Category Music

Deciding the most suitable way for any queer individual to honor Pride can be challenging, something I’m experiencing anew at the age of 30-soon-to-be-31 (which, admittedly, is Not Old by any means, yet it still leaves me feeling like an older person each time I visit the Woods on a Wednesday evening and everyone appears youthful and fresh-faced enough to be my offspring). Gay venues remain a favored option, but predictably, they become congested and stifling each June. As for marches? Apologies, but I possess more than enough promotional bank T-shirts.

During my mission this month to discover novel spaces to connect with my queer identity without becoming a) perspired, b) overwhelmed, or c) unattractively inebriated, I’ve stumbled upon a Pride haven in an unexpected corner: the Instagram comments of one Ms. Chappell Roan, also known as the Femininomenon herself, whose provocative lyrics and recent evolution into a chaps-wearing Statue of Liberty—not to mention her bold decision to decline performing at the White House—have solidified her status as an LGBTQ+ icon for our era.

For those who are queer, trans, or gender-nonconforming, Instagram comment realms can resemble chaotic wastelands, but Roan’s are warm, rainbow-infused, celebrity-packed hubs, featuring everyone from Ariana Grande to Rina Sawayama to indie brand Fashion Brand Company stepping in to showcase their admiration. (Moreover, Roan recently earned a follow from none other than the club-banger queen Carly Rae Jepsen…possibly a collaboration soon, royalty?) Observe the magic unfold below:

La segunda producción discográfica de estudio de la cantautora Gracie Abrams, The Secret of Us, ha sido lanzada, y dos editoras de Vogue que coincidieron en un vuelo de Air France registraron sus impresiones del álbum en tiempo real. ¿La conclusión? Adoran a los hijos de famosos e, igual que otros de la Generación Z, se identifican con la mayoría de las letras de Abrams sobre el amor y la amistad.

[Nota de la editora: Para asegurarse de disfrutar al máximo de la experiencia auditiva, ambas esperaron hasta llegar a sus habitaciones de hotel para escuchar la colaboración con Taylor Swift.]

“Close to You”

Irene Kim: Los admiradores de Gracie han estado esperando tanto por esta canción, y definitivamente valió la pena.

Florence O’Connor: Salió la canción e inmediatamente supe todas las palabras. ¡No sabía que ya me las sabía!

Kim: Esta pieza es algo que solo una adolescente podría haber compuesto, en ese instante y lugar.

O’Connor: “Quiero estar cerca de ti” era cómo me sentía contigo, Irene, antes de trabajar en Vogue. Quería estar cerca de la chica cool de mi misma edad en Vogue Runway. (Soy conocida por ser una gran acechadora en Instagram, e Irene es conocida por ser muy reservada en Instagram.)

As the new millennium dawned, Mariah Carey’s career entered a phase of change.

Gradually distancing herself from the grand ballads and torch songs that characterized her initial sound, Carey adeptly mingled pop with hip-hop when the remix of “Fantasy” featuring Ol’ Dirty Bastard reached the top spot in 1995. Two years onward, her album Butterfly and its prominent track, “Honey,” broadened Carey’s musical style by delving even deeper into hip hop.

Amid the crafting of Butterfly, Carey parted ways with her spouse Tommy Mottola, the music executive who had exerted significant influence over her career and public persona since he signed her to Columbia Records a decade before. Anxious to steer her music into novel territories, yet facing Tommy’s opposition to hip-hop, Carey had by then sold a considerable number of records, allowing her to forge her own direction. Thus, with a single album left under her Columbia contract, Carey traveled to Capri in the summer of 1999 to record what would soon become Rainbow.

Rainbow, Carey’s seventh studio release, achieved eight million worldwide sales and gifted her with two additional number one tracks: the one featuring Jay-Z, “Heartbreaker,” and “Thank God I Found You.” The album contains a good share of ballads, notably the deeply emotional “Petals” and Diane Warren’s “Can’t Take That Away (Mariah’s Theme).” However, the album’s most vivid parts occur when Carey lets loose on tracks like “Heartbreaker” and “How Much,” which sampled Tupac’s “Me and My Girlfriend” long before Beyoncé and Jay-Z did likewise. Comparatively to the sultry Butterfly, Rainbow witnesses Carey joyously exploring in manners she hadn’t been granted the freedom to before.

This week introduces a digital 25th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Rainbow, inclusive of unreleased bonus tracks, historic live performances, remixes, and additional content. “Rainbow (Interlude)” from the original record has been transformed into the dance-ready “Rainbow’s End,” while the a capella rendition of “Bliss” manages to be even more sultry than the studio version. It’s a trove of material for the Lambs to delve into while they await updates on Carey’s forthcoming album.

