Us All
If you aren't listening to Frankie Simone yet, you definitely should be.
From mainstream artists like Troye Sivan and Hayley Kiyoko to independent artists like Lex Allen, 2018 20-GAY-teen has been a wonderful year for queer music artists so far. And joining their ranks is rising Portland-based Puerto Rican singer Frankie Simone (who recently released her debut EP Love//Warrior, just in time for Pride Month)! With passionate, empowering pop tracks and unabashedly queer music videos, Simone is poised to conquer pop music.
With her lead single "War Paint," Simone boldly takes the negative words a queer person might hear and transforms them into something more. In an interview with Billboard, she describes how one particular phrase, "lesbian bullshit," was inspired by the personal experience of having family members complain about Simone and her wife, dancer Che Che Luna.
While "War Paint" is good on its own, the music video takes the song to new heights. Simone dances with Luna in fierce choreography that exudes sensuality and personality, enhanced by colorful lights and changing outfits. Nude outfits are particularly notable, as they seem to represent Simone and Luna's openness about their relationship and their individual queerness.
In addition to the music video for "War Paint," Simone also made a music video for the flirty lesbian love track "Blow My Mind." The visuals feature Luna and Simone being really sweet and loving, with Simone singing to and dancing with Luna in a snowy mountain area and in a city street. The video has their chemistry and sexual tension build, culminating in the two of them sharing a kiss.
Together, the songs "War Paint" and "Blow My Mind" represent the core theme of Love//Warrior. In four upbeat pop tracks and one ballad, Simone is a proud, queer beacon of inspiration. The EP is especially notable once you've listened to Simone's beautiful cover of Demi Lovato's "You Don't Do It For Me Anymore."
"This song feels like the shedding of my old self; the release of the fear, self-doubt and worry I was carrying for far too long," Simone writes in the video's linear notes. "This is an unleashing, redefining and reclamation of my most authentic self."
Through songs that express the love for her queerness and her wife, Frankie Simone aims to use her personal experiences to encourage others. Love//Warrior is the result of a catharsis that led Simone to embrace who she really was, and although it is just a brief taste of her burgeoning artistry, the EP shows that she's a strong force to be reckoned with.
Stream the Love//Warrior EP below or purchase here! And for more Frankie Simone's music, subscribe to her YouTube channel!
Latonya Pennington is a non-binary queer freelance writer. Their writing can be found in places like Wear Your Voice magazine, EFNIKS, and Black Girl Dangerous.
Latonya Pennington is a non-binary queer freelance writer. Their writing can be found in places like Wear Your Voice magazine, EFNIKS, and Black Girl Dangerous.
