Bimini Bon Boulash, Dotty and Kele Okereke feature in M Magazine's celebration of Pride 2021
Bimini Bon Boulash, Dotty and Kele Okereke feature in a specially curated digital edition of PRS for Music’s M Magazine, as part of its Pride 2021 celebrations. Read the magazine in full.
Created in collaboration with Apple Music host and Lead Cultural Curator, Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles, the 52-page magazine honours LGBTQ+ songwriters, music, and culture. The collection of exclusively commissioned features explore the influence that LGBTQ+ culture has on commercial music, LGBTQ+ representation across the industry, and the responsibility the sector has to safeguard artists whose sexuality is commodified.
Cover star and RuPaul's Drag Race UK finalist, Bimini Bon Boulash, Lady Lloyd and Freida Slaves talk to Princess Julia, who serves up some drag history, celebrating the longstanding power and importance of music in the UK drag scene.
M Magazine Contributing Editor, Dotty, who commissioned select features throughout the magazine, explores how Frank Ocean's openness about his sexuality helped to free her from a self-imposed silence.
Elsewhere, Big Joanie's Steph Phillips is in conversation with Kele Okereke where they discuss being a gay Black man in indie music, the prospect of a Bloc Party reunion, and Leave to Remain, the 2019 play centred around gay marriage scored by Okereke.
Also featured, dancehall artist Alicai Harley, electronic producer and songwriter Hifi Sean and British soul-singer David McAlmont who make up duo McHifi, award-winning film composer Hannah Holland, and Margate folk duo Lunatraktors.
PRS for Music represents the rights of over 155,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the UK and around the world. Published by PRS for Music, M Magazine is created to inspire and empower songwriters, musicians and industry leaders alike.
Pride Month was created to commemorate the events of Stonewall and it’s important to recognise that those who identify as LGBTQ+ still face widespread discrimination, even in a music industry seemingly as inclusive as ours. LGBTQ+ artists have shaped, and continue to shape, the music and pop culture we know today. It’s our duty to provide these creators the space to be themselves, freely.
About PRS for Music
Here for music since 1914, PRS for Music is a world-leading music collective management organisation representing the rights of more than 175,000 talented songwriters, composers and music publishers. Redefining the global standard for music royalties, PRS for Music ensures songwriters and composers are paid whenever their musical compositions and songs are streamed, downloaded, broadcast, performed and played in public.
For 110 years it has grown and protected the rights of the music creator community, paying out royalties with more accuracy, transparency and speed. In 2023, PRS for Music paid out £943.6m in royalties and collected a record £1.08 billion in revenues. prsformusic.com