Preceding her concluding performances in Vegas this summer tied to her Celebration of Mimi residency, Vogue engaged with Carey to reflect on the anniversary of Rainbow, capturing its memorable cover with David LaChapelle, and what ultimately happened to that spray-painted tank top.

Vogue: What was it like to revisit Rainbow and that era of your life, in a broader sense, for its 25-year commemoration?

If you’ve ever dared to utter anything less than flattering about Taylor Swift online, you’ve probably already encountered the sheer force of her devoted followers. Swifties, as they’re known, are renowned for their strategic prowess (refer to: the collapse of Ticketmaster) as well as their immense fervor for the object of their pop admiration. So it shouldn’t be astonishing that a dedicated group among them—Swifties for Kamala—are channeling their abundant enthusiasm into assisting Kamala Harris’s presidential bid this November. Although the group emphasizes it isn’t officially affiliated with Swift, their clout is nonetheless formidable: Swifties for Kamala has amassed nearly $150K in campaign donations and has recently hosted notable figures such as Carole King, along with senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, during their inaugural fundraising call.

Vogue recently chatted with two active members of the Swifties for Kamala movement—first-time campaign participant Emerald Medrano and swing-state voter Carly Long—about their political drive, the intersection of Taylor Swift fandom with Harris-Walz 2024 campaign principles, and the significance of preventing another Trump presidency. Read the comprehensive interview below:

Vogue: What motivated you to engage with the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign?

Emerald Medrano, 22, cofounder and chairman of Swifties for Kamala: In an unusual manner, my worries have truly driven me to participate in this election. Regardless of the November outcome, I want to look back on this election period knowing that I gave my all to support Kamala in becoming the 47th president of the United States. I wish to avoid regrets and reside in a country that acknowledges everyone with kindness. I believe America is poised to shine, and Kamala will allow us to dazzle.

Carly Long, 25, communications director for Swifties for Kamala: When Kamala Harris became the presumptive candidate, a profound sense of optimism for the election filled me. For once, I was not just casting a vote against something but voting for someone—for an intelligent and strong figure, for someone committed to advocating for minority rights and safety, for a lively and spirited candidate. Her campaign instilled pride in my choice, and I aspire to be part of electing the first woman to lead this nation!

Oh, 2024. What an extraordinary year it has turned out to be. Just as we believed pop tunes were becoming a tad mundane and predictable, Chappell Roan emerged to remind us of the impact of a grand, courageous chorus coupled with genuinely eccentric costume transformations. No artist has ascended to superstar levels with such natural flair in a single summer since Lady Gaga—something you’re undoubtedly already aware of. Hence, the looming curiosity surrounding 2025: Will there be a successor to her initial album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess? And, if it does materialize, what will its aesthetic, sound, and atmosphere be like?

Clearly, our knowledge is somewhat limited at present. The 26-year-old’s debut was only released towards the conclusion of last year, and it required an additional half-year to truly gather steam. Nonetheless, those who are truly observant might have picked up on a few hints scattered around. Presented here is all the information known to us concerning Roan’s second, as-yet-unidentified album to date.

She’s collaborating with producer Daniel Nigro once more

You might not instantly recognize the name, but you’ve undoubtedly encountered the songs Nigro has contributed to. The New York-based producer and songwriter has been involved in creating everything from Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion (2015) to Caroline Polachek’s Desire I Want to Turn Into You (2023), along with both of Olivia Rodrigo’s albums, Sour (2019) and Guts (2023). He also co-authored and produced Roan’s debut, demonstrating his adeptness at shaping a pop masterpiece. Both Roan and Nigro have confirmed their continued collaboration on the second album—which is reassuring, because if it isn’t broken, there’s no need to fix it, etc.

Five new compositions have been crafted, including “The Subway”

Last September, Roan informed Rolling Stone that she had already completed five or six songs. “We have a country tune. We have a dance-inspired track. There’s one with a strong ’80s vibe, an acoustic number, and a piece that exudes a natural, live-band feel with a ’70s atmosphere,” she disclosed. “It’s incredibly unusual.” Earlier this month, in a discussion with The New York Times, Nigro provided a comparable update. He mentioned a “lively, fast-paced country song” that includes “a fiddle. That’s all I’ll reveal. It’s a fresh version of Chappell.” In addition, there are “a few ballads and a mid-tempo rock piece.”

During the MTV era, the life of a celebrity proceeded in the following manner: an individual gains fame, paparazzi pursue the individual, photographs of said individual are auctioned to the highest-paying tabloid, and the cycle repeats. Fans might linger outside hotels and venues seeking autographs. Occasionally, a few stalkers might attempt to obtain a home phone number. Largely, however, being a celebrity was a tangible experience, characterized by evading camera flashes and trying to keep one’s location discreet.

