Happy Labor Day weekend! Celebrate the holiday by checking out these new tracks from some of your favorite queer 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 Lady Gaga’s new remix album filled to the brim with queer artists, to Billy Porter’s cover of an Earth, Wind and Fire classic, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Lady Gaga, Dawn of Chromatica
When Lady Gaga took on the task of remixing the entirety of her 2020 album Chromatica, she had myriad options as to who she could recruit. So it should come as no surprise that Mother Monster picked a number of queer stars for Dawn of Chromatica. The new album boasts massive revamps of her beloved work, from a certifiably unhinged remix to “Fun Tonight” courtesy of Pabllo Vittar, to a complete reimagining of “Plastic Dolls” from up-and-coming alt-pop star Ashnikko. Arca, Rina Sawayama, Dorian Electra, Chester Lockhart and many others also shine on their respective remixes, making Dawn of Chromatica an absolute must-listen for Little Monsters everywhere.
Billy Porter & The Cast of Cinderella, “Shining Star”
When you cast Billy Porter as a genderqueer, fantastical fairy in a revamping of Cinderella, what makes for the best showing of his talent? An Earth, Wind and Fire cover, naturally! “Shining Star,” off of the soundtrack to the newly released jukebox musical, sees Porter embracing every ounce of fabulousness that he can muster. Over a swaggering bass line and vampy horn section, the Emmy winner lets out the full power of his arresting voice, embodying the sassy and powerful energy of his character in this deeply entertaining track.
G Flip & Renforshort, “Waiting Game”
Sometimes, waiting to be with the person you feel you’re meant to be with can be a hard road, as G Flip attests in their new song “Waiting Game.” The brooding alt-pop single, where the Australian upstart collaborates with Canadian up-and-comer Renforshort, sees the duo lamenting the difficulties of navigating a long-distance relationship to the beat of slick new pop track. If the pair’s vocals and sharp songwriting don’t hook you, the pulsating production certainly will.
“‘Waiting Game’ is about a long distance relationship. It’s about wanting and desiring something or someone that you can’t have at that very moment. I think a lot of people in the current climate can relate to this,” G Flip said of their new release.
Rezz & Deathpact, “Chemical Bond”
In need of a track that will simultaneously hypnotize you and make you want to run to the nearest club? Rezz and Deathpact have you covered with “Chemical Bond,” the latest single off of the former’s newly announced fourth studio album Spiral (out this fall via Rezz Music/RCA Records). The stunning dance single sees Rezz embracing the sometimes-creepy, more often-entrancing sound that made her one of the fastest rising stars in the dance scene, while tagging in collaborator Deathpact to add some further intensity to this evocative, pounding new track.
Bachelor, “I See It Now”
In their new, one-off single, Jay Som’s Melina Duterte and Palehound’s Ellen Kempner — now known together as Bachelor — are ready to wade into some hindsighted bitterness. “I See It Now” sees the duo taking a retrospective look at past relationships, touring a series of sexual red flags that were either missed or ignored, only to come to the resigned question that permeates these sorts of discussions: “Do you love him now?”
