Shutting the Lights: How Urban Development Could End a Beloved Charity Club Night

Sophie Fowler on 20 September 2024

As Freshers’ approaches, Leeds student nightlife wakes up from its summer slumber and venues start coming back to life. There’s no shortage of events in Leeds, but one that’s not to be missed is Cosmic Slop, a regular night for all those who love funk and vinyl.

Cosmic Slop is the regular fundraising event for MAP Charity, which supports and provides education to young people aged 11 to 16 at risk of exclusion from mainstream schooling. The charity offers music and arts qualification for these children in the Grade II listed Hope Foundry just south of Leeds city centre. The venue, which is also home to Cosmic Slop, hosts local DJs and creatives, putting on musical events throughout the year aided by their bespoke custom-built sound system. 100% of profits from such events go towards the running of MAP Charity, ensuring they can continue to provide creative education to local young people.

However recent planning permission put forward by Global Investment fund Cheyne Capital is putting these nights at risk. The plans include building 310 flats next door to the Grade II listed Hope Foundry which houses Cosmic Slop, with balconies overlooking the courtyard. This courtyard is an integral part of both the daily running of MAP education, providing vital outdoor space to students, and to Cosmic Slop itself. The space has proven popular for Slop-goers on such nights, acting as a space for fresh air and expansion outside of the walls of the Hope Foundry. This development of onlooking balconies opens up the door for potential noise complaints from future residents which, in turn, threaten the very future of Cosmic Slop and its accompanying events.

Outline permission for this development has already been granted, however the specifics – including these balconies – are to be determined in the coming weeks.

The team at Cosmic Slop and MAP Charity are working to alter the planning permission in its current state as the balconies pose a significant threat to the future of Cosmic Slop and, in turn, MAP Charity. Their petition calls for a Deed of Easement between the developer and venue which allows for noise to be made within certain parameters without fear of complaints. The team are also calling for the balconies overlooking Hope House to be abandoned and replaced with a brick wall; and for the planning department to review the wider implications of what this application means for the Grade II listed building, the historical character of the area, and the provision of a safe space for the charity’s service users use of the courtyard.

Speaking to the Gryphon, Will from the team at Cosmic Slop emphasises the threat this planning permission poses.

“We run Cosmic Slop to fundraise for MAP Charity and their education program. It’s important for us to show the students who are at risk of mainstream education, an alternative pathway to work via the creative industry. Our current campaign is set up to oppose development plans which include balconies that overlook not only the outdoor area for our events, but the Charity’s school provision. This area is a safe space for our students and we really want to keep the classrooms out of sight as it can be easy for some of the students to get distracted. 

Our petition has had the support of many international artists such as Four Tet, Floating Points, Mafalda, Charlie Dark, Coco Maria, plus many more who have donated their time and effort to DJ at Cosmic Slop, helping us fundraise for the Charity. We hope to continue to run our events in the years to come, just as we have over the past 14 years. If these balconies go forwards, it’s likely we will receive noise complaints that affect our operations.”

This threat to Cosmic Slop highlights the start of a disturbing pattern in Leeds, as new building developments continue to threaten the local arts scene. Just last year local music venue Sheaf Street shut its doors for good after six years, citing the rising cost-of-living and local developments as main causes, as new construction dramatically decreased foot traffic in front of the venue. And so it begs the question – is the biggest threat to local arts in fact these new building developments?

Nights out in Leeds are not hard to come by, but Cosmic Slop is a unique gem in the local arts scene, providing both a space for funk and vinyl lovers and essential fundraising to MAP Charity. To save Cosmic Slop, and in turn MAP Charity, head to cosmicslop.org to sign the petition.

Deadpool, Disgust And The Summer 2024 Box Office

Henry Clarke on 20 September 2024

As a lover of box office analysis and all things movie data, my favourite films rarely coincide with the big hitters of the summer box office. That’s why summer 2023 was so special. Barbenheimer hit the cinemas on July 21st in a one-off cinematic event—making a combined $310 million in its first weekend. Barbie is my favourite film of last year, and the top grossing—something I think is a one-off phenomenon for me. So, let’s dive into the 2024 statistics, comparing the highs and lows of the box office to my completely personal, subjective opinions of the films themselves. 