The ’90s and ’00s were infamously not enjoyable periods for celebrities. Now, however, it seems the distinctions between stars and fans have become even more blurred. With personal phones in hand, the need for paparazzi and tabloids has diminished—we can assume the roles of paparazzi and tabloids. Social media allows us to discover not only a celebrity’s location but also that of their family. We can observe their friends, their hangout spots, and which burger place they prefer at 3 p.m. post-celebration (even in the absence of their posts, rest assured, someone nearby will have shared it). Celebrities are perpetually under watch, and reaching a certain level of fame often means sacrificing personal privacy.

This isn’t a life that 26-year-old pop artist Chappell Roan is willing to embrace for herself. On Friday afternoon, she announced on Instagram: “For the past decade, I’ve been relentlessly focusing on my project, and it’s time I establish clear boundaries,” she stated. “I’ve encountered too many unwanted physical and social interactions, so I need to clarify and remind you, women owe you nothing.” She proceeds to mention that when she is on stage or at a press event, she is “working,” but “[in] any other scenario, she is not on the clock.” She adds: “Please stop touching me. Please stop behaving awkwardly with my family and friends… And kindly: do not address me as Kayleigh.”

Chappell isn’t the first celebrity to convey a sentiment similar to “celebrities don’t owe you everything” (in 2016, Justin Bieber ceased fan meet-and-greets because they left him feeling exhausted and “like an exhibit at a zoo”). Nevertheless, she is among the first to make such a firm declaration so early in her career. Around this time the previous year, Chappell Roan was not widely known. Now, her name is familiar, and you’d recognize her even outside of drag. She’s addressing the issue before it advances. Similar to deciding, early on, to not answer work emails outside of office hours or refraining from befriending your boss on social media, Chappell is asserting that when she’s not performing (meaning: not getting paid to perform or appear for work), she need not remain ‘on.’

Tom Rasmussen has consistently been a multifaceted individual. (Quite literally, sometimes: the performer initially gained recognition in the broader scene as their previous drag persona, Crystal, a vocalist born in Russia and raised in Lancashire with a fondness for headpieces.) They’ve authored two books, co-created a musical, and even contributed as a columnist on sex and relationships for Vogue. However, the role they’ve always felt most at ease in—and which they wholeheartedly returned to a few years prior—was in pop music. “I find it mortifying to say, ‘I’m a storyteller,’ because it’s what bothersome people declare,” Rasmussen remarks, with their signature self-deprecating humor. “Yet, I believe that’s what I’ve achieved throughout all my endeavors, and it truly became prominent once I began composing my own music, just for myself.”

In 2023, Rasmussen came out with their introductory album, Body Building, on Globe Town Records: an exhilarating, dance-pop journey of a record where the euphoric instances were balanced by incredibly vulnerable lyrics depicting the highs and lows of revealing one’s nonbinary identity, and the paradox of being visible. Now, just a year and a half later, Rasmussen has returned with its sequel, Live Wire—and is prepared to openly express their feelings in a distinct, more optimistic manner. “I’m really supportive of grand and beautiful, expansive emotions,” Rasmussen notes regarding the more reflective nature of the new album, which explores the smaller, quieter aspects of their existence—from casual encounters to marriage and their closest friendships. “I’m humorous, but I’m also quite emotional and actually quite genuine.”

“Por favor! Por favor! Por favor! ¡Toca Espresso!” se leía en un cartel entre el público durante la actuación de Sabrina Carpenter en Coachella a principios de este año. La cantante acababa de lanzar el ahora omnipresente éxito la noche anterior. Poco sabíamos que el cartel era un pequeño y astuto huevo de Pascua para “Por favor, por favor, por favor,” el sencillo principal del álbum recientemente anunciado de Carpenter Short n’ Sweet, que saldrá el 23 de agosto. La nueva etapa de Carpenter comienza con un video musical coprotagonizado por nada menos que su mayor admirador, el actor nominado al Oscar, Barry Keoghan.

“Siento que nunca más pagaré por otro café, ¡y estoy tan agradecida y emocionada de que la gente escuche todo el álbum! ¡Es tan cercano a mí!” escribió Carpenter por correo electrónico sobre entrar en su nueva era después del éxito de “Espresso.” En el video, Carpenter luce de todo, desde Alaïa y Dilara Findikoglu hasta alta costura de Alexandre Vauthier y Coach a medida (“Siempre me gusta elevar la moda y la narrativa en mis videos, es un tiempo de juego para mí”) mientras de manera fabulosa y—bastante seductoramente—suplicando a su travieso amante que no la avergüence más. “El desamor es una cosa, mi ego es otra/ Te ruego que no me avergüences, cabrón,” canta. Uno debe preguntarse, ¿sobre quién trata esta canción?

