Pride
‘RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race’ Is Bringing a Series of Lip-Sync Smack Downs to Your Screen
In the immortal words of Alyssa Edwards, it’s “back back back back back again!” On Monday (July 18), VH1 announced the return of the second season of RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race. Premiering on VH1 Friday, August 12 at 8 p.m. ET, the new season is also switching up the format of the original concept — gone are the work room antics, makeovers and classic Drag Race challenges of the original season, now replaced with a set of lip sync showdowns. In a shake-up to the format that feels equal parts The Masked Singer and Lip Sync Battle, nine unidentified celebrity contestants will enter the competition with completed, fully-formed drag makeovers disguising their identities. They will compete in a series of lip syncs in front of a live audience based on different “cate...
Years & Years’ Olly Alexander Wishes Himself a Happy Birthday With a Lil Nas X Cover: Listen
It may be Olly Alexander’s birthday, but the Years & Years frontman decided to switch things up and give his fans a gift. On Friday (July 15), Years & Years unveiled their brand new cover of Lil Nas X‘s smash-hit single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name).” Taking the Latin-tinged pop stylings of the original and stripping them down to a quieter pop track featuring a simple acoustic guitar and piano melody throughout, Alexander lets his effortless vocals do the heavy lifting while the original lyrics keep the hedonistic vibe fully intact. “a while back i made a lil cover of ‘Montero’ by king @LilNasX and it’s now available across all streaming platforms,” Alexander wrote in a post on the Years & Years Twitter account, alongside two emojis of a smiling purple devil and some water dr...
Chelsea Cutler Has Her Eyes Wide Open
On March 22 in Pittsburgh, nine shows into the first leg of her When I Close My Eyes North American tour, Chelsea Cutler hit a wall. The Connecticut-born, New York-based artist had missed performing so much throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — deprived of the natural dopamine hit. But renewed adrenaline couldn’t compensate for a headache and strained vocal chords. Cutler finished her set at Stage AE and decided not to do her usual three-song encore. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “And I remember just feeling so guilty for making that decision, because I felt so selfish,” Cutler says. “From that point of the tour onwards, I was like, ‘I can’t let people down like that. These shows aren’t about me.’ That flipped the switch in me, and I was...
Fewocious Brings a Collaborative, All-Ages Paint Party to NFT.NYC
Almost one year to the day that he inadvertently crashed the Christie’s website during an auction of his NFTs, digital artist Fewocious took over a New York City warehouse as part of the fourth annual NFT.NYC week. The 19-year-old artist, real name Victor Langlois, introduced fans and industry players to an interactive, immersive space showcasing his fanciful, brightly colored vision of the world. But instead of doing a talk, panel or showcase, Fewocious opted to throw a FewoWorld Paint Party in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood on Tuesday (June 21), encouraging everyone who walked through the doors to pick up a paint brush and/or spray can and start creating (jumpsuits and foot nets were provided to shield your clothes). True to the digital artist’s outside-the-box approach, the canvas a...
The Best Pride Merch Available on Amazon
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Pride Month ends next week, but love is love all year long! For those attending New York City Pride on Friday (June 24) and other Pride celebrations, we collected a list of rainbow T-shirts, fans, flags, shoes, face masks and other merch that you can buy on Amazon in honor of Pride Month. (By the way: Amazon Prime members get free shipping on millions of items. Click here to start your free 30-day trail to Amazon Prime.) Looking for a queer-owned beverage to support? Check out Say Gay Rosé. The Asian-owned and queer-owned wine brand features a sugar-free, dr...
The Next Generation of Latin LGBTQ Stars: 10 Artists Blazing New Trails
The future of Latin music is queer. More than a decade since Ricky Martin kicked down the closet door, many artists in Latin music have openly expressed their queer identities in their songs while concurrently owning the charts. Among the biggest Latin acts in the world right now are Anitta, Kali Uchis, María Becerra and Tokischa, who proudly represent for the LGBTQ+ community. About the connection she shares with her LGBTQ+ fans, Anitta tells Billboard, “I think they are so lovely and supportive and at the same time, it’s like a big family. We’re all supporting each other. I feel like it’s all about freedom. It’s all about having the freedom to be yourself, to do what you want, to embrace who you are, and not be afraid or scared or embarrassed of anything because that’s just us.” Being op...