Inside Out 2

Admittedly, my overview of this film is skewed by the fact I got in a car crash on the way back from this seeing this film at the cursed White Rose Cineworld, so ‘fear’ is the main emotion I associate with seeing this film- but Inside Out 2 definitely fills you with others. I loved Maya Hawke as an addition to the cast, as well as Ayo Edibiri and June Squibb, helping to represent the expansion of Riley’s teenage emotions. The film continues nicely from the 2015 instillation and adeptly introduces new emotions and storylines for Riley—however I did feel it lacked a slight punch that would take it from good to great. Who cares though? As the film grossed £58,671,272 in the UK alone, and topped the summer box office both in the UK and worldwide (with a global total of $1.6 billion), it was clearly a hit with most viewers. 

(Ayo Edibiri / Credit : Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images )

Deadpool Vs Wolverine

I couldn’t find two hours of my summer to watch a film starring two characters that I’ve personally never seen any films featuring- but everyone seems to love these guys and it was evident at the box office. With £55,923,935 and counting, the marvel fatigue seems to be gone for most and the return of Hugh Jackman proved to be successful all around for fans and producers.

It Ends With Us

If anything, It Ends With Us is memorable. Whether you saw the film itself, or just the online buzz/drama surrounding its cast, you can’t deny that this film was a moment in pop culture this summer. Blake Lively and the studio had no idea how to promote the film, with a pretty tone-deaf marketing campaign that many worried would have the film dead on arrival. The ‘grab your girls and wear your florals’ campaign felt insenstiive and cliche, and reduced the film to a light-hearted romantic comedy. Having saw the film, I actually thought it represented domestic violence in a nuanced and complex nature, but it’s a shame that almost every other aspect of the film lacked any of the depth it aimed for.  

( Blake Lively | Credit: John Nacion, Variety via Getty Images )

Longlegs

In my opinion, Longlegs was the horror of the summer. Terrifying, gripping and unique whilst meme-able and marketable, a perfect combination for a box office hit. Nic Cage solidifies himself in this film as the fantastic character actor we knew he was, and Maika Monroe completely devoured her role as a tortured FBI agent with a traumatic and mysterious past. The film surpassed expectations this summer for a relatively small budget indie horror film, making £7,716,995 in the UK and $103.5 million worldwide, becoming Neon’s highest-grossing film to date and the highest rated indie of the year.

Afraid

Making an underwhelming £216,329, it’s clear I wasn’t the only cinema-goer who didn’t care to see another AI inspired horror. However, I bit my tongue and went to see it as a Cineworld unlimited member who wanted to make the most of his subscription, and knew when I walked in late to an AI generated opening credits sequence I was in for hell. In some ways, I actually enjoyed my time watching AfrAId (yes, that’s the actual name) as it had been a while since I had sat down and watched something so absurd. I also loved Havana Rose Liu and her role in this (playing an evil Alexa). Yet, overall, the film struggled to resonate with audiences beyond the UK, making only $8.8 million worldwide on a $12 million budget. 

( Colman Domingo, Sing Sing / Credit : A24)

The box office has risen in importance over the years and now seems to be one of the main success measures of a film for many. Whilst economic and commercial performance is important, and I personally love analyzing the data, as a film’s success shouldn’t solely rely on this. Its quality is also often judged by its commercial success, yet some of my favorite films of the summer—Sing Sing, Kneecap, Problemista, and Babes—prove that a movie can shine without the need for good box office revenue. Films are art, and art is not for profit—although it helps if your art happens to make 1 billion dollars… 

Mercury Prize is not just a win for Leeds’ English Teacher, but a win for the North and its rising bands

Eszter Vida on 16 September 2024

The first non-London band in a decade to win the Mercury Prize just so happens to be a band the Leeds scene all know and love. Forget the champagne, get the Kirkstall Ales – we’re celebrating a huge win for Leeds as its resident indie/post-punk quartet English Teacher swooped in for the 2024 Mercury Prize with their debut album This Could Be Texas. Beating out fellow newcomers and established legends alike, the band came up against Radio 6 Music favourites The Last Dinner Party, Leeds neighbours Corinne Bailey Rae and Nia Archives, as well as established legends Beth Gibbons, proving that bands are in fact making a comeback into critically well-received spheres. Winning on the condition of their “originality and character”, the raw resurgence of the post-punk and indie band sound has not been an easy one and required more ambition and grassroots funding than it exists.

