Platinum Carrington lives in Chicago and has been apart of the scene since 2020. She is commonly found producing and hosting parties and drag shows all throughout the North Halstead strip. She is extremely passionate for the art of drag, makeup, and loves finding new creative ways to execute the visions she has for her drag. Platinum is known for bringing high energy on the mic and creating a story for the
Doggpound unites Chicago based producer & DJ combos Chomper & BARKER in a high energy, high octane project that emanates passion and positivity through house music. Meeting through a stroke of luck, the boys became fast friends, mashing up decks together whenever they get the opportunity. Doggpound is always bouncing around the booth & never takes themselves too seriously while creating unforgettable dance journeys that leave audiences with hoarse voices & sore feet from moving and grooving for hours on end.
Blazian Sensation Aya Ito is a native of Tokyo, Japan and a multi-genre vocalist and songwriter. Pulling influence from Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, H.E.R., Robert Glasper, Rihanna, and Jhene Aiko, Aya Ito has created her signature Pop/R&B/Soul fusion sound, while also incorporating her trilingual abilities (English, Spanish and Japanese).
Aya has toured the US and Japan wowing crowds with her spirited performances and dynamic sound. Aya’s most recent release, “Just Might” reflects Aya’s pop and R&B influences in her own way and successfully mixes both production styles with live instrumentation.
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
TIKTOK
YOUTUBE
The Divas are Chicago’s newest ALL FEMALE FRONTED pop cover group, ready to bring the party with their powerhouse vocals, infectious choreography, electrifying band, and captivating stage presence. Playing the hits from all your favorite DIVAS past and present (think Aretha, Whitney, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Cher and more), The Divas are sure to have you dancing and singing along all night long. Are you ready to experience a live music event like no other?
Our mission as The Divas is to foster an environment where our audience feels uplifted, nostalgic and fully in love with themselves. We hope to empower you to face this world with confidence, taking up space you deserve in order to affect our society with positive change. We would love to have you experience our show not just as an escape, but as a re-charge!
Virago is a Chicago-based artist known for delivering genre-bending arrangements that ignite dance floors. With an electrifying mix of house, techno, disco, and everything in between; Virago commands the floor, driving the crowd with powerful, boundary-pushing sounds that redefine the dance experience. Virago has played all over the city of Chicago. You can catch her at her weekly residency at Splash Chicago.
Head of the infamous Midwest party crew, Organized Grime (CUNTea™️, LOAD™️ + Grizzly among others), Ryan Willing is known for Dark&Dirty House and TechHouse vibes with a heavy Chicago influence. With DJ residencies in Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Nashville, and Chicago, Willing is taking the industry by storm and heating up dance-floors all across the nation and world.
Max Rae is an LA and Las Vegas based pop artist who is making a splash in the music industry. Max’s intoxicatingly unique voice, songwriting talent, and killer dance skills make her a powerhouse artist and performer. Max has been a dancer since she was 3 years old, which shows in her hip-hop dance performances where her fans state that this is what sets her apart from all the rest.
Her influences include Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Tori Kelly, and Bruno Mars to name a few. “The way these artists perform and interact with their fans has really shaped me as an artist and has helped me to be unique in my own way.”
Lorely Rodriguez, the singular mind behind Empress Of, is a songwriter and producer living Brooklyn, NY. In the early part of 2012, she began a personal songwriting exercise, writing, and recording a daily series of one-minute ideas. Completing each of these snippets in several hours apiece, she eventually amassed a catalog of about fifty. Selections from this series were eventually uploaded to YouTube anonymously, each paired with a blank color swatch. The fruits of this project, deemed a series of “colorminutes”, were released on cassette via the Japanese record label, Big Love, and effectively served as the launch of Empress Of.
In the latter half of 2013, following domestic and international touring stints, her most ambitious recording to date, Realize You was self-released online to critical acclaim. Illustrating great progress in production and an even more broad swath of songwriting chops, incorporating witty lyricism and soaring melodies, this is just a hint of what remains in store for the future.
