Diiamon’d Royalty is widely known in the LGBTQ+ community for being a viral YouTube sensation based on the unforgettable truth to her lyrics and raw talent. She was recently in the top 25 of Coast 2 Coast’s 2017 artist showcase world championship in Miami Beach and was picked up by Eden Entertainment Group in early 2018. After her freestyle video shortly broke the internet, she got signed to South Coast Records and has been continuing to make music. Not only is she a great artist, but she’s a dynamite entertainer.

Who is your greatest professional influence?
My CEO for guiding me under his wing and making sure I don’t become fish bait in the music industry.

I think the key to being happy is:
Loving yourself

Song I can’t get enough of:
“Boo’d up” by Ella Mai

Early bird or night olwl:
Definitely night owl.

If you can have one super power what would it be and why?
Shape shifting, so I can help the world accomplish things the people won’t do on their own.

Follow Diiamon’d Royalty on Instagram and Facebook.

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Maggie Szabo is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has been winning over audiences worldwide with her stunningly soulful vocals and empowering pop anthems. Hailing from small town Ontario, Szabo is now an accomplished musician living in Los Angeles and is using her music to conquer social injustice.

After quickly becoming one of the most sought after songwriter/vocalists for DJs and notable film and TV placements, Szabo’s latest work has focused primarily on her solo project and was written in some of the most beautiful and exotic places on earth, including Greece, Amsterdam, London and Thailand.

‘Don’t Give Up’ is the first single off of Szabo’s upcoming EP, entitled Worthy. It’s a beautifully authentic and heartfelt song dedicated to transgender youth around the world who live in fear and suffer from rejection and exclusion. ‘Don’t Give Up’ showcases an emotional rawness rarely found in music today, whilst addressing a subject which is imperative within today’s society. With soaring layered vocals, Szabo sings an uplifting and encouraging message of hope and acceptance. The single features a driving rhythm section and gospel inspired backing vocals, creating the perfect empowering anthem for those in need. ‘Don’t Give Up’ was written and recorded in Los Angeles along with Stefan Lit (One Direction) and Chaz Mason.

The powerful and poignant narrative of ‘Don’t Give Up’ is reflected in a exquisitely cinematic video, that follows a girl who is struggling with her gender identity and the pressures of conformity in high school. Szabo’s ultimate messages to fight for social justice and equality, “people are people, love is love. Society needs to stand up” professes Szabo. “I can’t stand by and watch millions of transgender youth live in fear for their safety, outcast from their homes and marginalized by society simply because they are struggling to understand their gender identity. I want to stand with them.”

Szabo’s successes to date include over 13 million views on YouTube, extensive media coverage from high profile outlets such as Perez Hilton, Yahoo Music!, PopCrush and Huffington Post, as well as being featured on multiple airline playlists and numerous notable film and TV placements. She recently was the featured vocalist on the album for German electronic DJ Schiller, who has so far sold 7 million albums worldwide.

With a quickly growing fan-base and a social media following that tops some of the nation’s most established pop artists, Szabo has effectively used the internet to showcase and market her songs to the world and her dedicated fans. ‘Don’t Give Up’ is available now.

The post Maggie Szabo’s new video deals with gender identity first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Satellite Citi are an alt-rock two piece band hailing from Los Angeles, California. Anna Gevorkian (vocals/drums) and Shaunt Sulahian (guitars/backing vocals) are successful in pushing forth elements of multiple genres to create a truly unique and dynamic realm of sound. Combining Gevorkian’s melodic vocals and funk rock drumming style with Sulahian’s dynamic guitars and background in heavy metal, Satellite Citi resurrect the rock genre with a fresh and modern delivery.

Formed in 2015, the name Satellite Citi derived from the notion of a city where people communicate thoughts through their satellite minds. After working on previous solo projects, the duo realized their future of collaborating together. They teamed up with famed rock producer, Brad Wood (Placebo, Smashing Pumpkins) in creating their upcoming debut EP, Negative Space. It is inspired by topics which motivate them lyrically, from societal issues and corruption of politics, to battling internal demons and struggling to find solace. Gevorkian reveals, “the underlying theme in our music would be overcoming negative energy, hence the EP title, Negative Space. We want our music to encourage people to stand up when they’ve fallen”. Despite Negative Space being a raw, rock and roll EP filled with relentless energy and growling guitars, it thematically features sensitive and introspective subject matters.

