Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Lady Gaga, Willow, Sophie & More
In need of some new tunes from your favorite queer artists? We’re here to help — Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
From Lady Gaga’s Joker-inspired new album to Willow’s new team-up with Kamasi Washington, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
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Lady Gaga, Harlequin
From what little we’ve seen of Harleen “Lee” Quinzel in the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux, it’s safe to say that Lady Gaga’s character is not so easy to describe. Yet Gaga sets out to do just that on Harlequin, her freewheeling new album that explores Harley Quinn’s psyche through a blur of genre-defying songs. Blasting her way through modernized, reimagined versions of jazz standards and classic showtunes (“Get Happy,” “That’s Life” and “Good Morning” among them), Gaga also takes a moment to deliver deeply personal, emotive original tracks, like on album standout “Happy Mistake.” As fans keep waiting for the singer’s long-awaited seventh studio album, Harlequin offers a moment of respite in the chaotic soundscape of her twisted character’s mind.
Willow feat. Kamasi Washington, “Wanted”
One of the standout tracks on Willow’s new deluxe version of her excellent 2024 album Empathogen is “Wanted,” a flittering, frantic new song that perfectly encapsulates the singer’s experimental approach to her latest project. Calling up saxophone aficionado Kamasi Washington for an assist, “Wanted” sees the young singer flipping between tempos, genres and lyrical ideas as she insists that the “wanted to run” before falling back into the routine of a relationship: “I wanna be infatuated” she breathes on this head-spinning new song.
Sophie, SOPHIE
Trying to communicate all the Sophie was in a single album is a virtually impossible task — yet Benny Long, the late producer’s brother, does a commendable job on Sophie, the posthumous album comprising of 16 songs the pop iconoclast worked on up until her untimely death. Spanning techno, pop, R&B and industrial experimental sounds, this undulating project takes listeners on a journey all throughout Sophie’s many different sonic touchpoints, while offering slots to featured guests on the way — including Hannah Diamond, Kim Petras, Bibi Bourelly and more — to pay tribute to the icon one final time.
Michelle, Songs About You Specifically
Welcome to New York pop collective Michelle’s imperial pop phase. On their third album Songs About You Specifically, the group embraces the cult of personality built around boy bands and girl groups, alongside their off-kilter sonic stylings, to make a record that sounds like an instant classic from the moment it starts. The sweltering, talk-box assisted stylings of “Akira,” in particular, stand out as an all-timer in the band’s discography. Songs About You Specifically may not fit into a clean-cut genre, but that’s what makes Michelle’s new effort that much more fascinating to hear.
Towa Bird, “Rat Race”
In 2024, Towa Bird has been enjoying a new level of popularity among music fans — now, she’d like to talk about the work it took to get here. On “Rat Race,” the British guitarist goes out of her way to point out the troubling trend of streaming algorithms, label execs and nefarious external forces trying to dictate the way her career ought to go — “High notes when you’re singing my praise/ Low lows, I don’t get enough plays,” she seethes on the punk-inspired opening verse. Through fuzzy guitar lines and drum section that never relents, Bird makes her feelings clear: “Go f–k your stupid f–kin’ rat race.”
Katie Gavin, “Inconsolable”
When Katie Gavin said that she was inspired by Lilith Fair for her solo album, she was not joking. “Inconsolable,” the latest single off her forthcoming LP What a Relief, sees Gavin diving headfirst into the folk-forward singer-songwriter aesthetic, complete with devastatingly honest lyrics, beautiful banjo and fiddle orchestrations, and a vocal that conveys all the pain and wonder of choosing to keep trying in a relationship. Fans of MUNA’s stunning ballad “Kind of Girl” are in for a treat when they hear Gavin absolutely nail this gorgeous folksy ode.
Michaela Jaé, 33
Michaela Jaé is here to let you have it — on her debut album 33, the Pose and Loot star declares that she is a musical force to be reckoned with. Telling the story of her own journey of self-discovery through the lens of an android (named Model 33F7) re-integrating her own memories to find out who she truly is. Over a buffet of power pop (“I Am”), R&B (“Forever”) and funk (“Started From”), Jaé accomplishes her goal — and successfully re-introduces herself to the world.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
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