Miami based Producer/DJ Alex Lo has traveled the world bringing his sexy sounds to dance floors for the past 16 years. Leaving his hometown of Mexico City, he set out to showcase his signature style combining progressive house, tribal beats and circuit sounds to the masses and has captured the attention of club goers from Rio to Tel Aviv, Palm Springs to New York and everywhere in between. Alex credits iconic producers such as Peter Rauhofer’s contributions to the progressive house and tribal circuit, Offer Nissim’s energetic and emotional house music, and DJ Paulo’s tribal beats as his inspiration for shaping how he hears music, plays and programs his own sets and produces dance music he can call his own.
A few of the clubs and promoters Alex has worked with include The Week (Rio de Janeiro), Privilege (Ibiza), Legaga (Dubai), XLSIOR (Mykonos), Rapido and Warehouse (Amsterdam), Beyond (London), Papa Party (Tel Aviv), Jaleo (Madrid), Black Room (Barcelona), PAPA Party (Paris), Trumps (Lisbon), CircuitMOM (Chicago), Alegria (NYC), Masterbeat (LA), El Mozo (Bogota), WE Party (Madrid), Taurus Group (Santiago Chile). Alex has also participated in festivals such as Winter Party Festival and Urge Thanksgiving(Miami), White Party (Palm Spring), Circuit Festival (Barcelona), Supermartxe (Ibiza), Tel Aviv Pride, Zurich Pride, Feel Alive (Mexico’s Pride and NYE) and Arena Festival, (Playa del Carmen).
Alex dreams of one day producing dance music with Coldplay and Dua Lipa, but until then, he will keep bringing his unique style to packed dance floors and festivals around the world.
CircuitMOM, Chicago’s legendary drag performer, DJ, producer and community activist has been gracing the stages, bars and clubs of Chicago’s Boystown as well as international festivals and clubs for close to three decades. “Broadway meets the Circuit Party” is the best way to describe the experience an audience will have at a CircuitMOM event. Her brand proudly welcomes anyone and everyone to come join the party and celebrate the best in music, self-expression and authenticity while elevating the dance floor experience to next level of immersive entertainment.
CircuitMOM has headlined appearances in Vancouver, Prague, Miami, Chicago, Orlando, Toronto, New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Palm Spring, San Francisco and Hollywood to name a few along with network appearances for ABC and MTV. Gay and straight audiences alike embrace CircuitMOM’s unique combination of over-the-top productions and performances that fuse glamour, wit, and audacity. Their creativity is irrepressible and the keen eye for fostering talent has also become a hallmark of their productions. Up and coming artists, DJ’s, photographers, dancers, actors, musicians, costume designers and more have not only added their incomparable talents to countless event productions but have become family and continue to work as a collective force to bring audiences the very best in entertainment.
Their event production includes such major venues as the House of Blues Chicago, the Aragon Ballroom, the Uptown Theater Grand Lobby, Sidetrack Video Bar, Chicago’s Museum Of Contemporary Art, Venue610, ABC 7 Studios-Chicago, Windy City Live and countless other performance spaces locally and nationally where they have worked as artistic directors, actors, performance artists, production managers, television producers, podcast talent, DJs and so much more.
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
TIKTOK
VIMEO
Miami based Producer/DJ Alex Lo has traveled the world bringing his sexy sounds to dance floors for the past 16 years. Leaving his hometown of Mexico City, he set out to showcase his signature style combining progressive house, tribal beats and circuit sounds to the masses and has captured the attention of club goers from Rio to Tel Aviv, Palm Springs to New York and everywhere in between. Alex credits iconic producers such as Peter Rauhofer’s contributions to the progressive house and tribal circuit, Offer Nissim’s energetic and emotional house music, and DJ Paulo’s tribal beats as his inspiration for shaping how he hears music, plays and programs his own sets and produces dance music he can call his own.
A few of the clubs and promoters Alex has worked with include The Week (Rio de Janeiro), Privilege (Ibiza), Legaga (Dubai), XLSIOR (Mykonos), Rapido and Warehouse (Amsterdam), Beyond (London), Papa Party (Tel Aviv), Jaleo (Madrid), Black Room (Barcelona), PAPA Party (Paris), Trumps (Lisbon), CircuitMOM (Chicago), Alegria (NYC), Masterbeat (LA), El Mozo (Bogota), WE Party (Madrid), Taurus Group (Santiago Chile). Alex has also participated in festivals such as Winter Party Festival and Urge Thanksgiving(Miami), White Party (Palm Spring), Circuit Festival (Barcelona), Supermartxe (Ibiza), Tel Aviv Pride, Zurich Pride, Feel Alive (Mexico’s Pride and NYE) and Arena Festival, (Playa del Carmen).