Leading single ‘Undead’ showcases the band’s use of composing music to bring people together and help those in a time of need. The inspiring music video for this single, directed by Powell Robinson and Patrick Young, follows a despondent LGBTQ youth after they’ve been kicked out of their home and constantly harassed by their peers. The video takes an unexpected turn and shows Satellite Citi joining forces with the youth and defeating every metaphor in their path, united as a team. With memorable melodies and a contagious chorus, ‘Undead’ hits listeners with a punch of energy and exudes just the right amount of edge. It’s a relentless song, shimmering with intensity.

Negative Space is due for release worldwide January 2018.

The post An empowering new music video for LGBTQ+ youth first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Girlfriends Charmaine Brooks and Carlie Pearce didn’t know that the love song they recorded together would go viral. Brooks wrote the song 20 years ago, and, when she met Pearce, decided she had finally found someone to record it with. We chatted with Brooks about the song, what it’s like to work with your partner and the music that inspires her.

The post Lesbian couple’s music video goes viral first appeared on Lesbian.com.

London based singer-songwriter Sofia B is set to be the next big thing. The 24 year old is hitting the music scene hard with her soulful lyrics and catchy melodies. She’s also a queer heartthrob, known for her music as well as her friendships with androgynous model ‘It’ girls like Harmony Boucher and Lillie Rage. But don’t let her good looks and bravado fool you, there’s more to Sofia B than that. Sofia has bravely come out about her battle with chronic illness – her passion to bring awareness to Crohn’s disease is palpable and infectious. I sat down with Sofia B to talk about heartbreak, family, models, date nights, embarrassing moments and more.

What was your creative process for your latest EP, “In the City”? 

It all started when I was living and working in NYC and had gone through a pretty horrendous breakup. For me it always starts with a lyric, story or emotion and then I start improvising over chords until I find something that sticks. Some of the songs I wrote to and from work, mostly writing lyrics on my phone and then recording videos of myself, so I wouldn’t forget what I came up with!

Who was the inspiration for your first single from the EP, “Ice Cold Love”

My last girlfriend was the inspiration for “Ice Cold Love.” She is actually a native New Yorker and I moved to NYC after graduating from Berklee College of Music, partially to be with her but also to pursue my career. We broke up only a few months after I had moved and then I had to face the brutal NYC winter all on my own, which is where the song came from!

Tell me more about your second single from the EP, “Soldiers.” What inspired it?

My best friend and fellow Crohn’s buddy, Avery Nejam aka The Candid Observer, was checking in on me one day at work while I was still in NYC. I told her hard I was finding it to cope with the severe cold and my Crohn’s, so she flat out convinced me to book a flight to New Orleans and just take a mental health trip together. It genuinely was one of the most incredible trips of my life, we went everywhere, tried everything, met some amazing Thai girls who were working at the beignet place, ‘Cafe Du Monde,” and they ended up following us everywhere and becoming life-long friends! Anyways, only me and Avery knew how sick we were or how hard it is for us to fight this disease, which is where the idea of being soldiers comes from, as well as the fact that we both happen to be half Lebanese!

Very few musicians and entertainers are open about chronic illness. Why did you decide to ‘come out’ about your Crohn’s disease? How do you think your journey can help others? 

If I’m really honest with myself, I think it’s because of Avery. I could try and explain the extent of her struggles but honestly to this day I still find it hard to comprehend the severity of her situation. We were diagnosed around the same time in Boston, where we met. The only difference was that she had been dairy, gluten and just about everything intolerant and had never smoked or drank. Me on the other hand, I’d been smoking cigarettes for a while, drinking casually and McDonald’s and I were certainly no strangers!

Yet, this made no difference, she ended up losing her colon and I ended up with three blood clots in my spleen (which they saved) and eventually remission for my Crohn’s. Avery is an inspiration, she fights religiously for her life yet she still makes time to check in on me. I hope that my journey and my songs will allow other Crohn’s sufferers to feel like I’m here for them and have made time for them.

