15 lesbian singers who paved the way for Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan is one of the fastest rising artists in the country, and she's putting a new spotlight on lesbian music, but (despite what some trolls on X think) she's far from the first out lesbian singer to have a ton of great songs.

Roan is standing on the shoulders of many queer, and specifically lesbian, singers that came before her, and we should give those groundbreakers the credit they so justly deserve!

Lesbians have been making great music since the music industry began, with many lesbians writing and recording some of the most iconic songs of the last 125 years. Here's a look through history at just a small number of the great lesbian artists who have come before.

1. Gladys Bentley

Active in the 1920s-1950s, Bentley was one of the original lesbian icons in music. As a part of the Harlem Renaissance, she dressed in men's clothing and openly dated women while being known as one of the greatest entertainers in the country. Unfortunately, later in her life, she married a man and said she was "cured" of her lesbianism.

2. Lesley Gore

When she was just 16, Gore became a huge star with her songs "It's My Party," "Judy's Turn to Cry," and her feminist anthem "You Don't Own Me." She was a lesbian and said that early in her career, the homophobia of the music industry forced her to keep her sexuality hidden.

3. k.d. lang

Canadian singer k.d. lang came out as a lesbian in The Advocate in 1992, after she had enjoyed several years as a successful country singer, winning several Grammys and Canadian Country Music Association Awards. In '92, she also released her album Ingénue, which featured the song "Constant Craving," which won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

4. Tracy Chapman

In 1988, Tracy Chapman emerged on the music scene with her debut album that featured the all-time great song "Fast Car" and earned six Grammy nominations. She would win for Best New Artist, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Other hits by the singer include "Baby Can I Hold You," "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution," and "Give Me One Reason," which won the 1997 Grammy for Best Rock Song.

5. Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge was one of the biggest female rock stars of the '90s and early 2000s, earning 15 Grammy nominations between 1989 and 2007, winning two, and having 9 songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100, including the top ten hit "I'm The Only One." In 2007, she won an Oscar for Best Original Song for "I Need to Wake Up" from An Inconvenient Truth.

6. Indigo Girls

Legendary folk duo Indigo Girls is made up of lesbian singers Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. Together they have seven Grammy nominations, including a win for Best Contemporary Folk Recording in 1990. In 2022, they were inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame.

7. Brandi Carlile

Brandi Carlile is undeniably one of the greatest artists of the 21st century. With her breakout 2007 hit "The Story," she burst onto the music scene and hasn't left in nearly two decades. She currently has 10 Grammy wins from a total of 27 nominations. She has two Album of the Year noms, three Record of the Year noms, and four Song of the Year nominations.

8. Tegan and Sara

This Canadian sister duo started as a folk and acoustic band, releasing several successful albums in the 2000s. They pivoted to a more pop sound in the 2010s and had several hits since then, continuing to be a successful and influential band to today.

9. Brittany Howard

Howard rose to fame as the lead singer and guitarist for the rock band Alabama Shakes, which won her four Grammys from nine nominations. In 2018, she went solo and earned five more Grammy nominations and another win for her solo debut album Jamie.

10. Hayley Kiyoko

Hayley Kiyoko began as a child actor and released her breakout single "Girls Like Girls" in 2015, when songs about being a lesbian were rare in pop. The video and song earned her the nickname "Lesbian Jesus," and since then, she's released two stupendous albums with great singles like "What I Need," "Curious," "For the Girls," and "Hungry Heart."

11. Kehlani

Kehlani is a pop and R&B singer who came out as a lesbian in 2021, years into their musical career, but they've been open about their queerness for years. She's released four albums and has iconic lesbian anthems like "Honey," "What I Need," and "After Hours."

12. Syd

Syd is a singer and rapper, as well as a member of Odd Future and co-founder of the band The Internet. She's released two solo albums and has a super smooth voice and a masterful producer's mind. She was even a featured songwriter on Beyoncé's Renaissance album.

13. Marissa Paternoster

Paternoster was the frontwoman for acclaimed rock band Screaming Females before going solo with her own project, Noun. She's one of the best voices in contemporary rock and is considered to be one of the best guitarists of all time.

14. Zolita

Pop singer Zolita has been releasing music for nearly a decade and loves to focus on lesbian love stories and themes in her songs. She also regularly releases music videos that tell lesbian stories along with her songs, often using multiple videos to tell a single story. With songs like "I Fucking Love You," "Ashley," "Single in September," "All Girls Go to Heaven," and "Small Town Scandal," she puts the lesbian in lesbian pop.

15. Reneé Rapp

Rapp is another rising lesbian pop star. She released her debut EP Everything to Everyone in 2022, and her debut album Snow Angel the following year. When the album came out, she was identifying as bisexual, but she came out as a lesbian in 2024.