Alex dreams of one day producing dance music with Coldplay and Dua Lipa, but until then, he will keep bringing his unique style to packed dance floors and festivals around the world.
Alex Lahey is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Her debut album I Love You Like a Brother was released in October 2017 and peaked at number 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Her second album, The Best of Luck Club followed in 2019, peaking at number 30. Following an EP issued during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she released her third record, The Answer Is Always Yes, in May 2023.
Natasha Bedingfield is an English–New Zealand singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, Unwritten, in 2004, which contained primarily up-tempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music. It enjoyed international success with more than 2.3 million copies sold worldwide. Bedingfield received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the title track Unwritten, and at the 2005 and 2006 Brit Awards, she was nominated for Best British Female Artist. Unwritten also produced her only UK number one, These Words. Bedingfield has sold over 10 million albums and 10 million singles worldwide, totaling over 20 million records worldwide.
JoJo Siwa a singer, dancer, actress and internet personality. From 2015 to 2016, she appeared as a dancer on two seasons of the reality television show Dance Moms alongside her mother, Jessalynn Siwa. In 2017, Siwa signed to Nickelodeon and acted in various shows and films. Under Nickelodeon, she released several children’s songs and her own feature film, The J Team. She was included on Time‘s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2020. In 2024, she launched her adult music career with the single “Karma” and its music video.
Sapphira Cristál is a classically trained opera singer, composer, and drag queen known for her theatrical lip sync style and six-octave vocal range. She holds 14 pageant crowns — including Miss’d America 2020/2021 —and has performed nationwide. Sapphira was a contestant on season 16 of RuPaul’s Drag Race and is renowned as a charismatic host who commands the room and establishes a special, intimate connection with her audience.
John Duff is a singer, songwriter, actor, director, dancer, choreographer, and social media influencer. Duff came to prominence on social media and rose to greater prominence following the release of several viral hit singles, including Girly, Rich, and Hokie Pokie. In 2023, Duff released four independent singles: Cruise Control, House on Fire, Somebody’s Daughter, and Gravity.
The alter ego of non-binary comic/actor Caldwell Tidicue, Bob The Drag Queen describes herself as “hilarious, beautiful, talented and…humble.” Bob’s unabashed confidence won her the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” on season 8 of RuPaul’s Drag Race as well as multiple acting roles for HBO, Netflix, Sony Tristar, MTV, and VH1. The third season of Bob’s Emmy Award nominate HBO Max series We’re Here was released in 2022. Bob is also an accomplished stand up comedian with two solo specials under his belt and a starring role in the recent Netflix comedy concert film Stand Out executive produced by Wanda Sykes. Sibling Rivalry – Bob’s podcast with his comedy partner Monet X Change – is now on its sixth season.
Formed in 2019, its membership includes many dancers who performed in earlier LGBTQIA+ country/western dance troupes in Chicago going as far back as 2007.
This inclusive, not-for-profit, LGBTQIA+ country/western dance troupe can be seen performing at local street fairs and parades throughout the Midwest. Firebrand is the visual expression of SCCDA’s mission: to support and encourage the growth of country/western dancing in the Chicagoland area.
Visit our Facebook page for more information.
The Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) has been an integral part of Chicago’s cultural and gay communities since 1983. For the last three decades, we have entertained audiences across the continent with innovative musical programming exploring everything from love to politics to the sometimes fabulous, sometimes challenging world of being gay-often all at the same time. Our always-memorable performances have included original musical revues; five popular productions celebrating the Sidetrack show tune experience; full-length book musicals including The Wizard of Oz, The Mikado, H.M.S. Pinafore and our original work – Ten Commandments – The Musical; traditional choral concerts and intimate cabaret presentations-all punctuated with our signature joyous irreverence.
CGMC has traveled extensively across North America, representing Chicago in cities including Montreal, New York, Denver, Miami, Los Angeles and New Orleans. We have also brought entertainment back home, hosting choruses from across the United States and Europe to sing with us here in Chicago.
