Scissor Sisters’ front man Jake Shears will be joined by a star-studded line-up of guests including Billy Porter, Perfume Genius and Rob Halford, to celebrate their much-loved anthems from across the LGBTQ+ community Returning for a third season this June, Queer The Music honours the songs that have
Scissor Sisters’ front man Jake Shears will be joined by a star-studded line-up of guests including Billy Porter, Perfume Genius and Rob Halford, to celebrate their much-loved anthems from across the LGBTQ+ community
Returning for a third season this June, Queer The Music honours the songs that have dominated dancefloors and shaped queer lives. This podcast shines a spotlight on artists who have made huge contributions to the queer music scene, and each week will see Jake Shears joined by a new iconic guest, as they explore the important stories behind some of their greatest hits, and how they’ve trailblazed a path towards self-expression.
Queer The Music reached number 1 in the UK music podcast charts with over 175,000 streams across seasons 1 and 2, and has previously celebrated and showcased music from some of the most established queer artists and allies, including Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Pet Shop Boys, Jessie Ware, Years and Years, and Erasure, amongst many other influential musicians. Some of the hit songs explored include The Power of Love, It’s a Sin, Free Yourself, King and A Little Respect. Jake and his guests delved into the meaning behind them and discussed the powerful impact their music has had on the LGBTQ+ community.
Jake Shears says: “Since starting Queer The Music, my mission and vision for the podcast has shifted over time. Flash forward to the third season we’ve been making, and the show’s importance has really solidified to me. I don’t really view it personally as a podcast. I treat it now as an archive of queer music history, and I’m so proud of what we’ve made so far and what we will continue to deliver this season at a time when it’s more important than ever to elevate LGBTQ+ and other marginalised voices.”
In previous series, Queer The Music offered listeners frank, funny, and often moving discussions, including with Erasure’s Andy Bell – “out and proud from the get-go” – who reflected on the start of his career and how he progressed in the industry as an openly gay artist in the 1980s. Telling Jake how shy and petrified he first was, but after a technical breakdown at a gig in Heaven, London, he developed this character on stage which continued to grow, until he thought “I’m going to do this camp as tits person that’s not me, but an effervescent, over-the-top person, that there’ll be no question if you’re gay or not.”
Series 3 will continue to grow on the success of the first two seasons by bringing in new global superstars, and focusing on topical and engaging conversations around music and LGBTQ+ culture. This season’s line up is set to include some of the industry’s current pioneers, and their songs that will likely influence the next generation of queer artists and music-lovers.
Queer The Music will be available on all podcast platforms, with upcoming guests including Billy Porter, Perfume Genius, and Rob Halford. Episodes 1 and 2 will air on the 17 and 24 June respectively, followed by fortnightly episodes throughout the season.
