Gay Music: In the Key of Q

‘People don’t get that Queer music is all genres. For some reason we’re all expected to be George Michael.’

Cory is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music vocal programme. Canadian-born he has been a songwriter and student of music since the age of seven and has toured and performed in several countries around the world including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. Cory is a great advocate of Queer Indie musicians, hosting the monthly online event ‘Queer Music Social’, an online networking opportunity for musicians and music experts from around the world. He also presents the weekly Twitch show ‘Queerentine’.

In this episode Cory talks about the social effects of major weight loss and his desperate escape out of smalltown Canada. He discusses the importance of safe, Queer spaces and most importantly of all which soundtrack is the best: ‘The Bodyguard’ or ‘Beaches’?

• Cory’s online home can be found here.
• Jon Ali’s ‘Queer Necessities’ Spotify playlist can be found here.

Keywords: #Canada #TorontoQueer #LoveBetteMidler #LoveMadonna #BeachesSoundtrack #QueerSpaces #ExtremeWeightLoss #QueerMusic #HomoPod

‘There’s enough boring straight people making boring straight people music, isn’t there? You look at the charts and it’s still Ed-fucking-Sheeran.’

Daniel Vs the World released in 2016 his album ‘Remember Who You Are’ which features the records ‘Thank You’ and ‘5 By 5’ alongside ten other catchy tracks.

In this episode he talks about the challenges growing up when you’re the have-nots and your schoolmates are the haves. He discusses his passion for strong female artists, and shares exclusively with In the Key of Q audiences two demos of upcoming records.  

Useful links: 

• Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
• Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
• Daniel Vs the World on Bandcamp, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify and Apple Music.
• The episode also discusses In the Key of Q alumni Brendan Maclean, Carrington Kelso and the Black Queer America Specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

Earlier highlights include Carrington Kelso, Brendan Maclean, Emmet Michael, Matt Fishel, Bowie Special with Janette Mason & David McAlmont, The IZM, Tom Goss, Rebel Will, Jsky, Blake Mundell, Aruan Duvall, Vincent DiGeronimo, and the Black Queer America specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

Coming next Quesday is Cory Stewart.

‘It shouldn’t come down to heteronormative or gay. It should just come down to human interactions and relationships.’

Joey hails from Northern Virginia in the United States and is the oldest of four children. His music entertains a myriad of genres include dance, R&B, rock, Latin fusion, and electro beats. Whilst his material is mainstream, he never strays from his core intersectional identity as a gay man of Latin descent.

In this episode he talks about growing up in the multicultural regions around Washington DC, and the freedom that performing on stage gave him from an early age. He discusses being negatively profiled due to his Latin heritage and shares his thoughts on the Queer community’s fetishization of race.

Useful links:

• Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
• Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
• Joey over on YouTube, Insta, Apple Music, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud and Spotify.
• The episode also discusses In the Key of Q alumni Tom Goss and The IZM.

‘When I grew up in the 1980s I almost never heard pop songs where openly gay men sang about their truths,’ says Dan Hall. ‘But these days there are plenty of songs where openly Queer men sing their truths. This podcast aims to celebrate those musicians and raise the profile of their music so we can feel connected, heard and not alone.’

Earlier highlights include Carrington Kelso, Brendan Maclean, Emmet Michael, Matt Fishel, Bowie Special with Janette Mason & David McAlmont, The IZM, Tom Goss, Rebel Will, Jsky, Blake Mundell, Aruan Duvall, Vincent DiGeronimo, and the Black Queer America specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

Coming next Quesday is Daniel Versus the World.

‘Why would you choose hate over love? It’s so much easier to be kind and to love people. So why wouldn’t you just chose that?’

This week’s guest discusses how one tiny guitar led him to becoming an award-winning sing-songwriter. Ryan talks about being one of the first trans youths to come out on American national television, and how his Faith has been an integral part of the love he feels both to the outside world and most importantly, to himself.

Useful links:

• Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
• Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
• Ryan's homepage.
• Ryan on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Insta.
• Ryan's music: YouTube, Bandsintown, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify
• Resources for trans, non-binary, gender diverse and LGB people from TransEDU, Supportline and London Friend.
• What the bible says about homosexuality, from TED-X.
• Natalie Merchant performing Wonder.
• Why feminists should support transgender rights, from TED-X.

 ‘When I grew up in the 1980s I almost never heard pop songs where openly gay men sang about their truths,’ says presenter and producer Dan Hall. ‘But these days there are plenty of songs where openly Queer men sing their truths. This podcast aims to celebrate those musicians and raise the profile of their music so we can feel connected, heard and not alone.’

To hear the Series 1 30s promo, please click here.

