With the progress made for the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, it’s no surprise that there is a rising prevalence of LGBTQ+ members in the entertainment industry. In the past, there was Elton John and Freddie Mercury. Now, there is a new growing wave of performers willing to be open about their sexuality and gender identity.

Troye Sivan
Troye Sivan is one of the fastest rising names in the music industry. Born in South Africa and having grown up in Australia, he is dubbed as one of the forerunners of the current generation of LGBTQ+ musicians. However, in an interview with Another Man magazine, he offers his own take on his popularity and status as an “icon,” saying, “With people like Hayley Kiyoko and Brockhampton, we’re starting to get, finally, a diverse group of different LGBTQ+ perspectives…That’s why I politely don’t want to take on that ‘gay icon’ thing. I’m one voice of so many that are missing, and so I’m just trying to tell my story.” Still, he remains active in the community and regularly addresses LGBTQ+ issues in his music and publicly.

King Princess
With songs like “Talia” and “1950” that have overt women-loving-women tones, King Princess is taking over at the young age of 20-years-old. Though having grown up in a studio, she didn’t pursue music professionally until she finished high school and spent a year at UCLA. In a Boston Globe interview, she is mentioned to have said it was time that gave her “all-important room to grow into her own person.” Though she is quickly gaining a following, she is taking things at her own pace, having released her first song “1950” in early 2018, followed by an EP a handful of months later. A studio album is in the works and is expected to release soon.

Superfruit
A duo comprised of Mitch Grassi and Scott Hoying, most would know these two from their a cappella group Pentatonix. However, Superfruit is of their own creation. Not only do they create music, they also have a YouTube channel where they upload vlogs and music videos. As childhood friends, the two have a strong bond. While Grassi is openly gay, Hoying has not made any comments confirming his sexuality. However, both were included in the OUT100 list in 2017, a fact that Hoying was more than happy to share. One of their biggest hits was “GUY.exe,” a fun pop song with a playful tone fitting of Superfruit’s bright aesthetic.

Kim Petras
Having undergone gender reassignment surgery at the young age of 16, Kim Petras’ transgender identity has made her a massive talking point among the LGBTQ+ community. To her, “I think the ultimate goal for me is if a transgender person can be known for anything but being transgender.” But she does also acknowledge the importance of her identity and the importance of transgender visibility. One of her most well-known songs is “Heart to Break,” with potential plans for a major tour sometime in the future.

Janelle Monae
Having started out with a persona of an android named Cindi Mayweather, Monae has certainly undergone a series of changes in her life. Identifying as bisexual and then pansexual, Monae is comfortable with her changing identity, saying “I’m open to learning more about who I am.” As both a minority and part of the LGBTQ+ community, Monae has not always felt like she could be candid to the world about who she truly was. For her, being in the entertainment industry meant that she had to strive for perfection in all things. But in recent years, she has become more vocal in coming out about her experiences and the aspects of her not seen on the screen.

There is a new age of LGBTQ+ arriving, and following generations will have many examples to look up to as they grow up. As differing sexualities and gender identities become more common in entertainment, the continued fight for equality and acceptance continues.