Most recently, CGMC proudly sang “America the Beautiful” for the Illinois Marriage Equality Act bill-signing ceremony and was the featured guest choral performer for the star-studded concert, Broadway Rocks, with the Grant Park Music Festival in 2011. Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus was inducted into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2001 and currently has four cd-recordings available: Cool Yule, featuring jazzy holiday selections; I Will Be Loved Tonight, a collection of our favorite love (and not-so-in-love) songs; Favorite Things, our second celebration of holiday music; and So Happy Together: Festival Gems, featuring all live performances from our appearances at the last three quadrennial GALA Festivals. CGMC has performed the National Anthem multiple times at world-famous Wrigley Field and for the WNBA Chicago Sky.
Tribute band to P!NK, Gwen Stefani, and Lady Gaga showcasing the energy and songs of the multi-platinum-selling, Grammy award-winning stars with other fierce female artists of pop and rock.
BTB is led by vocalist Charity, who brings their energy and power vocals to the stage. Bobby on guitar/backing vocals, Dan on drums/backing vocals, and Ryan on bass. Together, they bring you a fun, energetic show that will keep you coming back!
Taking inspiration both from classic American folk music and cowboy standards, Olivia Love writes music as a vehicle for vulnerability, and reflections on queer love, loss, and healing.
Stephanie and Lindsey are the DJ Duo for Do Not Disturb, representing the LGBTQ+ community. They have been incredibly passionate about music for years, so much so that they taught themselves how to DJ during the pandemic and pursued their first set of dreams by playing at house parties.
Jazz, Funk, R&B, and classic Hip-Hop are at the core of Jade the Ivy’s unique sound. A gifted and inventive story teller, this independent rapper from the South Side of Chicago has been experimenting with sounds and clever word play since her youth, first using poetry as a means to express herself and share her story. Her lyrics run the gamut from triumph in love, to the agony of heartbreak, to taking the world by storm. She holds nothing back in her honesty on a track or her live performances. Her perspective on life is raw and real and there is no question that audiences can feel that energy every time she hits the stage. Jade released her first official EP “Euphoric Wasteland” in early 2017.
Since that release, Jade has been captivating crowds with her infectous grooves in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Backed by a live band, Jade’s flow sets her apart from other rappers, paying homage to hip-hop’s golden era while bringing a flavor all her own.
“C*nty MeMe (pronounced MiMi) is a rebel, a warrior with vulnerability as their shield and their tongue as their sword,” the passionate artist explains. MeMe is nothing short of an enigma who can’t be boxed no matter how hard one tries, mostly because they’ll burn the box to a crisp and then cook your ass for trying to force them in said box. The Chicago artist pulls inspiration from the past while simultaneously showing listeners visions of the future. There’s nothing Cunty can’t do, with their delivery oozing confidence it is impossible not to fall in love with the artist. With a blistering mixtape and raging EP under their belt, Cunty is preparing for world domination, now’s the time to prepare to serve under your new ruler…Cunty MeMe.
Since 2019, Tears Dry On Their Own: Amy Winehouse Tribute continues
standing strong in their mission to dedicate this production to mental
health, addiction and substance abuse awareness. With Sally Blandon on
vocals and her band of A-list musicians, you’ll dig deep into the cockles of
your heart as they take on some of Amy’s classic hits and other hidden
treasures. Come with you know what on your sleeve and discover the love
and heartbreak of Amy Winehouse.
Packed dance floors and long lines prevail at clubs when Laura B is spinning. Her ability for any music genre has had the crowds moving in the clubs since 1982 in Chicago. Open format remains her specialty, but make no mistake: she has held residencies with specific genres including house, hip hop, and top 40. This talent kept Laura B a buzz and moved the “Bee” into Queen Bee status. Her experience has kept her working hard hailing over 13 years of residency at Excalibur/Vision Chicago’s largest Nightclub and over 16 years residency Hydrate Nightclub Chicago’s premier gay club where she still reigns. Other residencies also included Manhole, Hunters, and Club Escape, all in Chicago. Most recently she can be found regularly at Lark, Joy District, and STK.
