Proud To Be Free

Music is harmony expressed. For this challenge, I have compiled a list of songs that explore the nuances of the human condition. Seeing as how my name is considered androgynous, I chose to focus my playlist on songs that create a sense of unity, and on artists who revel in themselves, which ultimately challenges the divisive attitude that seeks to deny the individuals’ right to freedom of expression.

George Michael – Freedom! ‘90 . An anthem still to this day, it solidified itself in pop culture heaven by having 90s supermodels lip sync amidst sultry scenes; this song unapologetically celebrates and embodies the beauty of being free.

Nirvana – The Man Who Sold the World. Kurt Cobain famously dismissed homophobic and sexist behavior while on stage, directly confronting disrespect at his concerts, and goes one step further by covering a David Bowie song at the infamous MTV Unplugged sessions. Maintaining the band’s grunge ethos while performing an iconic Queer figure’s song, Cobain demonstrates his allied beliefs in respect for people of all kind.

Donna Summer – I Feel Love . Considered a transcendent use in synths, the sonic landscape from this song ushered in a new era of disco, and established a new scene for people to express themselves across clubs all over the world. I Feel Love changed the game musically as well as culturally, and expressed a universal message at the same time.

LP – Lost on You. A global hit, originally taking off in Turkey, this song expresses the universal emotions that we all experience through the process of love and of loss. Not lost on me, the way that LP’s personal self-expression subverts the male and female gaze, and even the ear. Unable to directly place LP’s gender through sight or sound, the song establishes it is it’s own entity; which makes LP fresh and undeniably expressive.

The Weather Girls – Its Raining Men . Unapologetically objectifying men across the lyrics and the video, I personally appreciated how it subverts the “wet t-shirt trope” displayed across much of hetero-normative male gaze centric media, or “wetness” as a reference to biological displays of arousal, into a playful song. Instead of moving into degrading territory, it understands the power of play, of tongue and cheek fun, which has given it lasting power as a dance track.

Kym Mazelle – Young Hearts Run Free. Baz Lurhmann used this song in the classic Romeo & Juliet for Mercutio’s drag debut, decades before RuPaul gave popular culture a glimpse into drag queen culture through his reality show. It directly blurs the lines between the classic masquerade ball, and drag ball culture by unapologetically standing out in a story that is at the heart of binary romantic expression. I included the specific moment, as well as the full-length song.

Madonna – Vogue. It was about time Madonna made it onto this list. The video was a sensation, and huge hit for David Fincher, which should be no surprise that great things happen when two bold, visionary artists come together. Despite the small budget ($5000), the video’s visual style challenged homophobic attitudes by having people of all kinds dressed across classical gender stereotypes and dancing. While Madonna challenged expectations of feminine performance by wearing Jean Paul Gaultier’s cone bra, literal triangular shape-wear, which subverts the classical curvature of the female body by making it hard and phallic.

Cher- If I Could Turn Back Time . An icon across her entire career, this video cements itself as a career defining moment. She was forty-three when it was shot, and her transparent outfit with the casual leather jacket on top is impossible to forget. Cher flirts with the navy men (the pun seamen needs to be mentioned), and literally straddles the canons, which places her at the center of the traditional, specifically American, masculine representation, all the while making it her own.

Ricky Martin – Livin’ La Vida Loca. A massive success during a time when Latin and Spanish artists were crossing over into popular culture, the song fuses the best of both worlds, and it exploded worldwide because of it. Looking back however, it is Martin’s closeted sexuality that is most notable, and thankfully times have changed. This song is a direct reminder that despite how far society may have come from Stonewall, a dark undercurrent still prevailed at the turn of the century, where one’s sexuality was weighed against their commercial value.

Eminem and Elton John (Grammy Performance) – Stan. This was a landmark moment for the Grammy’s, as iconic figure Elton John joined Eminem on stage, after the later was portrayed in the media to be homophobic. The two individuals come together in a song that directly speaks to an obsessive, wounded masculine voice hoping to reach his idol, a voice the media clings to in order to perpetuate their profit vehicle. By performing together, the critics were not only silenced, but each artist solidified that individuals make change when they put aside their personal pride.

Lil Nas – Old Town Road ft. Billy Cyrus. A new modern fusion, we have two outliers, a newcomer and a 1990’s one time wonder in Cyrus, who bring together two dominant forces in the American musical canon: country, and hip-hop. Not only has it allowed Lil Nas a successful career where he continues to challenge gender stereotypes, but it demonstrates the positive power of what happens when opposites attract and create something new that we can all be proud of.

Listen along here. Thank you, and Happy Pride.