Uninvited – Scottish Band, They/She
Did you have any musical LGBTQ inspirations growing up and do you have any now?
Honestly, with us being in our mid 20s and growing up in the late 90s/early 2000s, there wasn’t a lot of queer women in the music industry that we were aware of/able to take inspiration from. This is why what we are doing is so important and it’s more than just music. We want to be able to show queer kids that you can pursue music and there is a platform out there for us.
What is your biggesr achievement as a band?
I think our biggest achievement to date is definitely winning the BBC Radio One live lounge competition in 2022. That completely changed our career, from being a small band who’d never played a headline gig before, to selling out shows across the UK was mad. We are really thankful to have been given that opportunity.
How does being queer influence your music?
Being queer influences our music in a sense where we are able to voice a queer POV. Being able to write about queer love and loss is so important to us, being the band we wish we had growing up. It’s so rewarding for us when our listeners get in touch saying they feel seen and heard and relate to our music
Do you think there needs to be a change in the way LGBTQ artists are treated in the music industry?
I think there does need to be a change, we see way more straight cis men headlining shows/festivals more than any queer person in the music industry and I think it’s important to push lgbtq+ performers in the fore front as I think it would do the world to young queer people that may be going through a difficult time and use music to express themselves. Especially when it’s queer artists that they can relate to much more than anything!
Photography by Diana Dumi
Follow Uninvited on Instagram & stream their music HERE!
Zara Smile – Solo Musician, They/She
Growing up, I watched a ton of YouTube, people like dodie and Connor Franta really helped me understand my identity and I really looked up to them! Now I think my inspiration comes from a wide range of people, from Riot Grrrl and queer punk bands, queer folk musicians like Adrianne Lenker and Laura Marling and of course Chappell Roan because she is an inspiration to all!
Being queer shapes everything I do! But specifically, in regards to music, I write a lot about my experiences. Growing up queer (and mixed race) I always felt a little out of place, and I wrote my song Spotlight about that feeling not quite right and not knowing exactly why and wanting to fit in so badly when I was a child, but finding comfort in the difference now.
How do you think the music industry can work towards greater acceptance and inclusion in the music industry for trans and non-binary individuals?
I think giving trans and non-binary individuals the platforms to talk about their experiences is the most important thing you can do, holding specific queer events as a safe space also.
Photography by Florintine
Follow Zara Smile on Instagram & stream their music HERE!
Run Remedy – Solo Musician, She/Her
Growing up, Ani DeFranco was a big inspiration for me – She came out as bisexual when i was just a kid and wrote love songs about men and women. Her song “In Or Out” was a real moment for me. Stephin Merritt from The Magnetic Fields too – a pal loaned me a triple layer cassette of 69 love songs and when I realized it wasn’t just hetero love, I totally lost it. That ironic playfulness in his lyrics is a huge inspiration for me too…I didn’t have to be one thing as a songwriter either. I could be sad, goofy, tongue-in-cheek, all at once. Chan Marshall of Cat Power was an inspiration for me too, but more because she was the daughter of Jehovah’sWitnesses and went through a similar kind of crazy American Christian storyline to me. She was my OG sadcore queen, and I actually got to meet her a couple years ago at a random bar in Miami. I just said hi and talked to her about airports or something dumb though.
Do you think there needs to be a change in the way LGBTQ artists are treated in the music industry?
My biggest qualm is how reductive it can feel. I don’t want to be a worthwhile musical investment because of my queerness. Pride is an important time to celebrate and listen and share in each others’ stories, but I’m not interested in being a ‘diversity hire’ as a woman or a queer person. It’s a fine line to walk between representation, celebration, and virtue signalling, and I think we’re all trying to figure it out.
How do you celebrate pride, and what does it mean to you?
I’m all about the home cooked dinner party with pals. I love cooking and after years of using the Beijing subway system, I’m good at being a sardine in a crowd. I try to pinch my pennies and donate to the Proud Trust or Centre Point for youth homelessness too. I knew my fair share of kids growing up that got outed and kicked out in the states, so it’s a cause close to my heart. Oh…and I watch ‘But I’m a Cheerleader.’
What’s currently in the pipeline for 2024?
I’m building up to release my album this year. It’s called ‘Christian Skate Night’ and each song is part of a timeline from age 13, when I realized I was into girls, to when I was 17 and had planned my escape from my community. It’s a really personal album I’ve worked on over the last 2 years and to be honest, I’m scared to let it out into the world, but it’s time.
Follow Run Remedy on Instagram & stream her music HERE!
Ryan Cassata – Solo Musician, He/Him
Being queer influences everything about me and how I move through the world, so it definitely influences my music. I’m out and proud and very comfortable with who I am as a queer and trans person. That goes into my lyrics and expression. I feel free to be me in my queerness and express that to the world. I think especially with my new EP This Machine Kills Transphobia, that sense of freedom in queer expression is coming through.
During pride, I celebrate my authenticity, my love, my relationships and friendships, the community I haven’t met yet, and the community that I am proud to be a part of. I am excited to be performing at some pride events this year too and play my new EP, This Machine Kills Transphobia out.
What are some of the challenges you have faced so far as a young queer artist?
Aside from the bullying, harassment, and violence I have faced as a trans person, I have had a steeper mountain to climb because I am a trans artist. I have had managers and producers say they love my music but don’t want to work with a trans artist yet. It’s hard to get into the mainstream music industry as a queer artist, but perhaps the underground scene is more fun.
How do you think the music industry can work towards greater acceptance and inclusion in the music industry for trans and non-binary individuals?
Space must be made for trans artists. I see a lack of representation for trans masculine artists. We feel that lack of visibility. It is especially apparent in pop music. There are many (but still not enough) mainstream non binary artists, trans women artists, and LGB artists. Trans masc individuals are often missing from the lineups and missing from the conversation as a whole. It’s important that we get to be part of those opportunities just as much.
Follow Ryan Cassata on Instagram & stream his music HERE!
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