How does your Lebanese and Venezuelan background influence your music?

My Father is Lebanese, and he is where I like to think I get my musical skills from, because he is the best guitarist I know. He is actually playing on “Ice Cold Love,” which was recorded in Beirut where he lives. I decided to bring the record to him, because I didn’t want to lose out on the opportunity of recording with my Dad. My Mother, who is Venezuelan, is a jeweler and isn’t exactly musically inclined, but she has been my number one supporter my whole life. Whether she was taking me to singing, ballet, violin or maths (I was truly rubbish!) lessons, she always made sure to make me feel like I could do anything I set my mind to. I suppose what I’m trying to say is that I think my Venezuelan side is where I get my drive and motivation from!

What is the overall message that you want your fans to take away from “In the City”? 

Heartbreak and city life have never been good company, this record pretty much captures my healing process, which, yes I did actually manage to do. It’s really easy to think that you’ll never recover from a breakup or heartache when you’re living in a busy city or have a hectic job or just generally have a lot going on. But that’s the amazing thing about us creatures, we heal until we die.

Your music has been compared to Tegan & Sara, Ellie Goulding and Ingrid Michelson. Who are your music idols? 

Fleetwood Mac, The Weepies, Eliot Sumner, Beyoncé and I mean Justin Bieber’s alriggghhhhhhhhttttt

You’re rumored to be friends with models Lillie Rage and Harmony Boucher. What do musicians and models do for fun? 

I’ve never been a model before really, especially because I’m quite short, but my idea of fun is a night out of dancing with friends, recording or writing a new song, cooking a meal for someone and attending concerts, fashion shows, galleries and all of that fun stuff! But if I’m very honest, I’m quite a homebody especially with my Crohn’s Disease, so a lot of the time, a night in watching ‘House’ really is like heaven for me!

What was your most embarrassing “on stage” moment? How did you recover? 

The first time I ever performed a song I had written was when I was 18 and was due for my Berklee College of Music audition in a few weeks. Like a total nimbus, I decided to go to an open mic night in London and drink a beer right before I went on… Anyways, I started to play the first few chords and next thing I know I had forgotten my lyrics… I ran off stage grabbed my phone looked up the first line and went right back up and I finished the song. I was sweating and all red after, but a bunch of people came up to me after and said how much they loved my song, especially because it was written about my music teacher at the time.

What does your perfect date night look like? 

The perfect date nights are the ones that are spontaneous, when you decide to just say hey, lets do something! There really isn’t anything much more romantic than walking around (weather permitting!) with the person you love with them as your only destination in mind.

Need more Sofia B? Follow her on Instagram @officialsofiab or visit her website to check out upcoming shows, merch and of course music!

The post Interview with Singer/Songwriter Sofia B first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Cisgender men dominate the DJ scene. However, at The Dinah this year, both women and trans individuals will be given space to spin their jams for queer party-goers. In a landmark move for The Dinah, DJ Automaton has been added to the line-up, making him the first trans person to perform at The Dinah ever.

DJ Automaton (Vincent Domini) grew up in Portland, Oregon and is currently based in Los Angeles as a DJ, Musician, and Event Producer. He is known for parties such as The Grind!, Mugshot, Portland’s Gaycation, guitarist/vocals for the punk/grunge/metal outfit Brother, drummer in Swan Island, XYX a weekly house, 90’s hip hop & R&B party, and CAKE a trans hip hop monthly party in Downtown Los Angeles. He’s influenced by a wide range of genres from psychedelic, punk and funk of the 60’s and 70’s, hip hop of the late 80’s/90’s, and 80’s/90’s grunge and goth.

Some of the other DJ’s for 2016 include queer grrl party scene mainstays such as DJ Lezlee, DJ Asha, Citizen Jane and many more.