The crafted genius of ‘This Could Be Texas’ explores just that, with themes of the mundane issues in everyday society, rejecting authority, the spirit of showing disdain towards prejudice all enveloped into a bright, reflective soundscape, one that attaches itself to a hopeless landscape of survival mode. Formed at Leeds Conservatoire, this ‘winning lyrical mix of surrealism and social observation’ was praised by the judges, and the defiant, gravelly quality is what makes their sound so distinct, with Fontaines voice a documentation of the many obstacles they’ve faced and conquered. Even NME dubbed them as a ‘vital voice from the heart of UK guitar music’ finding a swift balance of humour and sincerity in Lily Fontaine’s observational lyricism of post-pandemic youth. In an industry that is starving for rising bands, it’s been incredibly satisfying to see their growing success recognised by such a distinguished board of critics and judges.

As someone once new to the Leeds scene, English Teacher has always been a staple of the 2020’s guitar rock scene. The release of the Theo Verney version of ‘R&B’ marked a turning point, having reworked their dream-pop image from their days as local university band Frank to a more self-assured and esteemed version of themselves. It was a track I grew obsessed with for its heavy baseline, ballsy utterances of contempt and chaotic noise rock essence. I’m only echoing what the judges said about the band having played a part in redefining the traditional guitar band sound. Something they sadly missed out that represents English Teacher to the core was that the track and forthcoming EP Polyawkward, the work that tugged them into their major label signing, wouldn’t have existed without the support of music:leeds arts council funding. the latter which many in the local scene have pointed out no longer exists at this moment.

English Teacher have built a slow and steady success and did all the right things a band is told to do, all while half the music industry works against the independent sector. Their success is not just the final boss of Island Records’ endless cash flow as a major label, but the unity of their beloved home of Leeds. A community driven by the backing of independent label executives, radio presenters, promoters, venue owners, sound engineers, artists and family members. All of these roles are cogs to the great machine that produced such a stellar debut album, raw with integrity that the well-oiled luxury of corporate couldn’t capture without working with bands of grassroots origins in the first place.

But it isn’t a unique experience, just one that Lily Fontaine can now consistently and so passionately advocate on behalf of her other contemporaries, as the band maintains their gratitude for their musical birthplace. Notably, she herself has been loudly advocating for more arts funding and has spoken in parliament. It’s clear their contributions to grassroots music only add another substantial layer of ethos as a band, and the northern music communities will be championing them for their loyalty and advocacy for change.

The horrific figures on how arts funding reduction has impacted the North and other working class areas disproportionately are undeniable yet overlooked; introducing radio stations have been cut, resources that are crucial for new bands to allow them to platform their music. No other band has won since 2014 (Dead, Young Fathers of Edinburgh/West Africa) who haven’t had the invaluable, privileged connection to the capital. In 2023, 75% of nominated mercury winners were Londoners. As the foundations of local music scenes crumble, we need now more than ever more than awareness but action, as bands like English Teacher are proof to these tiny pockets of the North, where blossoming talents serve unnoticed by funding, there are plenty hidden gems who can go further and follow in the footsteps to becoming music royalty, despite not having the privilege of living next door to Buckingham Palace. Their win is a classic reminder that great bands can be born in pubs and small line-ups, if the general public and big music bosses want them to be. They will also have the creative freedom to go beyond whatever Britpop working class stereotype is imposed upon them.

Gone are the days when the working class were pigeonholed as one cookie-cut aesthetic of the common and easily impersonated for a middle-class artist’s relatable authenticity. No, that’s still a huge problem in indie music, so it shouldn’t go unnoticed when actual working class people come through the pipeline. It remains interesting that the first Northern band to win in a decade is a band that focuses on mostly social and political content, and opens up a debate for how future wins are decided. Is it Northern culture only seen as valuable for counterculture or is all music inherently political?

Written and edited by Eszter Vida

Leeds Festival 2024: Delilah Bon In Interview

Millie Cain on 14 September 2024

Millie Cain’s exclusive interview with Delilah Bon, hours before their huge evening slot at Leeds Festival and ahead of the release of their upcoming album Evil, Hate Filled Female.

