WATG’S TOP ARTIST PICKS TO HEAR THIS PRIDE MONTH
by Arielle Tindel
6/19/21
Pride Month can serve as a time to celebrate how far LGBTQIA+ rights have come, commemorate the Stonewall Riots which occurred in June of 1969, and a time to be reminded of the cultural contributions made by the LGBTQIA+ community.
We stand with the many artists who have spoken out against brands who do not make efforts to support queer creators year round, but use Pride Month as a marketing tool and a way to appear “woke.” In making this post, I’d like to stress that we strive to support a diverse community of artists (always) here at We Are: The Guard. This Pride Month, I’d like to highlight some of our LGBTQIA+ Featured Finds from the past year for you to blast not only this month, but every month.
ARLO PARKS
Arlo Parks crafts poetic music that glimmers with heart and soul. At just 20 years old, she’s managed to strike the perfect balance between authenticity while being perfectly suited for your Chill Vibes playlist. On her debut album, Collapsed In Sunbeams, she discusses elements of the human experience openly and honestly over a jazzy, live band sound.
ANJIMILE
Boston’s Anjimile makes music that can be the perfect sonic metaphor for taking control over your life. They are fully themself, and this authenticity seeps into everything they do. Combining intimate, up close and zoomed in lyrics with ethereal acoustic and orchestral arrangements, they are redefining modern takes on folk and pop music alike.
SARAH BARRIOS
talk about star crossed lovers##ih8every1 ##singing ##wlw ##starcrossedlovers ##love ##singing ##songwritingchallenge
Singer-songwriter and book enthusiast Sarah Barrios has made waves with her prolific, lyric driven songwriting. The Connecticut native writes for herself as an artist while also having cuts writing for others. She just released “IH8EVERY1,” a hard-hitting, guitar driven pop-punk anthem about hating everyone other than that special someone.
ROSIE TUCKER
Rosie Tucker rocks. Having recently released an album with legendary punk label, Epitaph, they effortlessly blend folk, rock, and indie music. If you’re into hard truths and guitars, Rosie Tucker’s got just the thing. Their lyrics are honest, matter-of-fact, and at times completely devastating.
SERPENTWITHFEET
Serpentwithfeet’s recent album DEACON is full of joy, contrasting his more ominous previous releases. On songs like “Same Size Shoe,” he reflects on the warmth and happiness of love between two Black men. The music video is wholesome, cute, lighthearted, and representative of the types of stories we need to hear and see more of. Also, the Baltimore native has an absolutely angelic voice.
BOYISH
After meeting at Berklee College of Music in 2016, India Shore and Claire Altendahl have been making sparkling, swirling indie pop jams together as Boyish. With the recent release of their EP We’re all gonna die, but here’s my contribution, the duo continues to show their musical prowess and knack for creating heart-wrenching songs set to indie pop synths and guitars.
RIO ROMEO
Rio Romeo was born to create. Whether they’re making art or music, they really do do everything. This is a music blog though, so we’re going to talk about that. There’s something magical about Rio Romeo’s “cabaret blues on an out of tune piano.” Theatrical, lofi, bluesy, full of heart, there’s really not much else out there like their first releases “Butch 4 Butch” and “Dyltgir?”
SHAMIR
By blending genres like lo-fi, country, indie, and pop, Shamir has created a sound that somehow could be both right out of the 1990s and the 2090s. Since the release of his stunning self titled album in 2020, he’s shared two amazing covers (one released on our very own WATG label!) that reassure us that the future of indie music is in the best of hands.
SOPHIE
At the beginning of the year, SOPHIE’s life was tragically cut short in an accident, but her innovations and contributions to music production as a whole will live on for generations to come. As hyperpop rises to popularity, we remember SOPHIE’s impact now and always. We are inspired by her creativity and ability to push the envelope on where pop music can go.
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Celebrate Pride Month this year by showing support for LGBTQIA+ creators, making a donation to organizations fighting to make a difference (like GLAAD, The National LGBTQ Task Force, or The Transgender Law Center), and educating yourself on the history of Pride. Happy Pride Month- stay safe, healthy, and kind!
Arielle Tindel is from Cleveland, Ohio. She recently graduated from Berklee College of Music with degrees in Music Business Marketing and Songwriting. In her free time, Arielle can be found gardening or playing bass.