20 gay singers: phenomenal LGBTQ+ music artists you should know
The music industry is diverse and inclusive of artists from all backgrounds. Among these artists are the gay singers who have stepped up to the microphone and wowed the world with their voices. They have soared high in their musical journeys and championed LGBTQ+ representation.
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Good music is good music, no matter what the artist's sexual orientation is. As days pass, more and more musicians become upfront about their sexuality. They openly advocate for their rights in society and are loved by many. Here are a few musical superstars who are out and proud.
Top 20 most talented gay singers
Over the years, the world has slowly become more accepting of people who do not fit into the heteronormative society. Many artists have been able to live freely and share their art with the world without fear of persecution. Below is a list of gay music artists who you should know.
1. Sam Smith
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- Date of birth: 19 May 1992
- Place of birth: London, United Kingdom
Samuel Frederick Smith is an English singer and songwriter. They are regarded as one of the most talented singers in the world. They have released several albums and single hits, some of which have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The singer came out publicly in 2014.
2. Lance Bass
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- Date of birth: 4 May 1979
- Place of birth: Laurel, Mississippi, United States
Lass Bass is one of the famous gay musicians who was born in Laurel, Mississippi. He rose to fame as the singer in the popular American pop boy band. He was also a contestant on season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in third place. Bass came out in a cover story for People magazine on 26 July 2006.
3. Lil Nas X
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- Date of birth: 9 April 1999
- Place of birth: Lithia Springs, Georgia, United States
Lil Nas X rose to fame after releasing his country rap single Old Town Road. He came out as gay, becoming the only artist to do so while having a number-one record. He credits LGBTQ+ artists Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator for making it easier for him to be comfortable with who he is.
4. Adonxs
- Date of birth: 13 September 1995
- Place of birth: Myjava, Slovakia
Adonxs is a Slovak singer-songwriter, model and dancer. He is a former lead singer of the alternative band PACE, based in London. He has released several singles such as Hunt Me Down, Moving On and Cold Summer.
5. Clay Aiken
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- Date of birth: 30 November 1978
- Place of birth: Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Clay is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. Aiken came out as gay in a September 2008 interview with People magazine. Some of his studio albums include Measure of a Man, A Thousand Different Ways and Merry Christmas with Love.
6. Pablo Alborán
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- Date of birth: 31 May 1989
- Place of birth: Málaga, Spain
Pablo is a Spanish musician and singer-songwriter. He has released five studio albums, two live albums, and various musical collaborations. He has also won a Goya Award for Best Original Song. The talented singer came out in 2020.
7. Omar Apollo
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- Date of birth: 20 May 1997
- Place of birth: Hobart, Indiana, United States
Omar's Mexican parents immigrated to the US from Guadalajara when he was young. He started his music career by creating and uploading his songs on SoundCloud. A year later, the song would cross more than 15 million streams. He is one of the most loved LGBTQ+ music artists with many singles.
8. Alfie Arcuri
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- Date of birth: 19 April 1988
- Place of birth: Central Coast, Australia
Alfie Arcuri is an Australian singer who gained fame for winning the fifth season of The Voice Australia in 2016. He released his debut studio album, Zenith, in 2016. He is also a qualified architect. Alfie told his family he was gay in 2013 when he was 24 years old.
9. Rob Halford
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- Date of birth: 25 August 1951
- Place of birth: The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, United Kingdom
Rob is one of the legendary heavy metal singers best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest. In 2022, he received the Award for Musical Excellence and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Judas Priest. He has been out since 1998, when he discussed his sexuality with MTV.
10. Troye Sivan
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- Date of birth: 5 June 1995
- Place of birth: Johannesburg, South Africa
Troye Sivan is among the famous gay singers of today. He came out publicly via a YouTube video on 7 August 2013. He gained attention for his 2006 performance, including a duet with Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian. He is also an actor and has appeared in several films and TV shows, such as X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Idol.