Millie: Have you guys ever been to Leeds Fest in your teenage years? 

Delilah: Nope, this is my first experience at Leeds Fest

Millie: How are you finding it so far? 

Delilah: Windy and everybody’s wearing tracksuits

Millie: Yeah, I think we were all getting battered in our tents last night, you guys are playing Key Club in November, have you ever played in Leeds before or been to Keys? 

Delilah: Mhmm yeah, we played another one in Leeds too at the Brudenell, but our Key Club gig has sold out now!

Millie: Do you get to pick to play at more independent venues or do you not get much of a say? 

Delilah: I used to, when we booked shows ourselves, but now agencies take precedent 

Millie: If you could pick any peep show character to collaborate with, which one would you pick? 

Hela: OH MY GOD! YOU LEGEND! Do you know that we love peep show? 

Millie: I did my research!

Hela: Favourite interview so far! Surely SuperHans, but also maybe Jez

Delilah: Yeah I’m going Jez

Hela: You’ve got to feel bad for him

Delilah: And SuperHans would take over too much

Hela: Yeah he would steal your ideas 

Other one: And knock you out the band, Jez would let you do whatever and he’d be so grateful 

Hela: Although, what would a Mark project be like? 

Millie: And what would a Dobby project be like? 

Hela: I think Dobby would write a banger (laughter) 

Millie: I read that you make all your own tour outfits, I wondered if you also designed your own merch too? 

Delilah: I just do it all, I drew it all, with our outfits we make them all ourselves. Its just fun, its part of creating the show and bringing what it all looks like together

Millie: The way you present yourself on stage can definitely been seen as a sort of armour 

Delilah & Hela: Yeah, definitely 

Millie: With this and the music you’re creating, do you feel like people characterise you in a certain way before they meet you? 
Delilah: Yeah, when people meet me they always say ‘Don’t take it the wrong way but you’re actually really nice in person’, and I’m like ‘What do you mean?’ and they expect me to be angrier. A lot of people say that to me. 

Hela: As if you walk around screaming 

Delilah: Well I can, I can

Millie: After seeing Chappell Roan discussing her boundaries and what artists owe their fans, what do you think about creating these boundaries with your fans? 

Delilah: I think its your personal boundaries, and if it gets too much like it probably is for her, if youre bombarded, it comes down to as a fan, if youre looking at an artist that you respect and care and admire, and you can see them getting overwhelmed and hassled, its understanding that maybe theyre too busy for a photograph and it doesnt make them a bad person and its not the end of the world 

Hela: Also as well, especially on tour, youre singing night after night after night and you do genuinely need to look after your voice ans stuff. The tour thing means that you do need to have a rest, its not that you dont want to meet fans, because you do, and you want to meet everyone but you want everyone to experience a wicked show. 

Delilah: Thats the difference with nice fans and those that are creepy

Hela: Go away! 

Delilah: I think youve got every right to be comfortable, there’s been too many times where I’ve been stood there for photographs with people and there’s been men who are older than my grandad have been like ‘Can I have a hug?’ 

Hela: That’s if they even ask! Most of them don’t even ask! 

Delilah: Sometimes when they ask it’s even worse, because I wanna say no but I can’t

Hela: Like they give you the option to say no but you realise that you feel like you owe it to these people – and you dont. 

Millie: Your new single ‘Volatile’ has just come out, which is about dealing with misogyny in the music industry, do you ever feel like you get compared to other female fronted bands, regardless of genre, just because you get grouped as female artists? 

Delilah: Yeah definitely, I think like if there’s anyone, they don’t even have to be in the same genre in any way, its like ‘oh its kind of a bit like paramore’ – no it’s not. 

Hela: It’s just their the only other band they can think of 

Delilah: And in ‘Volatile’ there’s a line ‘2 girls with dyed hair/think we’re really all the same?’ 

Other One: I was literally about to say that! Its so true 

Delilah: and thats a true story, when I wanted to work with a certain person, they said ‘oh we’ve already got someone in the same lane’ and when I checked their roster to see who that person was a complete different genre, but she had red hair and the rest of the roster is men. It was like they were saying ‘I don’t want another girl, I’ve got one already’. 

