PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA DRAGANI
F
rom blues pioneers to riot grrrl bands to pop superstars,
queer artists have been shaping the most popular music
for generations. In this issue you’ll read about some of
these early mavericks who made room for others like
them, as well as current acts expanding the public’s perception
of what queer artists look and sound like. As Hayley Kiyoko
told Tegan Quin in our roundtable discussion, “I would listen to
Tegan & Sara in my car on a road trip and be like, ‘If they can do it,
I can do it.’ If you can inspire hope and give light when people are
in that darkness, they will help you make this world a better place.”
Billboard’s second Pride Issue is a celebration of these leaders
and the power of their visibility. We continued the celebration
and conversation on Aug. 8 at our inaugural Pride Summit in
West Hollywood, hosted by Billboard and our sister publication,
The Hollywood Reporter.
We believe that spotlighting these artists and executives staying
true to themselves is especially vital given the huge challenges that
the LGBTQ community still faces. Thirty-nine percent of LGBTQ
youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12
months, with over half of transgender and nonbinary youth having
seriously considered a suicide attempt, according to a national
survey of LGBTQ youth mental health conducted by The Trevor
Project, a suicide prevention and crisis intervention group. Civil
rights organization Human Rights Campaign recorded the deaths
of 26 transgender people in the United States due to fatal violence
in 2018 and 12 so far this year.
Even within the music business, our reporting suggests that
homophobia still exists: Some artists and executives told Billboard
that they were afraid to discuss their experiences for fear of
burning bridges or jeopardizing their careers.
We invite you to join us in our mission to build visibility for this
hugely influential community that’s turning the world into a more
inclusive place while continuing to push music to new frontiers.
A Letter From The Editors
Hannah Karp
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Alexis Fish
VICE PRESIDENT, PRIDE
Nolan Feeney
SENIOR EDITOR
From left: Billboard’s Nolan Feeney with
Big Freedia, Quin, ILoveMakonnen, Kiyoko and
Adam Lambert during a roundtable discussion
a t V i s t a S t u d i o s i n L o s A n g e l e s o n J u l y 1 8.
12 BILLBOARD | AUGUST 10 , 2 019