Chicago radio waves have broadcasted several “live from the club” mix shows with Laura B. Q101 aired her show Alternative Beats for several years where she spun trance, techno, and house live from the club Aura every Thursday night. She also played for Energy 97’s Friday night dance parties. Prerecorded mix sets were heard on B96 and several Internet radio shows spanning decades.
For over 20 years she’s provided her skills for Runway Fashion Shows in Chicago including pre-production planning, music selection, and sound engineer for each fashion event. Fashion shows were held in several different locations including the Drake Hotel, Germania Place, and White Star Nightclub.
During Chicago’s festival season Laura provided and continues to provide her DJ skills on many stages in Chicago. Windy City Rib Fest, Andersonville Midsummer Street Festival, Pride Fest Chicago, and Northalsted Market Days.
Laura B continues to thrive using her musical expertise and shows no sign of slowing any time soon. This Queen Bee is sticking around for good!
Born in Mexico City, but raised in the northwest side of Chicago IL. Julio Gomez also known as D.j. X-tasy Had a passion for music since the age of eight. When he saw that set of turntables and mixer inside his brothers room, he was just amazed what those things can do to two songs. His first gig was at his 8th Grade luncheon. At that moment he knew this is something he really wanted to do. His ability of mixing almost every type of music genre and decade has given him the opportunity to rock different crowds in the city of Chicago.
Conceived in 2018, The Weekend Run Club remains a band of musical and narrative evolution. Driven by dancey introspection rather than genre alone, The Weekend Run Club teases out technical elements from rock, alternative, indie, punk, and power-pop. They just released their sophomore LP ‘Liminal Space Race’ via Say-10 Records.
“Coming of age is an animal experience that humans share on a global scale. ‘Liminal Space Race’ addresses the nebulous, yet frenetic paradigm shifts of growing up. At the end of the tunnel of adolescence and early adulthood is an unavoidable, rueful acceptance: a fleeting truth which spares no one, especially the queer people of yesterday, today, and tomorrow: We never really stop coming out.”
With an extensive set from the late 90s into the mid-2000s, Y2K is a showstopper from the moment they play the first note. The combination of energy and musicality that is brought to every show will leave you wanting more!
Out of all the live music and bands, Y2K is an eclectic mix of talent that can only be forged in the Midwest. They came together to bring their powerhouse stage show of 2000s era music to area’s biggest cities. From Chicago, to St Louis, to Indianapolis, Milwaukee, even reaching as far as Kansas, Y2K’s performances are as memorable as they are fun to go to.
Chicago-based disco/funk tribute band, The Disco Circus, creates a NEXT LEVEL nostalgic experience by combining the energy and excitement of a 3-ring circus with the grooviest music from the 1970’s!
The Disco Circus features three dedicated lead vocalists, two female and one male, who act as the ringleaders for the funky festivities. Behind them…the tightest and grooviest band in all the land, featuring drums, bass, guitar, percussion and horns! And while the core of the band is made up of the members of legendary Chicago band, Libido Funk Circus…the additional players, a brand new stage show, and their funk-tastic outfits help to create an over-the-top experience all its own!
If you’re longing for the days of platform shoes, bell bottoms, sparkles galore and music that gets your booty movin’…then put on some polyester and your boogie shoes and let The Disco Circus take you directly to Funkytown!
It’s UltraBeat’s mission to ensure the audience has the time of their lives the UltraBeat way! The wildly entertaining group applies a unique approach where they deliver high-energy dance remix multi-song medleys to ensure there is a continuous flow of music on stage.
UltraBeat purposely infuse every performance with the best selections of power pop dance songs from the biggest artists of today such as The Weeknd, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Rihanna, Lizzo, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Usher, Kesha, and many more like them.
For the first time, you will hear all the hits of Queen and Lady Gaga in this Vegas-style production show, complete with eye-popping costuming, dazzling choreography, and unmatched showmanship. Prepare to be wowed as the vision and spirit of these performers emanates from the stage, delivering the “Concert That Never Was”!
From the creative minds of/at Magnificent Events and Entertainment, Radio Gaga is the first production of its kind! Audiences experience outstanding vocals, precise choreography, exciting participation opportunities, and to top it all off, viewers of all ages are welcome! You can find Radio Gaga touring all over the Chicago-land and Midwest area, so be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for exciting behind the scene shots, upcoming shows, and much more!
