When thinking of LGBT+ anthems, a few artists immediately come to mind: Gloria Gaynor, Queen, Lady Gaga, Diana Ross, you know the list. This article isn’t about those songs. It’s about songs that aren’t dripping rainbows and glitter, songs that you might listen to a few times before you realise that hey, this is about being queer. No one is gonna fight you on Diana Ross’s “Coming Out” being about anything other than, well, coming out, but for these songs, people might contest your views. And that’s fine because you know what these songs mean to you and we’re pretty sure the artists do too.
1. Little Mix – Secret Love Song pt. II
Fans were quick to realise that Little Mix’s powerful ballad “Secret Love Song pt. II” wasn’t just about a secret relationship and could very easily be seen as being about the struggles LGBT+ people face. When tweeted about the song, Jade was quick to reply that she was very happy people interpreted it this way.
2. Selena Gomez – Who Says
An entire song dedicated to being comfortable with who you are – need we say more?
3. Mika – No Place In Heaven
In an emotional plea to God, Mika asks him to reconsider opening heaven’s doors to him – ‘for every love I had to hide and every tear I ever cried’. Grab some tissues before listening to this song.
4. Sam Smith – Leave Your Lover
The entirety of Sam Smith’s wildly successful album In The Lonely Hour is about the struggles Smith has faced in his love life. How good is it to hear a guy sing about a male love interest in a music industry that’s still so very very straight?!
5. Frank Ocean – Bad Religion
“Bad Religion” is about two conversations taking place at the same time: the first one between Ocean and his taxi driver and the second one a seemingly internal conversation Frank is having with himself about his sins.
6. Katy Perry – Firework
“Firework” is a happy-go-lucky, drama-free song about ‘letting your colours burst’. We assume Katy is talking about every colour of the rainbow there.
7. Hozier – Take Me To Church
Just like Mika and Frank Ocean, Hozier speaks of sins in this song. What those sins are isn’t specified, but it’s easy to interpret them as being about sexuality, with lyrics as ‘I was born sick but I love it’.
8. Jessie J – Who You Are
A song about self-acceptance in which Jessie J literally states that ‘there’s nothing with who you are’ – something that’s always nice to hear when you’re in the process of coming to terms with your sexuality.
9. Troye Sivan – HEAVEN
Like Mika’s “No Place In Heaven”, Troye’s “HEAVEN” is about the struggle of making amends with God.
10. One Direction – Home
With “Home”, One Direction’s Louis and Liam and singer, songwriter and producer Jamie Scott managed to write a song that perfectly captures the process of realising that you might not be straight. And what’s even better is that they tell you that that’s absolutely fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vm9Xw0G0YA
What do you think of our selection of songs? Any you’d like to add? Come talk to us over on Twitter at @CelebMix and @CelebMixCares!