Para aquellos familiarizados con el universo de Sabrina Carpenter, la cantante es arrestada al final de su video musical “Espresso.” “Terminé el último video siendo arrestada, así que naturalmente pensé que sería satisfactorio comenzar el video de ‘Por favor, por favor, por favor’ en la cárcel,” escribió. “Me gustó la idea de enamorarme de un convicto y sentirme sorprendida y avergonzada cada vez que comete delitos. Tuve tantísima suerte de tener a Barry Keoghan en el video porque él es pura magia en pantalla.” No hay discusión al respecto.

Para festejar el nuevo sencillo de Carpenter y el anuncio de su sexto álbum (lo has leído bien, ¡esto no ocurrió de la noche a la mañana!), el director del video y colaborador de Vogue, Bardia Zeinali, junto con el estilista de Carpenter, Ron Hartleben, se unieron a Vogue para una corta y dulce (lo siento, tenía que hacerlo) charla sobre la creación de “Por favor, por favor, por favor.”

An insightful seer known as Kacey Musgraves once urged her audience to “kiss lots of boys, kiss lots of girls, if that’s what you’re into,” and over ten years later, it appears another pop-country songstress has elected to heed those hallowed words. Maren Morris, the Texas-native singer-songwriter whose tunes have earned her five Academy of Country Music accolades (alongside a Grammy), declared on Monday through Instagram her bisexuality, stating she’s “happy to be the B in LGBTQ+.”

In an ideal universe, a woman of 34 years revealing her bisexuality wouldn’t be noteworthy, but regrettably, the real world we inhabit—and Morris’s country-music realm specifically—can still be unwelcoming to such revelations. Nonetheless, it’s uplifting to envision Morris entering the company of Orville Peck, Lil Nas X, and other openly LGBTQ+ creators who decide to craft their work within (or on the outskirts of) the country domain.

Though Morris may not be enveloped by a queer circle within the sphere of mainstream country tunes, supporters are unquestionably embracing her on Instagram, where the comments section on her coming-out announcement has transformed into an actual Pride festival of rainbow-flag emojis and hearts. (A swift glance through country history illustrates that Morris is certainly not the pioneering woman in her style to be drawn to other women, naturally; the late country vocalist Wilma Burgess, who had more than a dozen Billboard-charting hits from 1965 to 1975, was openly lesbian.)

With hope, Morris’s openness about her orientation will motivate country music to become a tad more embracing—and encourage her admirers grappling with their own LGBTQ+ identities to feel a touch more at ease with loving freely…or, at minimum, to play the Chicks’ iconic, profoundly sapphic-coded country ballad “Goodbye Earl” at full blast. (I mean…ending an abusive man’s life and then serenely making jam with your best friend for eternity? Sounds quite queer to me!)

I won’t deceive you: I perceived myself as pretty chic for offering small bites at my 31st birthday bash last month. I mean, what could be more mature and stylish than providing attendees with ham-and-cheese swirls to nibble on while they overindulge in drinks? Surprisingly, Charli XCX somehow managed to surpass me during her 32nd birthday celebration in Los Angeles on Friday, which featured none other than Lorde joining Charli on the dance floor to groove to their “Girl, So Confusing” remix.

To be honest, I’m unsure which aspect to highlight first in that award-worthy video clip. Is it Charli’s Brat-green mobile cover? Her impeccably daring, pantless birthday ensemble? Lorde’s quirky little braids? Rachel Sennott and Molly Gordon dancing beside them? The individual in the crowd clearly being FaceTimed in? Or should we pull back to the wider scene that includes the presence of the Manic Pixie Dream Guy himself, Glen Powell (though not necessarily during this exclusive moment, which appeared reserved for the ladies and gays, but generally at the party)?

If Powell’s attendance weren’t remarkable enough, the gathering also included Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish, Finneas, Gracie Abrams, Addison Rae, Tove Lo, Nelly Furtado, Anya Taylor-Joy, and two of the Willis sisters—specifically, Scout and Tallulah—who came together to mark the transition of our world from being without Charli XCX to being with Charli XCX, and I certainly trust they brought a vast selection of slime green presents.

Ultimately, however, a single extraordinary detail of the birthday celebration had me daydreaming, and it was the exquisite and incredibly on-point cigarette bouquet that singer Rosalía presented to Charli as a birthday gift: