Jxckson (he/him) is an Austin-based alt-pop artist who seamlessly blends elements of different genres of Pop to create a fresh and modern sound that still pays homage to the classic earworms of the past. His delivery, complete with a sly smirk, adds an extra layer of attitude and swagger to every track.
Arts & Entertainment
Scissor Me, Daddy Ass: Queerness, Homophobia and the Acclaimed
The queer messaging of the Acclaimed — the two tag team champions for the professional wrestling company All Elite Wrestling (AEW) — veers in enough different directions that it’s hard to pick out a unified message. The fictional world of wrestling, whose staged theatrics and over-the-top characters often shade towards campiness, complicates the real-world impact of that message even further.
Being the Gay Bachelor: Colton Underwood’s Past and Present
You might know Colton Underwood as the first gay Bachelor. He was the token golden boy of “The Bachelor” Season 23 (2019). In the Netflix docuseries “Coming Out Colton,” the reality TV star revisits his time on the show, as well as his coming out journey, reliving the scrutiny that came from the spotlight.
Annelle Staal: Now Streaming
When most people think of the popular live streaming platform Twitch, they think of “Fortnite” fiends or online chess tournaments. The platform, however, is also a thriving hub for musicians who put on powerful performances for eager audiences, live from their bedrooms. Annelle Staal, who boasts nearly 60 thousand followers, is one such savant.
Queer Next Up: D’Andre Adonis
D’Andre Adonis (he/him) is a recording artist. With a mesh of R&B, Hip Hop and Pop with a sound that still has its own character, D’Andre Adonis has one goal: to make you feel something when you listen to his music. Based in his hometown of Chicago, IL he takes pride in his city and loves to grow with his peers.
“It Was Never That Serious”: Noah Schnapp’s Coming Out and Who We’re Leaving Behind
In January, Noah Schnapp posted a TikTok that read, “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years, and all they said was ‘we know.’” The sound he lip syncs to says, “You know what it never was? That serious. It was never that serious. Quite frankly, it will never be that serious.” He captioned it, “I guess I’m more similar to will than I thought,” a reference to Will Byers, the character he plays in the show “Stranger Things,” who was confirmed by Schnapp to be gay in an interview with Variety last year.
Queer Next Up: SHILPA
SHILPA (she/her) is an independent musician from Los Angeles, California. She writes funk, neo-soul, and indie tunes, often touching on complex emotions and themes of growth and solitude. She recently released her debut single, a touching homage to her grandmother — this song features poetic, lyrical writing, and is the first project of many more to come.
Queer Next Up: VATTICA
VATTICA (they/them) is an artist and self-described soapbox snark for social change who writes alt-rock anthems for our dystopia.
Apocalyptic Queer Rage: “The Last of Us” Redefines Queerness in Video Games
The gaming community ten years ago was a toxic space for marginalized people, including the LGBTQ+ community. Video games in the early 2010s had minimal LGBTQ+ representation, and the scant representation that did exist portrayed LGBTQ+ people in an unpleasant light. The video games that were sympathetic to LGBTQ+ were few and far between and usually not considered triple-A games (a term for video games made by major video game publishers who have access to higher quality development and a larger budget).
Queer Identity and The Importance of Apologies in Netflix’s “Freeridge”
Netflix released the show “On My Block” nearly 5 years ago. The show follows an all-POC friend group (including characters of Black, Latinx, and Asian ethnicities) as they navigate high school, relationships, struggles at home, and a treasure hunt. While it had its fair share of cringy moments, the show was funny and interesting enough for me to watch the first three seasons, so when Netflix released a spin-off that included queer representation, I knew I had to watch it.