Annelle Staal (they/them) is a compellingly honest songwriter and storyteller. A pioneer in the world of virtual performance and a visionary in their artistry, Annelle’s sound varies from blue-eyed soul to organic acoustic pop and nostalgic 80s inspired sounds.
Arts & Entertainment
The Sims 4 Introduces Items For Trans Players
On Jan. 31, 2023, the Sims team announced that “The Sims 4” was getting an update to include something for trans Simmers to enjoy, including binders and top surgery scars for transmasculine people, and shapewear specific for transfeminine people. “The Sims 4” is known for its increasingly inclusive gameplay. Recently, Simmers have been able to enjoy a breadth of new skin tones, hairstyles, romantic preferences, and new traits that make gameplay feel a bit more realistic.
Love At The End Of The World: A Review of “The Transient Bliss of Death by Fallout”
“Why am I so f****** AWKWARD?” “Alan, it’s not that bad,” you want to say to the dorky guy kicking a blow-up clown. “Pretty much everybody has a ‘Magic Tree House’ phase.”
Of course, you can’t say this because in this version of the world, you would have almost certainly perished in whatever cataclysm left Alan Alderman the last man alive. He now lives in his mother’s basement, explaining his circumstances to a tape recorder for posterity.
Love Songs of a Different Tune: A Valentine’s Day Revisit with Rio Romeo
Last year, we interviewed butch lesbian singer-songwriter Rio Romeo about their Valentine’s Day release, “Bet.” They’ve released a full EP since then, “Good God!” — a project full of what they called “love songs” in our last conversation (they certainly delivered). Just a couple days ago, they released a new single, “Danke Schoen.” Now, a year later, we all meet again, under some of the same conditions as last time. It feels almost like meeting an old friend, and we all catch up for a couple minutes before diving in.
Queer Next Up: Michael Medrano
Michael Medrano (he/him) LA’s sleazy disco cowboy that lives & breathes pop music. My only goal is to make everyone loosen the fuck up and have a great time.
Red Cloaks and Breaking Records: How Queer Music Fared at the 2023 Grammys
Music’s biggest night is back! Sunday evening marked the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah in downtown Los Angeles. Nearly all of the industry’s biggest stars filled Crypto.com Arena, hoping to be honored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for their songs and albums released between Oct. 1, 2021 and Sept. 30, 2022. But how did LGBTQ+ music fare at the show overall?
Mad Tsai Presents “Stacy’s Brother”: An Interview With The Artist
Jonathan Tsai, a.k.a. Mad Tsai, never really expected fame. Tsai started his career as a bedroom pop artist posting music online, locked in his home during a worldwide pandemic with his ukulele and overwhelming emotions to work through. While he had a significant fanbase before the pandemic, Tsai’s audience dramatically increased during lockdown when TikTok surged in popularity.
Anonymity, Art, and Stevie Wonder: A Conversation with Upcoming Artist Sophia Eiss
Why would one demonize love? It’s a question all queer people have asked ourselves and the people around us at some point in our lives. In the face of every discriminatory law, every crime committed against us, every right that is so quickly stripped away, it is safe to say that no one in the queer community has truly found the answer, — but that hasn’t stopped us from trying. Queer artist Sophia Eiss explores this question and the emotions tied to our inability to answer it in her latest single, “INNOCENT LOVE.”
“Do Revenge”: A Mix of Classic Teen Rom-Coms With A Gen Z Twist
We’ve seen movies about queen bees, revenge on the male cheater, and unexpectedly falling in love; the movies dearest to our (or at least my) young hearts almost always incorporate at least one of these tropes. While watching Netflix’s “Do Revenge,” we see all of these tropes and more as it pays homage to iconic 90s and early 2000s rom-coms. In the dawn of queer rom-coms, “Do Revenge” provides a Gen Z take on these classic movies while also introducing its own unpredictable twist.
The Queer Mythology of Morrowind
Ever heard of “Skyrim”? Played it? The third Elder Scrolls game, “Morrowind,” is its grandaddy. Actually no, it’s the weird uncle. The quirky gay uncle. And speaking of quirky gay uncles – but I’m getting ahead of myself. MASSIVE spoilers follow, to say the least.