Seven LGBTQ+ Country Artists to Watch

In honor of Pride Month, we’ve compiled a list of rising country artists that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and who are aiming to make the country music scene more inclusive. Their songwriting is honest and their storytelling is immaculate. There’s no doubt that all of these artists have very bright futures ahead of them.

Lily Rose

After going viral on TikTok, 27-year-old Lily Rose has really made a name for herself. On the app she has amassed over 700 thousand followers and five million total likes. Her song “Villain” gained a lot of traction on social media making the song go straight to the top of the all genre iTunes chart. Since then, Rose has released another single “Remind Me Of You” and is set to go on tour with Chris Lane in the fall of 2021.

Orville Peck

Up-and-coming country artist from Canada Orville Peck is known for his iconic, vintage western fashion and fringed mask that keeps his identity a secret. Peck’s music is reminiscent of older country music; he’s inspired by people like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. His debut album Pony came out in 2019 and an EP titled Show Pony followed shortly after. At the end of last year, he released a collaboration with Shania Twain called “Legends Never Die.”

Harper Grae

Country singer-songwriter and Alabama native Harper Grae is known for her country ballads. She is influenced by musical icons Martina McBride, Reba, and Brandi Carlile. In 2019 she performed at GLAAD’s Concert For Love And Acceptance and also performed at Tinpan South “Rainbow Round ” featuring numerous songwriters from the LGBTQ+ community. Her latest song “Still Your Mother” is a striking song dedicated to those who have experienced a miscarriage.

Amythyst Kiah

Amythyst Kiah is on a roll. After performing with Our Native Daughters, a music group made up of Kiah, Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russel, she earned her first GRAMMY Nomination for Best American Roots Song. Just this past month, she released her studio album Weary + Strange, an 11-track project that helped Kiah establish her solo sound; the album is already receiving rave reviews from critics.

Brooke Eden

Brooke Eden first made her mark on the music scene in 2016 with her debut EP Welcome to the Weekend. She prides herself on storytelling through her music and mixing pop and country elements together. Eden’s most recent song, “Got No Choice” was inspired by her girlfriend, who’s now her fiancée, as she states on her website, “Before I met my girlfriend, I had never written a love song,” she says. “A lot of my songs were very cynical, and dark and angsty. When I met Hilary, everything changed.” She recently performed at Outloud: Raising Voices in Los Angeles. Watch our interview with Brooke Eden here.

Fancy Hagood

Fancy Hagood is an openly gay country singer from the state of Arkansas who’s known for his incredible songwriting. He writes songs circling around being queer in the south. He’s also written songs for other artists like Little Big Town, Christina Aguilera, and Rascal Flatts. His debut album Southern Curiosity was released in April of 2021.

Jaime Wyatt

Described as the “New Queer Queen of Outlaw Country” by The Advocate Magazine, country singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jaime Wyatt is certainly paving her own way. Her most recent album Neon Cross is filled with raw and honest storytelling after Wyatt struggled with addiction and sobriety. Recently, Wyatt has played for CMT, GLAAD and Ty Herndon’s Concert For Love & Acceptance.

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