Want to join in on the fun? Purchase tickets to this year’s Dinah at www.TheDinah.com

The post DJ Automaton is the First Trans DJ to Perform at The Dinah first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Singer and Grammy nominated artist, Elle King

Singer Elle King has been burning up the charts with her catchy single, “Ex’s and Oh’s.” The song is about sleeping with a ton of men and satisfying all of them so much that they keep coming back for more. But! It’s still catchy. Maybe King will switch up the pronouns when she plays to a crowd of queer women at 2016’s Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs. The Dinah is taking place March 30-April 3, 2016. Tickets for the event are on sale now and they are slowly making their musical line-up public. Pop royalty such as Katy Perry and Lady Gaga have performed at the lady love fest in the past and the word on the street is that the 2016 line-up is going to be spectacular.

Does King look familiar? She should, her father is comedian Rob Schneider. Also, does anybody else remember the show “Exes and Ohs,” the short lived but much loved sitcom about a bunch of lesbians? I miss that one. “Ex’s and Oh’s” the song is definitely not about lesbians. Anywho, watch the video below!

The post Elle King Headlining at The Dinah first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY FRANCESCA LEWIS
Lesbian.com

Normandie Wilson Is Tired Of Being Nice — that’s certainly an album title that announces its intentions. San Diego songbird Normandie Wilson is back with a new full length record and a brand new badass attitude. Known for her smooth laid back stylings, often compared to Burt Bacharach, Wilson is infusing her usual brand of jazzy cabaret with a punchy feminist attitude meant to empower others to do the same.

“For all the hurts you endured and all the smiles you held in the face of bullshit.” She writes in the album’s liner notes, “This is for you.”

Produced with David Fleminger (Manual Scan, The Answers), Normandie Wilson Is Tired Of Being Nice is a bold statement from an artist in control. The album is imbued with a new bawdy yet classy tone, inspired in part by her year working with a gay cabaret.

“In working as a part of a gay cabaret singing everything from k.d lang and Lesley Gore to ABBA and show tunes, I tapped into a performance side of myself that hadn’t been used in a very long time. I also connected with a community of amazing human beings all bound together under the LGBTQ umbrella. I didn’t just learn about the songs, I learned about the queerness that’s always been there in much of popular music. One of our pals at the bar wrote the song “Sillouette,” which on its surface is a straightforward “straight” love tune… written by a gay man about 50 years ago! Learning more about the erasure of lesbian artists and musicians from popular culture was important for me, too. I had been a Lesley Gore fan for years and years, and didn’t know she was openly lesbian until just before her death. Performers like Josephine Baker and Dusty Springfield… it’s important that we know their real history instead of the sugar-coated version that fits with the dominant cultural narrative of the times. Learning the stories from within the community, you get the real story.”

Wilson has written about heartbreak before, but this time she’s breaking up more with a way of being than with any particular person. These songs are all about anger, revenge, heartache, and naming pain, yet the sound is still recognizably Normandie, her playful tone and effortless vocals delivering a battle cry wrapped in pink glitter packaging. Her show-stopping look, with bubblegum colored wigs and vibrant make-up, is flamboyant and clearly inspired by her time touring with the gay cabaret.

“The queer community is one of the few places where I feel comfortable, because I don’t necessarily have to have it figured out. I can show up as my somewhere-on-the-Kinsey-scale feathered and sequinned self and be met with acceptance and love, and offer my support and song to others to brighten their day a little bit.”

Focused on the modern-day chanteuse’s experiences as a woman in the music industry and as a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault, it is a rare marrying of vintage jazz/pop and very contemporary feminist ideas. In it she weaves tales of rejection and resilience, producing 40 minutes of solidarity with anyone sick and tired of wearing a smile in the face of adversity.

One of the high points of the album comes right of the gate, in the form of opening track “Thank You”. A powerful ballad with the refrain “Thank you for being so terrible to me”, this is the perfect song to play at full volume after kicking someone toxic out of your life. Check out the video below:

Normandie Wilson is currently in residence every Wednesday at San Diego’s historic Lafayette Hotel – stop by for a martini or check out her album on bandcamp.

Francesca Lewis is a queer feminist writer from Yorkshire, UK. She writes for Curve Magazine and The Human Experience as well as writing short fiction and working on a novel. Her ardent love of American pop culture is matched only by her passion for analyzing it completely to death.

