The Gender-Nonconforming Musicians Bringing Rebellion Back to Rock

Rock ’n’ roll grew out of rebellion—nonconformity. But society has become more permissive and accepting, and there are fewer and fewer ways to not fit in. Gender is one of the last frontiers. Here are three artists who are blurring the lines of gender and bucking the conventional norms of masculinity, femininity and sexuality. It just so happens that they all have new albums you should check out now.

The Artist: Troye Sivan
The Album: Bloom

He’s only 23 years old, but Troye Sivan is already considered a gay icon. (The South African-born Australian singer-actor got his start on YouTube.) His second album promises more contagious pop anthems celebrating youth, love and joy.

The Artist: Christine and the Queens
The Album: Chris

Back in 2017, French pop sensation Héloïse Letissier (a.k.a. Christine and the Queens) said that fans could expect a “sweaty and tougher” sound from her sophomore album. What exactly does this mean? More ’80s funk but with harder hitting, higher tempos. Her first album had you grooving; this one will have you jumping up and down.

The Artist: Hubert Lenoir
The Album: Darlène

With hoop earrings, red-stained lips and a phallic fleur-de-lis tattoo on his rear end, Hubert Lenoir is somewhat of a polarizing pop star in his native Quebec. Even though his 11-track debut album, Darlène, came out at the beginning of the year, he’s been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, so now is the perfect time for English Canada to find out what all the francophone fuss is about.

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