With Thanksgiving just a few short days away, what better way to give thanks than by listening to the newest songs from some of your favorite LGBTQ artists? Billboard Pride is here to help with First Out, our weekly roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
From Fletcher and Hayley Kiyoko‘s sexed-up new collaboration to Kaytranada‘s club-ready new EP, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Fletcher, “Cherry (feat. Hayley Kiyoko)”
What happens when you take two outstanding queer pop stars and put them together on a song? Judging by “Cherry” — the latest single from rising pop phenom Fletcher featuring the one and only Lesbian Jesus Hayley Kiyoko — you get a masterful, seductive pop hit. Throughout the grooving new track, Fletcher’s voice shivers with anticipation as she describes meeting a person who makes it “hard to breathe,” before exploding into a euphoric chorus where she and Kiyoko expound on their desire to take their clothes off and get to know their significant other better. If you’re looking for a rush of endorphins with your new music picks, then “Cherry” should be at the top of your list.
Kaytranada, Intimidated
With his latest EP, producer Kaytranada is proving yet again to be a musical chameleon, ready to blend his sound with just about any type of vocalist. Intimidated practically serves as a three-track tasting menu for Kaytranada’s well-developed style as he works in different genres while also spotlighting artists like Thundercat (“Be Careful”) and Mach-Hommy (“$payforhaiti”). But it’s titular track “Intimidated,” featuring R&B superstar H.E.R., that shows just how versatile Kaytranada’s sound has become as he creates a catchy, lo-fi dance track to perfectly fit the singer’s impeccable voice.
Chloe Moriondo, “Dizzy (feat. Thomas Headon and Alfie Templeman)”
Escapism is the name of the game on rising pop singer Chloe Moriondo’s new track “Dizzy,” a swirling, breezy pop ballad that sees them teaming up with British singer-songwriters Thomas Headon and Alfie Templeman. With a few simple acoustic guitar strains stacked on top of a punchy beat and some pumped-up bass, “Dizzy” creates an ever-fleeting soundscape that lends itself perfectly to the trio’s voices as they find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of emotions.
K.Flay, Outside Voices
After releasing her critically-acclaimed EP Inside Voices earlier this year, alt-rocker K.Flay is seeing it through to the end with what she calls its “counterpart,” Outside Voices. The new EP picks up right where the last left off, as K.Flay turns her attention from her own inner turmoil to that of the rest of the world. Taking on everything from social media (“Im Afraid Of The Internet”) to the stress of external impressions of her (“Weirdo”), K.Flay once again soundtracks her anxiety with the kind of rocked-out flair that has made her a beloved name online.
“‘Outside Voices is me pausing, taking a moment to reflect on the chaos of the world and of myself, and considering how I might be able to temper that chaos,” K.Flay said of the EP in a statement. “How I’ve been complicit. How can I change? How can I find beauty in pain? This whole double EP project is an exercise in non-repression in airing my own bits of shame and vulnerability in the hopes that other people connect to those feelings too.”
Ashnikko, “Carol of the Bells”
We know it’s not quite Christmas season yet, but Ashnikko simply couldn’t wait to offer her rendition of this holiday staple. On her version of “Carol of the Bells,” Ashnikko dials the intensity up to 11 as she populates the stark classic with blown-out bass, her angst-riddled vocals and a trap beat that’ll have you ready to take this holiday classic straight to the dance floor.
Alaska Thunderfuck, “XOXOY2K”
Remember how much fun early-2000s rave music was? Drag Race all-star Alaska Thunderfuck sure does, and is ready to party down once again as she transports listneners back to the turn of the 21st century with her latest single, “XOXOY2K.” This built-for-the-club anthem sees the drag star reveling in the culture of a decade long past, referencing everything from Von Dutch to NSYNC to JNCO jeans, all over a hard-hitting beat that’ll have you sprinting to the nearest gay bar to live your best Y2K fantasy.