Earlier highlights include Carrington Kelso, Brendan Maclean, Emmet Michael, Matt Fishel, Bowie Special with Janette Mason & David McAlmont, The IZM, Tom Goss, Rebel Will, Jsky, Blake Mundell, Aruan Duvall, Vincent DiGeronimo, and the Black Queer America specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

‘The Sega Mega Drive and masturbating they took the back seat. Suddenly this piano was the most amazing thing I’d ever experienced and I just couldn’t keep off it.’

This week Dan is joined by Essex-born musician Andrew M Flowers. His first notable work was a 2011 composition for the Brockley Jack Theatre and he has since scored and sound designed a plethora of stage and commercial compositions. In 2014 he won the Waterloo Film Festival Score Competition, and has somehow also found the time to make two full-length albums. His most recent work is the catchy pop-bop IDWK performed under the name Memory Flowers.

The episode includes discussions about growing up a gifted musician in Essex and his journey to catchy pop via Radiohead and Rachmaninoff. He tells us his thoughts of “masc for masc” identities in gay culture, and of embracing his inner INFJ introvert. 

Andrew’s music performed under Memory Flowers can be found at www.memoryflowers.co.uk.

‘I didn’t understand why no-one was hard! I was like, we’re in a darkroom isn’t that the point?!’

This week’s guest hails from Brisbane in Australia but has made South London his home. In this episode, he chats about Queer attitudes towards Asian men, and the racism and fetishisation that grows from it. And more importantly, he talks sex-positive – LOTS OF IT!

Useful links:

• TIN’s pages at Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
• British Asian LGBTI at Consortium.
• ‘Don’t Say His Name’ reviewed at Scene and DNA.
• Matthew J Dempsey discusses gay men and slut shaming on YouTube.
• The podcast can be financially supported at patreon.com/inthekeyofq where for as little as five US dollars a month subscribers can access exclusive interview contact with every guest.

Keywords: #SexShaming #QueerAsian #Vauxhall #BrisbaneGay #UnderwearModel #FatKid #BodyPositivity #AndrewChristian #AndrewChristianUK #AndrewChristianModel #FirstGenerationImmigrant #VietnameseHeritage

In The Key of Q posts using #QueerMusic on social media at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

‘Not only are you not supposed to be gay, and you’re somehow choosing this horrible life, well guess what now if you’re going to have sex you’re probably going to die.’’

This week’s guest is a star on America’s Queer Country Music scene. His horny sex-positive songs are filled with all the sexy traditional Country tropes but with a cocksure man-on-man spin. In this episode, Daddy discusses beating depression and the isolation faced when there is an absolute lack of Queer visibility in media. He shares the trauma of living in the eye of the HIV / AIDS storm and how the global pandemic persuaded him to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Useful links:

• Daddy on Instagram and Twitter.
• Daddy’s music at Spotify and Apple Music.
• Daddy’s homepage.
• Stories of Queer Country music at the BBC.
• The challenges of living long-term with HIV / AIDS at THT.

The podcast can be financially supported at patreon.com/inthekeyofq where for as little as five US dollars a month subscribers can access exclusive interview contact with every guest.

In The Key of Q posts using #QueerMusic on social media at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

‘It’s not boiled down to the people you have sex with, but with everything around you; the way that you express yourself through clothing, or music…’

Dhorin has been releasing music for a number of years, including several singles and the 2021 EP, ‘Viking Rave Comp I’. His most recent single is the 2021 release ‘Olof’ and he intriguingly describes his sound as ‘Techno Viking Pop’. This week’s episode truly has a unique sexy Viking vibe!

He has genuine passion for his country’s Folk history. He discusses how listening to and creating music has been a mental health life-raft and how Queer identity has freed him to fully explore his own sense of self, from silver glitter trousers to bear-chested muscle bear.           

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Dhorin Fireheart’s music can be found on Spotify and Apple Music.

Keywords: #Sweden #Chile #Santiago #HappyKid #VikingHero #QueerViking #QueerSweden #Stockholm #QueerStockholm #SchoolCrush #Smalltownboy #VikingDrag #Drag #UnrequitedCrush #UnrequitedGayCrush

Enjoy volume 1 of our artist-curated playlist by clicking here.

The podcast itself can be found by clicking here.

‘I was so scared to say “he”, “him”. I was making reference to pussy that I’ve never even been involved with. So it was like, I can’t keep doing this anymore.’

IZM writes deeply personal beats striking at themes of self-acceptance, sexual rejection and toxic masculinity.

In the episode he challenges the homophobia he perceives within Black American culture; his recovery from sexual trauma and abuse; and the challenges of coming out as one of Hip Hop’s first openly gay performers. His intelligence and passion on the topics of social justice are an inspiration and carry beautifully into his music.

The IZM can be found Spotify, Apple, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com,on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook