FIVE UPCOMING QUEER ARTISTS TO WATCH

By Resonate | March 7, 2026

LGBTQ+ artists have profoundly shaped music through the years, pioneering genres like disco, house, and queercore while challenging norms through lyrical honesty and performance. Through visibility and innovation, LGBTQ+ musicians continue to redefine sound, culture, and identity in music. Here are some of our favourites.

SHYGIRL:

Shygirl is a boundary-breaking artist blending experimental pop, club, grime, and electronic sounds into a sleek, sensual sonic world. As a singer, rapper, DJ, and co-founder of the Nuxxe collective, she’s redefined modern club music with bold visuals and fluid, genre-defying production. Her lyrics explore confidence, desire, and identity through playful alter-egos, while her sound balances vulnerability with sharp-edged power. Describing herself as a “lyricist and DJ with a tone set clearly in the depth of the club,” Shygirl is definitely here to stay.

FREDDIE LEWIS:

Based in Bristol, Freddie Lewis is a trans singer‑songwriter whose introspective pop melds elements of jazz, folk, spoken word and electronic sparkle. He began releasing music in 2021 and quickly gained acclaim for his nuanced lyricism and rich melodic hooks. His songs explore identity, intimacy and queer experience with emotional resonance, as heard in tracks like She Wouldn’t Believe. Live, he combines cabaret, drag‑inflected staging and soulful performance: a bold emerging voice in the UK queer music scene.

TAAHLIAH:

TAAHLIAH is a Scottish electronic producer, vocalist, and performer celebrated for her innovative blend of hyperpop, club, and experimental electronic music. Emerging from Glasgow’s underground scene, she explores themes of identity, transformation, and self-acceptance—often reflecting her experiences as a Black trans woman. Her acclaimed debut EP Angelica (2021) showcased intricate production, emotional storytelling, and bold sound design that challenge genre boundaries. TAAHLIAH’s music moves fluidly between euphoria and introspection, combining dancefloor energy with intimate vulnerability. With her forward-thinking approach and powerful personal narrative, she stands as a leading voice in the new wave of avant-garde pop and electronic music.

TSATSAMIS:

A London-based singer-songwriter and producer, Tsatsamis creates alt-pop music that blends introspective lyricism with lush, emotive production. Openly gay, he explores themes of love, identity, anxiety, and self-expression, often drawing from personal experiences to craft relatable, heartfelt songs. His single, “Everybody Wants a Piece of You,” was named one of i-D magazine’s top 10 songs of the year, and the track explores being in love with a man who is still closeted. After recently supporting ADELA on tour, his future is looking bright. Balancing vulnerability and confidence, Tsatsamis is an exciting emerging talent with a unique perspective.

FRED ROBERTS:

A rising force in British pop, Fred Roberts is a singer-songwriter whose heartfelt sound and unapologetically queer perspective are redefining modern UK music. Blending emotional lyricism with polished production, his music captures the intensity of young love, heartbreak, and self-acceptance through a distinctly queer lens. Drawing comparisons to artists like Troye Sivan and Sam Fender, Roberts’ voice carries both vulnerability and power, creating songs that are deeply personal yet universally resonant. With singles like Say and Runaway, he’s positioning himself as a bold new voice for LGBTQ+ representation—crafting anthems that celebrate identity, emotion, and the beauty of growing into oneself.

WORDS BY DANIEL EFFER