pop

Taking the High Road: Kesha’s Music Creates a Path of Healing for Survivors

Wearing an all black outfit and with dark hair and bangs, Kesha sings on stage.
by Olivia Zayas Ryan
March 23, 2020 at 1:47pm
You do not have to be defined by something that was done to you.
King Princess, a white woman wearing clownish makeup, looks at the camera on the cover of her album

Just a Fan: With “Cheap Queen,” King Princess Finds Her Power

by Ellie Sharp
December 13, 2019 at 5:22pm
A satisfying album that centers on the complexities and changeability of identity, let alone queer identity, is a tough task. Read more »
Harry Styles performs onstage at SNL wearing a sparkly black jumpsuit and a long necklace.

What the Conversation about Harry Styles Reveals about Queerbaiting

by Elly Belle
November 26, 2019 at 1:43pm
What do fans of potentially straight, queer icons like Harry Styles actually want?  Read more »
Miley Cyrus, a thin white woman, wears a black blouse and black cowboy hat.

Miley Cyrus Might Be Pansexual, but That Doesn’t Mean She Cares about Queer People

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
October 22, 2019 at 2:09pm
It’s clear that Miley Cyrus’s intention of protecting the LGBTQ community only goes as far as it protects her personally.  Read more »
Normani, a young Black woman, sings on stage in a blue sparkly outfit.

What Critiques of Normani Reveal about Racist Expectations of Black Women Artists

by Brooklyn White
September 11, 2019 at 4:02pm
Music critics and listeners alike give Black pop stars hell—especially when they’re women. Read more »
Taylor Swift, a white woman with shoulder-length blond hair, is posed in front of a pink background

Cruel Bummer: “Lover” Is an Odd Litmus Test for Taylor Swift’s Politics

by Melissa A. Fabello PhD
August 27, 2019 at 2:32pm
Taylor Swift is turning 30 in December, so it’s no surprise that she’s released an album that feels more authentic and honest than her previous two. Read more »
Ruby and Queenie, a queer singing group, pose in front of a red background

A New Wave of High-Femme Pop Stars Are Queering the Girl Group

by Sofia Barrett-Ibarria
August 21, 2019 at 2:55pm
Sateen is moving the girl group away from hints and subtext toward an aesthetic and musical style that’s unmistakably queer, trans-positive, and staunchly pro-girl. Read more »
Miley Cyrus, a white woman wearing a white tank top with tattoos, is on stage singing into a microphone.

Knee-Jerk Biphobia: What Responses to Miley Cyrus’s Breakup Say about Queer Erasure

by Elly Belle
August 19, 2019 at 8:59am
Miley Cyrus isn’t “back” just because she’s dating a woman. She’s always been queer. Read more »
A photo of artist Sizzy Rocket, a white woman with dark hair and many tattoos. Sizzy sits on a bed and is pouting.

Take It or Leave It: Sizzy Rocket on Creating Pop Music Just for Queer Women

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
July 26, 2019 at 4:34pm
“Younger queer artists definitely inspire me every day to just be truer to myself. Because I didn’t have that example.” Read more »
Janet Jackson "Control"

Gimme a Beat!: Janet Jackson’s Induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Is Finally Here

by Christine Capetola
March 26, 2019 at 9:26am
As Janet sings on “Rhythm Nation”: “No struggle, no progress.” Read more »

“...Baby One More Time” and the Pop Princesses Who Started a Moral Panic

by Victoria Sands
January 14, 2019 at 9:47am
The sexuality of Britney Spears and the other pop princesses of her era was consumed en masse and then deemed inauthentic and dangerous by media, critics, and “concerned parent” groups. Read more »

Pages