Hela: Oh but I’ll work with another 400 indie boy bands who all sound pretty much identical and that’s fine and you don’t get them saying ‘oh you sound exactly like this other singer’ 

Millie: Your ‘Ready To Kill’ EP is a bit more spooky, what are you favourite scary movies? 

Delilah: See I really like the old ones, like Freddy Kruger and Chucky 

O: I like the OG Scream and stuff 

Delilah: Yeah I think I’ll have to go Chucky 

Hela: Chucky! You are Chucky! 

Delilah: It’s not even really scary but Chucky’ Bride – oh I love it

Millie: Are you guys doing fancy dress for your halloween show? 

Hela: Yeah we are literally playing on Halloween 

O: Yes, the answer is obviously yes! 

Millie: I feel like people do really enjoy dressing up for shows 

Hela: Yeah they do, especially for our shows 

O: Yeah, if we say ‘Halloween Vibes’ everyone will go to town on that 

Millie: Yeah I think its so fun and it’s really cool, it makes it a better experience 

Hela: Yeah it makes it just feel like much more of an event 

Millie: Is it really important for you guys to bounce off each other’s energy on stage? 

Delilah: Yeah we’re absolutely a unit

Hela: Yeah we pick each other up and push each other on 

Delilah: And cry together 

Millie: That’s so lovely! And are you all celebrating together for the album release?

Delilah: Yes!!! We’re actually going on a girls trip to Magaluf, it isn’t something we’ve ever done before and we just thought why not?

Millie: Hahaha that’s fantastic & I hope you have a great trip, and rest of the festival !! Thank you!

Delilah Bon’s new album is available now, and they are performing at the Key Club in Leeds on 15th November.

US Open verdict:A poor end to the year

James Blackburn on 14 September 2024

James Blackburn discusses his verdict on the US Open; ‘Tired players, low quality matches and boring winners made this renewal one to forget‘

Arthur Ashe stadium is the largest in all of tennis and is so often the booming soundtrack to iconic matches: think Kim Clijsters’ comeback win in 2009, Andy Murray breaking his major duck in 2012 at the fifth time of asking or deafening boos during the controversial 2018 Williams-Osaka final. This year, though, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a 500 event, such was the lack of enthusiasm from the crowds.

The men’s tournament in particular was disappointing. Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic’s shock second round exits were indicative of a post-Olympics burnout, unsurprising given the emotional toll of that epic gold medal match on both men, clearing the way for a fresh Jannik Sinner to claim his second hard court slam of the year. 

That Sinner would play just days after being embroiled in a doping controversy for having a trace amount of Clostebol, a steroid, in his system (he has been ruled not at fault by an independent tribunal, though the World Anti-Drug Agency is still investigating) meant that his own celebration was understated and left a cloud hanging over the tournament. 

Sinner’s straight sets win in the final over Fritz felt inevitable, despite Sinner rarely reaching his mercurial best throughout over the fortnight, which left fans struggling to engage in what was already an historic match given Fritz was the first American man in a slam final since 2009. Jeopardy was scarce in this contest save for Fritz going a break up in the third, before Sinner quickly reestablished his authority to win. 

Working backwards from the semis, what should’ve been a feast of tennis — the All-American showdown between Fritz and Francis Tiafoe — ended on a down note after Tiafoe crumbled in the fifth. You had the bizarre Sinner-Draper match where the Brit vomited a number of times on court in what felt like the longest three-setter ever due to Sinner’s forehand going missing. 

Tiafoe-Dimitrov in the quarters ended with a heartbreaking retirement for the Bulgarian; we were robbed of a contest between Draper and Alex De Minaur owing to the reoccurence of De Minaur’s hip injury; Sinner-Medvedev didn’t live up to expectation… I could go on.

Why were all these matches not up to standard then? I think the answer lies in the gruelling schedule on the ATP and WTA tour in 2024. Several players have expressed their frustration with the non-stop tennis season, such as women’s World No.1 Iga Swiatek who has voiced concerns about the impact of the schedule on players’ physical and mental wellbeing, stating that “we don’t have time to work on stuff or live peacefully.” Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic echoed Swiatek’s sentiment, saying that “the schedule is absolutely brutal” and that “you don’t have time to relax, get rest before you start training again.”