American-born, London-based electronic pop singer Sofi Vonn’s deep lyrics and light melodies create a set of contradictions that somehow fit together perfectly to tell a relatable narrative of youth. With her exceptional voice, she deftly expresses emotions and opinions on society, love, sexuality, and all the other things that everyone goes through.
Vonn knows about these things from personal experience, which has taken her across the world and back several times. Born and raised in New York City to German parents, she grew up in the picturesque, artistic West Village neighborhood. She discovered she loved singing after joining the choirs at both her school and at church.
Growing up, Vonn’s interest in music was varied enough that even now, she can subconsciously tap into all of these influences. This has given her the freedom to come up with an artistic style that is uniquely her own.
While she was in high school, Vonn and her family moved to Zürich, Switzerland. Her love of singing continued there, though she felt confused as she considered what to do post-graduation. “I liked music but I didn’t know how to get into it, because when I was applying to college for anything musical, they wanted me to be a Steinway Fellow already, basically,” she says.
Stymied, Vonn put her music dreams on hold, returning to the United States to attend Tulane University in New Orleans. She ended up earning a degree in psychology (with a German minor), but as fate would have it, she was brought back to music when she studied abroad in Berlin, Germany for a year.
“I loved Berlin, so I moved back there after I graduated from college – and that’s how I got into techno and DJing,” Vonn says. “The techno scene there is huge.” Besides DJing at a festival, she also studied sound engineering for a bit before finally landing a full-time job with the BMG record label.
BMG brought Vonn back to her hometown of New York City. Her work at the label taught her marketing skills that she then used to help her advance her DJ career at night. She became an in-demand house and techno DJ, booking numerous shows around the city for the next two years.
As she DJed, Vonn would often sing along to the music. Hearing her, a fellow DJ was impressed by her talent and hired her to sing on a track. It was the catalyst Vonn needed to make her return to the idea of seriously pursuing a singing career.
At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, giving Vonn even more incentive to think about what she really wanted to do – and in the end, she quit her record label job. “I had a great time working at BMG, but it just was time to go,” she says. “When corona happened, I realized that pursuing my own music career is what will truly make me happy.”
With all the knowledge she’d gained as a performer and at the record label, Vonn realized that she finally had both the skill and the experience that music schools wanted. She was accepted into several Masters degree programs, and chose to study popular music at the highly prestigious Goldsmiths, University of London.
Last September, Vonn made yet another trans-Atlantic move so she could begin her graduate studies. Her time there has already paid off: as a school project, she wrote the emotive song “Is It a Crime,” which she says “is about wanting a meaningful relationship and feeling embarrassed about it, but also being like, ‘Is it a crime?’” That song is set for release later this year.
Unlike many pop singers, Vonn writes all of her own material. A vibrant storyteller, her depth of feeling and love for her craft is evident in every track. Her warm and powerful voice is the perfect means for conveying her lyrics, which are at once introspective yet universal.
Concurrent with her formal music education, Vonn continues to learn about the business aspect of things whenever she can. She found an especially powerful ally when she met renowned music executive Charlie Walk (who helped launch the careers of Lorde, Ariana Grande, and The Weeknd, among many others). Impressed with Vonn’s voice and writing, Walk immediately offered to mentor her, bringing her into his prestigious Music Mastery program earlier this year.
Now that Vonn finally has the necessary experience and support, everything seems to be falling into place with her singing career. She recently recorded a number of songs in Los Angeles, which she plans to release as singles during the coming months. She’s also performed two well-received shows at the prestigious New York City clubs Arlene’s Grocery and Pete’s Candy Store, and she plans to do more shows now that she’s back in London to continue school.
SPOTIFY
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
Vonn is also keeping her DJ career going – but now, she is able to put techno remixes of her own songs into her playlists, such as the remix of her song “Stranger” that’s coming out on August 12. “That’s the beauty of what I’m doing now – it’s the best of both worlds,” she says of this multifaceted approach. “I’m making pop songs, having shows, having other people remix my pop songs. I already know how to DJ so I’ll play the songs. It’s so convenient!”
Vonn recently graduated from Goldsmiths. But beyond that, she is prepared to continue letting life lead her where it will. After all, that attitude seems to have worked out well for her so far. “I didn’t plan for what’s happening right now – but I know that everything I’ve done was necessary to get here now,” she says.
