The Music that has Gotten Me Through These Hard Days

I would first like to say that for black folx all over the world our days have been hard. Every-time I open my social media or search google there is a new name. A new name to add to the slew of black people whose lives have been snuffed out. Taken from them for no other reason than their blackness, or their transness, or a combo of everything. George Floyd, Tony McDade, Dominique Fells, Riah Milton, Te-Te Gulley, Breonna Taylor, Oluwatoyin Salau and unfortunately so many more names. Through these hard times I have leaned on various forms of media to get me through. Especially Music. This blog post will feature artists/songs/albums that keep me going. Some of the artists will be queer but not all of them. I will be writing a blog specifically featuring black queer artists you need to hear of later. 

Let's Begin, in no special order!

                             ChloexHalle "Do It"(2020)

So I heard heard clips of this song thanks to the Do It TikTok dance challenge. I finally decided to listen to the track and watch the video. Boy was I impressed! "Do It" is a mid tempo R&B track that you can groove too. Their vocals are tight, their outfits in the video are tight, their choreography is tight and the overall art direction is tight. Their voices blend so well and their harmonies??!!!! Ooh Chile those harmonies, Chloe has this beautiful soulful alto voice and Halle brings her sultry soprano and together its MAGIC. These gals are so fucking talented and are BLACK GIRL MAGIC personified. 

Keiynon Lonsdale "Rainbow Boy" (2020)

So I did an entire blog post on the fact that Mr. Lonsdale has been making bops for years and y'all sleeping on him. I will be doing a full live review of my thoughts on the album asap. But this album has provided much needed healing for me during this hard time. It is an absolutely fantastic album. I will tell everyone who will listen to me to go and stream it now. As a black queer and trans person I connect with his work. As I mentioned in my main post he makes me feel seen as a queer African. I want to save all the detail for my live review but the songs you should pay close attention to are, "Rainbow Dragon, "Gay Street Fighter","Ancient One", "Chocolate","We are the Children", and "Rhythm and Music".

Tove Lo "Bikini Porn" (2020)

Tove Lo is one of my absolute fave queer artists and artists in general. Bikini Porn has become one of my fave songs of 2020. Its dance-able, fun and very Tove Lo. I have this song on repeat all day, every damn day. As a songwriter she most definitely speaks to my soul. The song is sexy, sultry and has a very dance-hall inspired beat. Which reminds me of "Equally Lost" ft. Doja Cat from her 2019 LP Sunshine Kitty. Tove Lo is a gift to Pop Music and this song makes me so happy. When I am sad I just put it on and dance again, again again. 

Rina Sawayama "XS" (2020)

I love this fucking song. Honestly I could end with just that but hell I am trying to be a professional. So XS is an amazing song, it has this great guitar riff that begins the song. It is like this mashup of POP/R&B, Rock and Alternative music genres. Together it makes this amazing pop gem that is XS. It also helps that it is a critique of capitalism. With all this fucking think pieces on whether protesters should riot and burn businesses to the ground, the song just hits differently. 

iLOVEMAKONNEN "Drunk on Saturday" (2019)

I will be writing about how iLOVEMAKONNEN is one of the most underrated talents in the rap game. His EP M# came out with little to no fucking fanfare which pisses me off cause its really good. I peeped that ever since he came out as gay in 2017 people just wrote him off. The whole thing just grinds my gears, but I digress. "Drunk on Saturday" is this dance-trap emo bop. It's a really short song but in a little over 2 mins it really packs a punch. Its a song you can twerk and cry too at the exact same time. That is my kind of bop. 

TLC "Baby Baby Baby" (1992)

It's TLC y'all and this song goes hard after 28 years and everything about it is flawless to me. Every month I have like 1 song from my childhood that I become re-obsesses with. This month it is "Baby baby Baby" and I am not mad about it. From T-Boz throaty yet nasally signature vocals and my girl Chili doing rifts and doing the bridge the song is perfect. It is a sexy R&B hip-hop jam that reminds me of being a kid and over-sized street wear. It is also a very healing song as it is just so BLACK. It is like a track you would play at a house party or at barbecue. It really helps me get my mind off all the black death and sadness. 

Josie and The Pussycats "3 Small Words" (2001)

Yes I know that Letters to Cleo lead singer Kay Hanley did the main vocals for Josie in the 2001 underappreciated but cult classic film Josie and The Pussycats, but because the soundtrack was released with J&PS as artists that is what it will be. Now this album is available to stream on Spotify so I suggest you go and stream it. This song is pop/rock perfection from the vocals, to the production and the back-up vocals (which were sung by Rachel Leigh Cook, Rosario Dawson and Tara Reid) to how convincing the actors are at pretending to play the instruments and sing the jams. It just works and this entire album just makes me so damn happy. This was one of my fave movies as a kid ( I have it on DVD and it is still a fave) and I just remember happy times as a small black gay boi. 

Last But Not Least

Prince "Raspberry Beret" (1985)

It's Prince! Do I really need to explain why this funky and groovy song makes me happy. I have lots of issues with Prince but one issue is not the way this song makes me dance and sing. 

Sources: the interwebs, YouTube.