Words by James Blackburn

Cover image credit : The Standard/ Reuters

For Your Sins Debuts Dea Matrona’s Entrance into Rock Scene

Eszter Vida on 11 September 2024

Eszter Vida reviews irish rock duo Dea Matrona’s debut album as they are venture into the territory of pop and rock music with their stellar debut album For Your Sins.

Let me introduce you to your favourite band: Dea Matrona. The duo, composed of Orlaith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn, plummeted into the country-rock industry with their eagerly anticipated debut album For Your Sins. The catchy pop-rock album makes a sweeping statement on its themes of intoxicating love and frenzy with a passionate blend of their indie-rock, pop and disco influences, topped off by their individuating Irish identity.

I stumbled on them, as you do with most rising acts nowadays, through their Instagram reels, specifically a viral clip of them covering fellow Irish heroes The Cranberries. It seems this identity becomes a foundation in many of the songs, along with their mythological name derived from the Celtic goddess depicting the alluded divine femininity of their aura. While their style is very derivative of classic rock, the duo equally boasts their love of country legends like Dolly Parton and Shania Twain soundtracking their coming together many years ago as friends and in constructing this passion project.

The opening track lures you into a brooding 90s Matrix vibe. ‘Stuck on You’ as an apt opener kicks off the LP with an unapologetic attitude of wanting somebody and feeling the unshakeable urge in being lured into an existential questioning of passion and sin. It’s a catchy, femme-fatale type of track with a trilling guitar and bass riff that mirrors the apocalyptic zeitgeist of the album, which becomes even more evident in songs like ‘Red Button’ with the impending doom of staccato guitar, especially in the fiery lyrical imagery of the bridge section. They certainly embody the idea of having nothing to lose and layer up with a smoky demeanour on the bold follow up ‘Stamp On It’. This shapes the album’s more classic 70s rock side of glimmering Beach Boys-esque backing vocals and distorted guitars. Declarations of ‘just like a treasure, you belong to my collection’ and ‘you’re my religion, baby come and put a stamp on it’ don’t suggest but scream desire while songs like ‘So Damn Dangerous’ offer a heavier, grittier take, with influences of their more modern contemporaries of Arctic Monkey’s AM era coming through.

The best way to absorb somebody’s music for the first time is to see them live, which is why I went down to Vinyl Whistle on a Saturday morning to see their acoustic set before their headline at The Wardrobe. Their spirit performing live really shone through as you get to experience their unique inspirations of stories behind songs like ‘Did Nobody Ever Love You?’, a funky and biting response to Mollie “being pissed off”, as put it in their own words.

image credit: Sonic PR

Something else that was great to experience live was what we hear on the informal B side of the album. Their more country-folk, ‘breeze in your hair’ type of road trip songs that bring their harmonies bring together in a stunningly symbiotic way echo the vibe of California girl rock groups like HAIM. ‘Glory, Glory (I am free)’ represents the duo’s togetherness with a country-folk, There’s a good mix of easy-listening and breezy tracks on this record, like ‘Won’t Feel Like This Forever’, which encapsulate the humble campfire nature of how these songs are carefully crafted with heartfelt stories on the trials and tribulations of youth and entering a whole new realm of life and music. Their success comes after years of busking and their musical progression from obsessing over their country influences, a key signal found among the bluesy riffs in the likes of ‘Dead Man’s Heart’. The whimsical pop track ‘Every Night I Want You’ is another stand out that is definitely a song reserved for the summer, with 60s style backing ‘doos’ and ‘woos’ sang in a more upbeat disposition.

My favourite track on the album must be their dark, moonlit closer ‘Black Rain’, which rounds off a gloomy yet suggestive nod to the uncertainty of the future. If ‘Stuck on You’ represents dusk, this song is the moonlight after sunset as the significant duality of these tracks ties up the broody imagery, which is effervescently witchy and Stevie Nicks coded. Lyrics like ‘the weather’s changing and my body’s changing’, the song feels almost transformative and paranormal as the band described in other publications that its meaning resembles “that feeling when your heart sinks”, leaving us on a narratively ominous ending.

Already touring venues like Leeds’ Wardrobe and opening at BST Hyde Park shows for Sheryl Crow, success is on the sunny horizon for this group. For fans of Heart, Fleetwood Mac and potentially Abba, this is for people who enjoy fun and fearless experimenting with the blending of genres, which has helped shaped the duo’s roaringly distinct sound, enriching the sound of today’s indie-rock spheres. 

