Best New Artist At The Grammys Is Very Gay This Year
Grammy nominees Anitta, Omar Apollo, members of Måneskin, and one-half of Wet Leg are all family.
The Grammy nominations this year are pretty gay, and it looks like no category is more queer-friendly than Best New Artist.
Of the 10 names listed as potential winners of the only trophy that can be claimed once, four identify as members of the LGBTQ community. That’s nearly 50% of all acts included, and at least one other has gone out of their way to show that they’re a true ally.
Anitta, Omar Apollo, members of Måneskin, and one-half of Wet Leg are all family, while so far, fellow Best New Artist nominees Domi & JD Beck, Samara Joy, Latto, Tobe Nwigwe, and Muni Long don’t appear to be (though we love them anyway).
Here are the four Best New Artist Grammy nominees who identify as LGBTQ.
Anitta
The pop musician has been on the rise for quite some time now, and if you asked any of her fans in her home country of Brazil, they’d have a difficult time believing that anyone considers Anitta “new.”
The singer-songwriter dropped her debut collection nearly a decade ago, and she’s been hitting No. 1 in the South American nation ever since. What makes her eligible for the Best New Artist trophy is the fact that she has only relatively recently reached a global audience in a major way.
In an interview with Dazed, Anitta opened up about her sexuality, saying, “I have a huge LGBT audience, and I’m bisexual.”
Omar Apollo
Mexican-American singer Omar Apollo has also been grinding for several years, but it wasn’t until 2022 that he dropped his debut full-length, Ivory, which critics adored. The set did reach the Billboard 200, and the latest single “Evergreen” peaked just under the halfway point on the Hot 100, but Apollo is still waiting on that major breakout hit — though apparently Grammy voters thought him deserving of a spot in this competitive category (and he certainly is).
Regarding his sexuality, Apollo admitted in an interview with NPR that for a while early in his career, he tried to avoid discussing his love life, but soon he got over that. How does the musician define himself? “I’m very gay.”
Måneskin
Italian rock band Måneskin don’t just look the part of a band that includes queer members – their lingerie and eyeliner can also be seen on straight, cisgender male rockers in other outfits, depending on how “out there” they want to appear – they’re actually living that life.
According to an interview the band took part in with Italian magazine Corriere della sera, Måneskin bassist Victoria De Angelis described herself as bisexual, drummer Ethan Torchio called himself “sexually free,” and singer Damiano David answered by saying he is “heterosexual, but I’m 22, I’m a curious man, I can wake up in the morning and…” (from Attitude).
The Eurovision winners are up for Best New Artist after being passed over last year.
Wet Leg
All-female duo Wet Leg are known for writing songs about love and loss with men, but as of this summer, at least one of the members has changed things up and tried something new.
After being asked if they find Harry Styles attractive in an interview with Soho House, singer and guitarist Rhian Teasdale admitted, “He’s a pretty good-looking guy…But… I have a pretty good-looking girlfriend.”
She went on to add, “Until now I’ve always dated men – though not for any contemporary label like, say, pansexuality. I would just say queer… querying?”
It’s clear that Teasdale either hasn’t decided where she lands on the spectrum of orientation, or perhaps she doesn’t care to know. She’s just playing music, dating a woman, and earning Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, Best Alternative Music Performance, and Best Alternative Music Album.
Molly Tuttle
Okay, Molly Tuttle isn’t actually gay, but she is a friend of the community, and her allyship deserves to be pointed out. The singer, guitarist, and banjo player stands out as perhaps the first bluegrass musician to earn a spot in the Best New Artist category, and she’s also up for the Best Bluegrass Album award as well.
In an interview with the Country Queer blog, Tuttle made it clear that she is here for the LGBTQ community. She explained that everyone should “Support queer art, show up however you can. It’s really important to uplift queer musicians and create spaces for them to share their music and feel safe and welcomed.”
She also shared that she’s played several LGBTQ events, including the then-upcoming Bluegrass Pride, which she admitted she is “invited to be there.
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