Pass The Aux: February
Five Queer Black Artists to Remind You that Every Month Is Black History Month
Pass the Aux is a monthly series that features new music created by women and gender expansive artists.
As February nears its end, we wanted to emphasize the importance of remembering that every month, we continue to lift up the voices of Black folks, as well as the Black Queer community.
Baby 95 - Liniker
Liniker is a Brazilian singer and composer whose voice is otherworldly. Last November, she became the first trans artist to win a Latin Grammy, making history in Brazilian culture. Her music has been an incredible influence on young individuals facing gender discrimination in the Afro-Latine community and beyond. We celebrate with Liniker and thank her for her authenticity and musicality.
dirty dancer - Orion Sun
Orion Sun may already be on your radar from her previous album which reached 40 million streams. Philadelphia-born and New York-based, Orion Sun is a songwriter, producer and artist that merges her influences from jazz legends like Billie Holiday, to neo soul queens like Lauryn Hill. Her song topics range from queer romance, unconditional love, the importance of being in the present moment, etc.
Runaway Blues - Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey was a Blues icon who paved the way for many other Queer Black artists. She was rightfully dubbed the “Mother of the Blues” as she was the first Black woman to be recorded. She conveyed emotion not only with her energetic and raw performances, but also with her candid lyrics, occasionally writing about other women in a romantic way. As we welcome new art, we thank artists like Ma Rainey who have greatly influenced modern music.
GIOVANNI - Jamila Woods
Chicago-based artist, Jamila Woods is a prolific poet and songwriter. In combining these two mediums, Jamila delivers soulful music that focuses on Black Feminism, ancestry, and identity. Thanks to her BA in Africana Studies from Brown University, she's able to craft her art in an informative yet incredibly cool way. In her songs, Jamila references works by Nikki Giovanni, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, and other paramount authors in Black Academia.
Kerosene! - Yves Tumor
No one makes experimental music quite like Yves Tumor. Raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, they began making music as an escape from their conservative environment. Combining R&B grooves, distorted guitars, unique sound design, and choir-like vocals, Yves Tumor expresses all aspects of their personality through a sonic medium. Although they are a private person, we can hear their fullest self-expression in their music. As fellow musicians, we couldn’t ask for anything more.
Listen to the Pass the Aux: Black History Month Edition playlist on Spotify for even more new music by women & gender expansive artists!
-Written and compiled by Valeria Orrantia