Wherever Vonn ends up, she’ll undoubtedly find more opportunities to create music that is authentic, honest, and real. Even though her colorful life has led her on a more wide-ranging path than what most people will follow, she is still able to make music that will resonate with listeners anywhere.
Sam Gee started his career as a DJ in 2019, but his affinity for music started at a very young age — singing and playing various instruments, including the piano. His DJ career blossomed at an exponential rate, booking events internationally and all over the US. These events include iconic brands like White Party & Urge. Growing up in Vancouver Canada, Sam studied at buisness school while also working as a stage performer for gay festivals across Europe, North and South America and the Middle East.
As a result of all his international travel, Sam grew an understanding and appreciation for the vast musical attributes that each culture has to offer. This in turn influenced his personal music style, consisting of high energy beats with a middle eastern flare, reflective of his Persian heritage. Sam’s music production journey began in mid 2020, where he traveled to Brazil to learn with a world renowned music producer. Continuing his upward trajectory, Sam transitions to be an iconic DJ and producer and invites you to stay tuned and #FeelTheEnerGEE!
Jace Inman is a Chicago based, multi-discipline producer and multi-genre DJ, known best for his work with the preeminent internet radio-station Sub.FM. Diversity and quality are staples of Jace’s designs / DJ sets, and his influences are boundless.
Shea Couleé (she/they) is a non-binary, internationally-renowned drag superstar, recording artist, model, and actor, known for their fashion-forward editorial looks, expanding their artistry and brand into many different spaces, and their consistant use of the art of drag and costuming as a medium for larger storytelling, having been applauded by Vogue for doing so. Widely celebrated as an activist focused on uplifting LGBTQIA+ individuals and the BIPOC community, they have countlessly shared how important it is for them to harness their career in drag to inspire, calling their drag a “love letter to Black women.”
More at SheaCoulee.com
To understand where Betty Who currently stands in her career, it’s best to imagine her as she often stood as a kid: solo, in front of the bedroom mirror, belting out hits, dancing like everyone’s watching. Because as the Australian pop queen walked away from her record deal and in to her first independent album, she had a single mandate: “I am going to be the most me I can be.” That is, in part, why her third full-length statement is simply called Betty. It’s pure her: a brilliant swirl of pop—’80s, Y2K, and hyper-modern strains—that encompasses everything from intimate artful fare to darkly sexy bangers to full-on wedding reception shout-alongs. What’s more, these are songs about grown-woman emotions delivered by someone who rediscovered the drive and verve that fueled her rise through music in the first place. As Betty says, “It all came back to joy.”
There’s a reason Betty was tapped to remake the Queer Eye theme song for the uplifting series’ second season. It’s the same reason she’s soundtracked Pitch Perfect and made the Glee cast swoon, and that a certain legendary flash mob proposal video went viral to the tune of her 2012 debut single “Somebody Loves You.” Joy has always been in the music, but for Betty, her twelfth feeling had faded. “I didn’t understand how damaging it was to feel like I was never living up to expectation,” she says of her time on a major label. “When you’re in the middle of it, you think it’s driving you. When I came out the other side, I realized, no, I was devastated.” She wanted to handpick her team, sink or swim by her own choices, and share music while it’s fresh. With Betty, she did all of that and made an album that, as she puts it, “I’m more proud of than I could possibly say.”
The world got a taste of that with Betty’s first independent single “Ignore Me,” an uplifting ode to moving on set to warm, indie-tinged electropop. Likewise, synth-streaked dance cut “I Remember” takes on something sad—the dissonance that can bubble up in a relationship—and finds the sweetness there as Betty coos, “I don’t want perfect, I want you.” Our heroine not only split from her label in 2017, she got engaged, and the thrill of realizing you could spend your life with someone rings out on “Marry Me.” The song’s exuberance was inspired by the unabashed pop (namely Katy Perry) Betty loved as a teen. Meanwhile, the vintage JT-evoking “All This Woman” addresses a would-be lover but is really about Betty’s acceptance of her own body: “This is me saying to the man or woman I’m standing opposite, ‘This is what I want and you’re crazy if you don’t want it too.’”