11. Elton John
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- Date of birth: 25 March 1947
- Place of birth: Pinner, United Kingdom
Elton is a British singer, pianist and composer. He is known for his extraordinary contributions to the music industry, spanning several decades. He has always advocated for equal rights for LGBTQ+ people and is one of the most iconic gay pop artists.
12. Ryan Dolan
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- Date of birth: 22 July 1985
- Place of birth: Strabane, United Kingdom
Ryan is an Irish pop singer. He is known for representing Ireland in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest with Only Love Survives. Dolan came out as gay in 2014. He has released several albums, such as Frequency and Deep Covers.
13. Ed Droste
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- Date of birth: 22 October 1978
- Place of birth: Massachusetts, United States
Ed was a member of the rock band Grizzly Bear. He went solo with the release of his first studio album, Horn of Plenty. Droste came out as gay when he was 21 years old. As of 2023, he has his independent practice as an associate therapist in Los Angeles.
14. Luke Evans
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- Date of birth: 15 April 1979
- Place of birth: Pontypool, United Kingdom
Luke is one of LGBTQ+ musicians who are openly gay. He once dated actor and model Jon Kortajarena but the two broke up in 2016. The singer has two studio albums and several covers, such as Love Is a Battlefield, Horizons Blue and Say Something.
15. Adam Lambert
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- Date of birth: 29 January 1982
- Place of birth: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Adam is one of the famous queer singers who has contributed to social justice for the LGBTQ+ community. Lambert has also been collaborating with rock band Queen as lead vocalist for Queen + Adam Lambert since 2011. Adam founded the Feel Something Foundation, which is the foundation for his continued charity, LGBTQ+ and human rights activities.
16. Ricky Martin
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- Date of birth: 24 December 1971
- Place of birth: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Ricky is a Puerto Rican singer and actor. He is regarded as one of the best and most talented Latin artists. Martin sings in Spanish, English, Portuguese, Italian, and French. His first English album, Ricky Martin, was released in 1999. He publicly came out as gay via a message on his website.
17. Victor Garber
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- Date of birth: 16 March 1949
- Place of birth: London, Canada
Victor is a Canadian-American actor and singer. He began acting at the age of nine in 1958 and picked off his music career in 1967 after a period working as a solo folk singer. He is a very private individual when it comes to his personal life. He referred publicly to being gay in 2012.
18. Andy Bell
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- Date of birth: 25 April 1964
- Place of birth: Peterborough, United Kingdom
Andy is among the popular male gay singers who have had long-time partners. Bell publicly announced that he has been HIV-positive since 1998. He has released several singles such as Fountain of Youth, Weston-Super-Mare and My Precious One.
19. André De Shields
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- Date of birth: 12 January 1946
- Place of birth: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
André is a singer, dancer, director, and choreographer from the United States. He has garnered multiple awards, including an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony. De Shields made his professional debut in the Chicago production of Hair in 1969. He is currently an adjunct professor at Gallatin.
20. Matt Doyle
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- Date of birth: 13 May 1987
- Place of birth: Larkspur, California, United States
Matthew is an American actor and singer known for his work in musical theatre. He has performed in live shows and released two EPs, Daylight (2011) and Constant (2012). He released his first full-length album, Uncontrolled, in 2016. Matt is openly gay and lives with his fiance, Max Clayton, in Jersey City, New Jersey.
These are some of the popular singers who are out and proud. Some of these gay singers have used their platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. They are role models to those who want to live authentically and share their talent with the world.
Legit.ng recently published an article about the top hip-hop artists of the 2000 era. Hip-hop music continues to evolve every day. The 80s and 90s were dominated by underground rap music, but the 2000s ushered in a new era of mainstream rap music.
Many artists emerged during this period, and many people embraced hip-hop music. These singers defined the hip-hop style in the decade and, as a result, gained fame and wealth. Check out some rappers that stand out and have remained relevant to this day.
Source: Legit.ng