Dea Matrona’s debut album For Your Sins is out now on all platforms for streaming and purchasing.

Words by Eszter Vida

Chappell Roan: The Sapphic Supernova Posterchild Behind The Rise of Lesbian Pop

Maddie Nash on 11 September 2024

Maddie Nash breaks down the femininomenon of the rise (no fall) of Midwest princess Chappell Roan and how her meteoric takeover of pop music has catapulted queer representation in the mainstream media.

In recent weeks, the pop and mainstream music landscape has been dominated by a rogue: an outrageous, outspoken, lesbian drag queen from the rural Midwest. Chappell Roan’s supersonic boom into popularity that reached a speed never seen before, shifting from underground artist into superstar in a matter of months. Each time you check her Spotify listeners, the number so far stands at 45 million, compared to her humble beginnings of only 1 million. She attracted the biggest crowd Lollapalooza has ever seen, has made a guest appearance on the tour of reigning pop queen Olivia Rodrigo, and blazed into the mainstream stratosphere with a track being hailed as our generation’s ‘Y.M.C.A’.

Her rise has been completely unprecedented, especially due to the brazen lesbian content of her music. Lesbianism in pop music has exploded within the last few years, but its popularity has remained within the pretty niche confines of a queer audience. girl in red, possibly the most successful postergirl for lesbian pop thus-far, has reached great success, headlining world tours, but even she has not garnered the level of mainstream appeal enjoyed by the femininomenal Ms. Roan.

Chappell’s debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, released on the 22 September 2023, features some of her biggest hits, such as ‘Red Wine Supernova’, ‘HOT TO GO!’, and ‘Pink Pony Club’. In the eleven months since its release, many of these have gone viral online, massively boosting her popularity of her songs to 100m+ streams. Her newest single, ‘Good Luck, Babe!’, peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2024.

image credit: Chartmetric

Music catering to the queer community has dipped its toes into the mainstream since the advent of gaypop around the birth of disco in the 70s. The discographies of the likes of Queen, George Michael, and David Bowie all held allusions to queer lifestyles, though such references had to be (however thinly) veiled rather than spoken outright. A famous example of the censorship of queer experience from popular music was the BBC’s refusal to play ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes to Hollywood on the radio in 1983, given it referred to gay sex.

Despite this, gay icons such as Freddie Mercury have since been adopted and cherished by heteronormative audiences, too, fawned upon for their campy quirks while simultaneously having their sexual identities ignored, censored, or blacklisted. Whilst with the aforementioned artists their identity and music could often be separated and thus cleansed of queerness by audiences, the unapologetic nature of Chappell Roan’s work makes that disassociation virtually impossible, as her lesbian identity is such a pillar of her art.

Up until now, there has been a glass ceiling on queer music. Despite being fervently and widely enjoyed within niche gay audiences, queer music has never competed with artists of such great mass appeal as Taylor Swift. As the experience can’t be claimed or truly understood by a heterosexual audience, it can never be truly accepted by wider, mainstream, heteronormative culture. In my opinion, Chappell Roan is the first artist to kick this ceiling in, and take explicitly lesbian music to the popularity we are currently seeing. Lesbianism historically has always been alienated, fetishised, shunned and distanced. Even when gay men become more societally digestible, lesbianism has remained taboo and beleaguered by disgust. Now, we are seeing straight girls post their boyfriends to songs about women being in love.

Seeing this was especially weird to me; an inverse of everything I am used to. These songs and lyrics spanning the highs and lows of love between women are being used as an accessible romantic symbol, one to be related to by the everyday listener. It is such an alien and exciting (femini)nomenon, that music that celebrates lesbian relationships is receiving such praise and popularity. It may signal a change in society, a willingness to listen to and resonate with music and experiences that have before been outcast, and an example for what’s to come in the future of queer artists. On the other hand, the immense speed of her climb may indicate a dangerous commercialisation of lesbian music, in which the appetite of heteronormative audiences for sapphic pop may dilute its intrinsically alternative core and accuracy to lesbian lived experiences. Regardless, this is a historic moment in music history, headlined by one of the most exciting new artists out there today!

Words by Maddie Nash