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Soundtrack of Pride: Max of SHAED Vibes to Big Freedia, KAYTRANADA
"I wanted to celebrate that with a playlist of bangers created by Black trans and gender-fluid artists."
We all have those songs that are forever ingrained in our coming-of-age stories. Songs that gave us hope, played during our first kiss, made us feel fierce, or simply helped us understand ourselves a little bit better. This can be particularly true for LGBTQ+ artists.
Throughout the month of June, and only on PRIDE, LGBTQ+ artists are curating and sharing playlists that reflect their formative years—their Soundtracks of Pride.
SHAED (pronounced "shade") smashed into Top 40 radio last year with their hit song "Trampoline." Max, who is 1/3 of the band and openly gay, shared a few songs he loves with PRIDE on a playlist full of bops.
SHAED is an indie-pop band vocally lead by Chelsea Lee. Brothers Max and Spencer Ernst play several instruments. Chelsea and Spencer are also married.
Max's playlist features bangers from KAYTRANADA, Big Freedia, Mykki Blanco, and more.
"The soundtrack of my early teen years of gay discovery was pretty one dimensional," he tells PRIDE. "I was obsessed with Chris Martin and obsessively listened to Coldplay’s second album Rush of Blood to the Head. Whenever I was feeling particularly isolated or down I would immerse myself in those songs and they helped me accept and embrace my sexuality. I’ve been out now for 10 years and looking back on the last decade as a cisgender white gay male there have only been a handful of times where I’ve ever felt unsafe."
Previous Soundtracks of Pride: The Aces, pineappleCITI, Siena Liggins, J.Scott, ABISHA, CHAV, Alex the Astronaut, Lauren Phillips, Ruth Koleva, ALMA, Wafia, alextbh, Jamie Hannah, Ryan Cassata, Julia Jade
"Unfortunately, this luxury isn’t often shared by other members of the LBGTQ+ community, particularly people who are Black and trans," Max continues. "Transgender people of color are six times more likely to experience physical violence from the police compared to white cisgender people. At least 14 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been fatally shot or killed by other forms of violence so far in 2020 and the Trump administration is in the process of erasing Obama-era protections for transgender Americans against discrimination in healthcare."
Coldplay isn't featured on Max's playlist at all, which he says is purposeful. "Despite being faced with so much adversity, the Black trans community is vibrant and thriving. I wanted to celebrate that with a playlist of bangers created by Black trans and gender-fluid artists."
Listen to Max's Soundtrack of Pride below!
And for the rest of the Soundtracks of Pride series, click here!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!