These songs spilled out with a similar assuredness—among them, early teaser “Taste,” which Betty has described as “a little rock ‘n’ roll with just a touch of vampire fetish,” and Betty’s first official single, the achingly up-close, acoustic-powered “Between You & Me.” The process began in sessions between runs of her famously vibrant, intensely choreographed tour. She’d planned to write more when she came off the road, but instead realized she already had an album’s worth of songs she adored. So rather than iron them out in high-profile studios around Los Angeles, she absconded to a rental in Palm Springs with her two of her best friends, artist/producer Pretty Sister and decade-long collaborator Peter Thomas. They finished Betty in 10 days between shared meals and streaming sunshine. “It was one of the best times of my life,” recalls Betty. “I swear I’ll never make a record any other way.”
But that setting conjures the beginning of Betty Who, when the woman born Jessica Newham studied cello at Berklee during the week, then took the first train out to Providence so she could spend all weekend inventing her sound at classmate Peter’s family home. And that hustle itself mimics a theme of Betty’s childhood in Sydney: while her classical training began at age 4, she devoted every free second to Britney, Christina, *NSYNC, and MJ. The voices, the moves, the lyrics, the spectacle—she ate it all up, especially that feeling the best pop gives you: “When you hear it,” says Betty, “and go, ‘Oh my God, you literally wrote this about me.’ I’ve wanted to make music like that ever since.” In that spirit, Betty gives us what we need most right now: an excuse to dance in the mirror, license to trust our instinct, and knowledge that joy is never too far away.
ASDlkicfbsDuvcbvSLUvbSV
ASDlkicfbsDuvcbvSLUvbSV
ASDlkicfbsDuvcbvSLUvbSV
ASDlkicfbsDuvcbvSLUvbSV
VINCINT is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as a finalist on the first season of the singing competition The Four. He released his debut album, There Will Be Tears on June 11, 2021.
Vincint was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father was a gospel singer in a group called the Christ United Gospel Singers, and Vincint began singing at age 5. He was shy about singing as a child, but his father took him to audition for an all-boys choir audition when he was seven to nurture his interest. Vincint wrote his first song when he was 12. He named Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Céline Dion, Madonna, Britney Spears, Bjork, and Regina Spektor as early inspirations.
Vincint appeared on the first season of The Four one week before the finale, where he received unanimous “yes” votes from every judge after performing “Creep” by Radiohead.
Vincint’s song, “Be Me”, was selected as the anthem of the fifth season of Queer Eye. Vincint is openly gay, and officially came out when he was 16.
Vassy, whose parents are both from Greece, was discovered by Australian Radio Station Triple J after she won song of the year. Her single “We Are Young” reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Dance Chart, making her the first Australian Artist to go No. 1 with her solo single debut release. She is a certified RIAA Platinum and Gold recording artist.
In 2014, Vassy collaborated with David Guetta and Showtek on their song “Bad”, which became 7 times double platinum and established her in the electronic dance music scene. In 2015, she collaborated with Tiësto and KSHMR on their track “Secrets”, which reigned atop the Billboard Club chart and Beatport charts, and went straight to number No. 1 in 20 countries. In 2016, she released her single “Nothing to Lose” through Musical Freedom Records, co-produced by Tiësto. The same year, she was called by Afrojack to meet at his studio during one of her trips to Amsterdam. Vassy and Afrojack ended up playing and working on different concepts, with “Lost” being the final output out of their collaboration. The song was officially released through Armada Music one year later, in 2017, together with Oliver Rosa. “Lost” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart in May 2018, marking Vassy’s fourth Billboard No. 1 single.
Vassy’s music incorporates dance, reggae and soul as a base for her vocal styling. Her music has received an array of accolades, including ARIA Awards and IDMA awards. She has performed in major EDM festivals around the world, including Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Tomorrowland Belgium, Electric Zoo NY, and Stereosonic Australia.
The Unfriendly Black Hotties is a collective of Black drag artists from Chicago that have come together with the common goal of being unapologetically themselves and, most importantly, being Black and proud. Resident hotties Miss Toto, Khloe Couleé, Kenzie Couleé, and Bambi Banks-Couleé are known for being just that and they’ve recently opened their group to more iconic additions who are joining the movement!
