5 Sapphic Artists to Get Into This Pride Month
For all wanting to fill their doses of music with a sapphic flair this June, be sure to check out these sapphic-identifying artists!
Words Andrea Brigino
Photos courtesy of Chappell Roan via Instagram
June 19, 2024
Opening this year’s Pride Month, we have seen a surge in popularity within sapphic artists and women-loving-women (WLW) centered music. Whether it’s to cry on your bathroom floor, celebrate at a party with a group of friends, or a crude mixture of both, here are some sapphic artists that will surely worm their way into your yearly wrapped even after June has passed.
Reneé Rapp
Reneé Rapp has been on the sapphic radar for the last few years, having played lesbian Leighton Murray on The Sex Lives of College Girls and a leather jacket-clad Regina George in both stage and movie adaptations of the Mean Girls musical. Her stellar vocals eventually paved the way for her stardom as a musical artist. With her 2023 EP “Snow Angel” and her coming out as a lesbian the following year while promoting Mean Girls and performing at Coachella, she has become a well-loved artist not only for her unfiltered humor but also for her songs filled with relatability for queer women navigating life and love.
Chappell Roan
The burgundy hair, pale white foundation, and bright red lipstick have been dominating the sphere of yearning, heartbreaking sapphics. The release of her hit track “Good Luck Babe” placed the fun theatrics into what has basically become an anthem for angst-ridden or hopeless romantic women-loving-women this 2024. Her 2023 EP The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess includes hits like “HOT TO GO!” and “Red Wine Supernova,” combining an incredible range of vocals with '80s-like synths for a fun and unabashedly girly listen.
boygenius
Comprised of three talented and witty singer-songwriters—Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker—the dynamic trio returned with their first album, The Record, in 2023. They won Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Performance for their hit single “Not Strong Enough.” The Record is an amalgamation of songs contemplating identity, death, and love within relationships, crafted by three queer minds who frequently advocate for queer and trans rights. While the sapphic subject matter in their work is less blatant, they maintain a writing process protective of their queer identities and those who listen to their music.
Kehlani
Kehlani has been in the music industry for a long time and has been an out queer voice before many female artists in the R&B genre. Recently, they revealed they identify as a lesbian and are under the non-binary spectrum, using she/they pronouns. Kehlani has consistently been a voice for queer listeners through the mostly feminine gendered pronouns in her features and stands out as an openly androgynous artist. They continue to uplift marginalized communities through their music, with the single “Next 2 U” providing proceeds to affected countries today.
Rina Sawayama
Rina Sawayama has risen as an Asian dance-pop/EDM sensation with her hit albums SAWAYAMA and Hold the Girl, featuring artists like Charli XCX, CHANMINA, and Le Sserafim. She recently starred in the blockbuster John Wick: Chapter 4. With the lack of explicit gendered pronouns in several of her songs, Rina Sawayama has identified as pansexual since 2018. Her title track “This Hell” from Hold the Girl is a fun country-pop dance track celebrating community within minorities and marginalized queer groups, expressing enthusiastic solidarity amidst societal challenges.