2022 Tony Awards: Ariana DeBose Celebrates Broadway Inclusion and Diversity in Opening Monologue
Oscar winner Ariana DeBose kicked off the 75th Tony Awards with a rousing mashup performance of songs from classic Tony-winning musicals such as Cabaret, Company, The Phantom of the Opera and Hair, while wearing a sequined outfit inspired by Michael Jackson, the subject of the 10-time-nominated musical MJ. “Let’s just say, for many of you it’s been a roller coaster,” DeBose said of the past two years in her opening monologue, noting that she was presiding over the first large scale, in-person Tony Awards ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic began. “I am so proud that the theater is becoming more reflective of the community who adores it, and in doing so, has gained new performers, new creatives, new fans. It has shown us stories that h...
Kaleena Zanders’ Healing Single “We’ll Stand Together” Touches On the Strengths of Community
With the 24-hour news cycle and an endless stream of troubling content on social media, it’s easy to feel down about the state of the world. But with Pride Month in full swing, a much-needed influx of celebration, love and kindness is washing over. One such instance comes from Class of 2022 star Kaleena Zanders’ new single “We’ll Stand Together.” With a discography full of profound songs that examine peace and harmony for humanity, Zanders’ latest track touches on the strengths of community. “Wanted to release some love & light into the world because honestly I’m at a loss for solutions,” Zanders explained in an Instagram post. “Uplifting songs have always been the way for me to navigate this life and I hope you feel a sense of comfort listening to th...
Cardi B Sprays Whipshots Into Fans’ Mouths, Rocks a Rainbow Bodysuit at West Hollywood Pride
Cardi B surprised fans at the West Hollywood Gay Pride Parade on Sunday (June 5) and, as expected, she brought the party by giving attendees shots of Whipshots, her vodka-infused whipped cream collaboration with Starco Brands. Rocking a sparkling rainbow bodysuit and a blonde wig with red and purple streaks, the “I Like It” rapper was seen dancing on a float as she sprayed her alcohol-infused snack into the mouths of onlookers. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “When I woke up today, ‘letting Cardi B put it in my mouth’ wasn’t on my to-do list, but you always gotta be prepared for the opportunities that come your way,” one fan hilariously wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of their interaction with Cardi. When I woke up today, “letting Ca...
The 25 Best Pride Songs of 2022 (So Far): Staff Picks
2022 has already proven to be a year in which popular, newly-released singles are fewer and further between, especially when it comes to the Billboard Hot 100. But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been plenty of incredible new songs to jam out to this year. That goes double for LGBTQ artists — even just halfway through the year, dozens of queer and trans stars have already released career-defining songs, with some even upending their entire public personas in favor of releasing something that is honest about their sexualities. Exceptionalism in queer art has also spanned genres; pop, R&B, rock, folk, and even some country has seen major singles by queer artists hit the market in 2022. So, to celebrate the work these artists put into their songs this year, check out Billboard’s...
Brandi Carlile Is a Queer Icon — And She’s Making the Music Business Better, Too
Brandi Carlile is happy to expound upon bad wine. Bad wine gives her a hangover. The pretension of wine culture leaves a bad taste in her mouth. “Without sounding like I’m judging wine as a concept, it’s annoyingly bougie and culturally hetero,” she says with a laugh. “It’s like golf.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news So when it came to developing her own boutique wine label, XOBC, she knew what she did want. It would be a wine for folks who are “a little left of center.” Something a bit rugged — maybe for a camping trip, to be sipped out of a Solo cup — “but it’s not going to give you a f–king headache.” And like everything Carlile does, it wouldn’t just be good — it would do good, too. Because Carlile and her wife, Catherine Shepherd, ...
Eurovision Star Netta Talks ‘I Love My Nails,’ Rosalia’s Nail Game and More
In the United States — located outside the official Eurovision competition zone — some people first got to know the Israeli singer-songwriter Netta only from watching the Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams spoof movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. In the 2020 film, Netta — who won the famed international song contest in 2018 with her song “Toy” — cameos in a party scene at a castle with a host of other actual Eurovision winners. She steals the moment, emerging from a car singing the Black Eyed Peas song “I Gotta Feeling,” an immediately captivating fusion of flirtiness and swagger. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Known for her humorous lyrics, quirk-pop persona and over-the-top fashion, Netta, 29, has started 2022...
