More than ever, artists are pushing past archaic industry standards to make music more inclusive.

Black queer musicians have not had the luxury of openly being accepted as themselves in the music industry. For years, the music business has proven to be misogynistic, homophobic and transphobic. Instead of encouraging artists to live in their truth, systems were upheld that used shame, fear or intimation to make people hide their sexuality for a means of safety and progress in their music career.

Musicians, like Victoria Monét and Kehlani, continue to break barriers for queer artists as they reflect the fluidity of sexuality in their music and performances. Along with other musicians, past and present, they have paved the way for new and future generations of Black queer artists to freely express themselves in their music and onstage.

For Black Music and Pride Month, 21Ninety rounded up six Black queer artists to listen to all year long.

Ambré

Ambré is a singer and songwriter who entered the music industry in 2015 after the release of her first project, “Wanderlust.” She added her name to the list of musicians Roc Nation represents after signing to the record label in 2019. Within that same year, she released her 10-track EP “Pulp.” She continued to rise as an emerging artist and received three Grammy nominations. Her songwriting contributions earned a Grammy in the Best R&B Album category for her work with R&B artist H.E.R.

Tanerélle

Tanerélle is an R&B singer and songwriter known for her Afrofuturistic style and sultry voice. After the release of her debut EP in April 2017, she started to gain more attention from music lovers who later became fans of her singles “Nothing Without You” and Mama Saturn.” Her increasing fanbase caught the attention of R&B songstress Ari Lennox. In 2020, Tanerélle joined Lennox on her international tour that eventually was cut short due to the pandemic. After eight years of being an independent artist, she signed with Republic in May before releasing her new EP “Electric Honey” on May 31.

Orion Sun

Tiffany Majette, who goes by her stage name Orion Sun, is a familiar name in the music industry. Since 2013, the Brooklyn-based musician has captivated audiences for over a decade with her alternative R&B sounds. Throughout the years, she has released several singles, covers and EPs, which have earned her a loyal following. In addition to singing, the artist is a producer, engineer and multi-instrumentalist. Her last EP, “Getaway,” dropped in 2022 with her most recent single, “Big Brown Eyes.” 

Dreamer Isioma

Serena Isioma, better known as Dreamer Isioma, is a non-binary artist who fuses several genres of music into their sound. The Nigerian-American musician released their sophomore album, “Princess Forever,” in April last year. The album features 13 tracks that blend portions of psychedelic rock, funk, afrobeat and R&B. 

Siaira Shawn 

Siaira Shawn is a singer and songwriter who has shared stages with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Kehlani. Shawn’s music has caught the attention of more than 20,000 Spotify listeners. Their music career achieved new milestones in 2018 after being featured on Issa Rae’s “Insecure” soundtrack with the single “Wrong Speed.” In 2019, they released their debut album, “Tender,” as an independent artist.

Kaash Paige 

Kaash Paige experienced her first viral hit after the release of her 2019 single “Love Songs.” That following year, she dropped her debut album “Teenage Fever,” which gained major traction among R&B lovers, including 6lack. Her sophomore album, “S2ML,” hit streaming platforms in 2022 and gave fans a peek into a more vulnerable side of the artist.