The post Normandie Wilson Is Tired Of Being Nice first appeared on Lesbian.com.

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER
Lesbian.com

Melissa Ferrick is a singer/songwriter who hit the music scene hard in the 90’s after opening for Morrissey. Ferrick found early commercial success and won over a large fanbase. The loyalty of her fans allowed her to move successfully to indie labels and eventually start her own label, Rock on Records. Ferrick has been an out lesbian throughout her entire career, often speaking candidly about her love life in interviews and in her lyrics. She’s also performed with many queer rock/folk ladies, including Tegan & Sara, k.d. Lang, The Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco, to name a few.

Ferrick has released 12 studio albums and now she’s back with another- her eponymous album was release on July 31st, and the vinyl is set to be released this month. Ferrick, who is known for her rigorous tour schedule, is already back on the road promoting her album. But luckily, we got to sit down with her for a few moments to discuss her latest musical outing.

Melissa, how did you discover music was your passion and how did you decide to pursue it as a full-time career? 

I’ve been studying music since I was 5 (first on violin) and so it feels a lot like music chose me. There was a time in 1996, after Atlantic Records had dropped me, that I did make a decision to do this music thing. I was 26 and it felt like a really big and real commitment to my innermost self at the time. Probably more so than being 20 and getting signed to a major label.

This record was completely a solo effort- why did you decide to go that route? 

The songs and the budget demanded it. My fans partially funded this album and the overwhelming response was to have me record it myself at home. My fans generally tend to prefer me on my own, without filter and without a lot of production. So since this group of songs was more subtle and personal, I agreed that the recording process should be as well.

How did you motivate yourself? 

Ha, deadlines….deadlines …deadlines. I have always worked well under pressure, I find it energizing I really like having goal’s set this helps me A. Get there and B. Keeps me focused on the way.

This record has been discussed as a ‘new beginning.’ How does Melissa Ferrick (the album) represent a new beginning for you? 

It’s a starting over putting records out independently on my own label; it’s back to basics in the recording process, no click tracks, old school 16 track machine, and analog outboard gear. One takes on everything. It’s a real performance record. That is how I got started and what I excel at – performance, the immediate, the moment and the moving on from that.

What is the tone of Melissa Ferrick? What themes run through it and what message do you want your fans to take away from it? 

The tone is immediacy, introspection and a peace with where I am. The theme that runs through it is probably “coming to understanding.” As far as a message I want people to take form it? Hmm, I’m not sure, I don’t really think too much about what other people should take from things, I leave that to them.

You’ve been in the music industry for a long time and have toured with amazing artists, such as Ani DiFranco, Tegan & Sara, k.d. Lang and the Indigo Girls, tell me your craziest “tour story.”

Having diner with k.d.Lang was pretty awesome and watching her run a sound check was literally one of the most mesmerizing things I’ve ever seen musically. She is a pro. She is in her own league. I believe k.d.Lang is one of the greatest singers alive and will stand the test of time to be revealed as one of the “Great’s.” It was a complete honor to stand on stage before her.

What’s the best thing a fan has ever mailed/thrown on stage at you? 

When I started on the Morrissey tour when I was 20, his fan’s would throw flowers onto the stage at him, as the tour continued and his fan’s started cheering me on I would occasionally get thrown a flower and this certainly made me feel loved and appreciated. It’s usually preferred if the flowers are thrown near me though not AT me

What advice would you give to aspiring singer-songwriters? 

Give it your all for five years. If more people are coming to see you play after five years than in the first two years and you’re still enjoying the performances then go for a another five years. This is job, take it seriously but enjoy your responsibilities. Show up on time, play our heart out, be kind to the folks you meet, and don’t complain on stage. This job takes effort, tenacity, and guts – it’s not for the weary.

For more Melissa visit www.melissaferrick.com

The post Interview with Rock Artist Melissa Ferrick first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Enjoy the official lyric video for Mary Lambert‘s “Secrets” and look for her LP “Heart On My Sleeve” scheduled for release on October 14.

The post Mary Lambert: ‘Secrets’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.