Ten LGBTQ+ Musicians in Colorado to Add to Your Pride Playlists

Many LGBTQ+ Pride anthems are sung by cisgender and heterosexual artists. While such classics as Diana Ross's "I'm Coming Out" and Cece Peniston's "Finally" will be in our Pride month rotation forever, these days there's no shortage of openly LGBTQ+ artists making music. And while not every queer artist sets out to make explicitly LGBTQ+ music, if there's one thing those on the following list demonstrate, it's that queer identity is not — and never has been — just one thing. From bands to rappers to singer-songwriters, here are ten LGBTQ+ Colorado musicians to add to your Pride playlists:

Blankslate
Blankslate is a queer powerhouse, with all three of the band's members — Rylee Dunn (she/her), Tess Condron (she/her) and Em Troughton (they/them) — falling under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. The group's 2022 debut album, Summer on a Salt Flat, weaves a distinctly queer coming-of-age tale through achingly beautiful love songs such as "2301 S. High Street" and "a fragile thing." Lead singer Troughton, with their larger-than-life vocals and androgynous swagger, harks back to gender-punk rock stars like David Bowie, Boy George and Prince, but with a modern indie flavor. The group is embarking on a coastal tour, but be sure to catch Blankslate when it's back in town.
Brooklynn (she/her)
Although Brooklynn is a relatively new face in the Denver music scene, she was born and raised in the Mile High City. The queer singer, writer, model and actress has a stunning voice reminiscent of an edgier, more soulful Ariana Grande. She's currently in the process of getting her music copyrighted, so most of her discography is temporarily unavailable online, except for a few collaborations with other Denver musicians such as Supreme Tye and artists from Authentic 100. Stay tuned though, because she'll be announcing new music releases on Instagram soon. For now, you can get to know Brooklynn through her YouTube channel, which includes vlogs, behind-the-scenes footage from photo shoots, makeup tutorials and music suggestions.

Grace DeVine (they/she)
Originally hailing from Florida, the effervescent Grace DeVine has been sharing their celestial alt-pop with Denver for several years now. DeVine, who is nonbinary and pansexual, celebrates queer identities across the rainbow spectrum on a dreamy new single, "Glistening." Released just in time for Pride month, the anthemic track takes listeners on a journey from dysphoria to self-acceptance, ending with the powerful refrain "Don't gotta be a woman, don't gotta be a man. We were made to be glistening." DeVine will donate all proceeds from the song to the Dru Project, an LGBTQ+ youth empowerment organization that they collaborate with regularly.
GRiZ (he/him)
Festival-favorite GRiZ, born Grant Kwiecinski, was raised in north Detroit but has lived in Denver for several years now. He famously came out as gay in 2017 in an open letter to the Huffington Post, and has since made it his mission to ensure that his shows are a safe haven for all, with zero tolerance for bigotry of any kind. The self-proclaimed "Good Vibes Rainbow Boy" has worked with several LGBTQ+ youth nonprofits, including the Trevor Project, the Happy Hippie Foundation and the It Gets Better Project, which used his single "It Gets Better" in several educational videos. GRiZ is currently touring the festival circuit, but will be back in Denver this August for Meow Wolf's Vortex Festival.

Kerrie Joy (she/he/them/xem)
Artist, educator, organizer and poet Kerrie Joy was born in Brooklyn to Jamaican parents who raised her almost exclusively on gospel music. She was taught that homosexuality is a sin, and started writing at age fourteen as a way to express her true self. Today, Joy's music mixes soul, R&B and hip-hop with her gospel roots. Her 2022 debut album, Preachin' to Myself, reclaims her spirituality on her own terms as a queer Black woman. Along with Chinelo Tyler, Joy is also co-director of the Kaleidoscope Project, a local nonprofit focused on grassroots organizing in BIPOC communities.

N3ptune (he/him)
Named Westword's Best Breakout Artist of 2023, N3ptune started out as a DIY scene fixture before graduating to bigger venues such as the Bluebird, Denver PrideFest and even Red Rocks. He's opened for international acts including Cordae, Rina Sawayama, Wyclef Jean and Sleigh Bells, and is known for his anti-authoritarian attitude, androgynous Club Kid-inspired fashions and genre-bending music. As a queer Black man, N3ptune writes raw and honest lyrics that often address topics considered taboo in the Black community, such as childhood trauma, sexual violence and struggles with addiction and mental health. His new single, "Shadow," is out now.

Spinks (she/her)
Lesbian singer, rapper and songwriter Spinks sounds like the love child of SZA and Young M.A. Raised between the Northside of Denver and Arvada, she's inspired by East Coast hip-hop legends like Biggie, but names Lauryn Hill as her number-one influence because of the way Hill combines singing, rapping and poetry (much like Spinks). Her latest project, A Fool's Tale, leans more into R&B, but older tracks such as "Like That" and "This That New Flava in Ya Ear" show she's got bars, too. Catch Spinks performing at HipChicksOut and MissFitts Entertainment's third annual Pride party at Number Thirty Eight on Saturday, June 24.
StoneyBertz (they/he)
StoneyBertz is a nonbinary transmasculine rapper from Colorado Springs. Self-described as "Notorious B.I.G. mixed with Atmosphere," the MC delivers poignant, thoughtful bars with a laid-back yet self-assured flow. StoneyBertz's lyrics often reflect on their sobriety journey, especially on 2020's Tough Love EP. StoneyBertz has been dropping projects on Bandcamp since 2011, and is currently fine-tuning an upcoming project called ctrl + Alt + Del. You can also find StoneyBertz hosting queer BIPOC open-mic nights around Colorado. Follow their Instagram for updates on new music and live shows happening this summer.
Uccchh (she/her)
Uchenna Ohaya, aka Uccchh, is a singer, rapper and published poet from Denver's Montbello neighborhood. Combining Afrobeat and reggae influences, hip-hop cadences and poetic lyricism, her debut album, IRoko noIR, was released last summer. Uccchh's music tends to explore Black identity, whether that's being a Black woman, being Black and queer or being Black in Colorado (also the title of one of her songs). Along with her wife, Shanel Hughes, she hosts a bi-monthly concert series called Funky Fresh Fridays, which showcases queer Black artists. Uccchh's next project, which drops Tuesday, June 20, will be a collaborative mixtape with fellow queer artist The Qor.
Yvie Oddly (she/they/he)
Drag queen, rapper, performer and fine artist Yvie Oddly is a Denver native who has gone global. Spitting psychedelic-fueled lyrics over trippy club beats, Oddly expertly bridges the perceived gap between the queer community and mainstream hip-hop. Her 2020 debut album, Drag Trap, manages to be silly and playful while delivering incisive cultural commentary, often within the same song. She just dropped a new EP, YO, showcasing her latest house-inspired single, "Topsy Turvy," with Wreckno, plus a much-anticipated collaboration with queer hip-hop pioneer Cakes Da Killa. You can see her live at Tracks on Thursday, June 22, alongside queer icon Peaches; catch her one-woman show STRANGE LOVE, touring this fall.