00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the songs that have best empowered and uplifted the LGBTQIA plus community.
00:21Number 10, Beautiful, Christina Aguilera.
00:30It's easy to see why this gorgeous piece was one of the most celebrated of its time.
00:36Though the lyrics of Beautiful can apply to anyone struggling with themselves, it holds a special place in the hearts of queer individuals around the world.
00:43Besides the empowering lyrics encouraging listeners to embrace themselves, the music video made it a point to highlight the bigotry experienced by many individuals, including gay and transgender people, simply for being who they were.
00:55It was a powerful political statement and has provided strength in the midst of particularly hateful climates.
01:09It proved her allyship in more ways than one, and even earned her a GLAAD Media Award.
01:14Don't you bring me down.
01:20Number 9, 360, Charlie XCX.
01:23Though they're more celebrated now, for years, elements of queer culture have been stifled, and that has extended to the artists that champion them the most.
01:38Over the past few years, elements that were typically only found in underground scenes have begun to come to the mainstream.
01:43And Brat Summer is the peak of that phenomenon.
01:53The Brat album's release catapulted Charlie XCX, an artist who was previously mostly known in LGBTQIA plus circles, to new heights, with 360 at the helm.
02:02Yeah, 360, when you're in my neighborhood, do you like what you see?
02:05When you're in my neighborhood, you're just looking at me.
02:07Though not overtly gay itself, its message of unapologetic self-confidence has made it a favorite among her fans.
02:14The song embodies the themes of Brat and its accompanying season perfectly, creating an instant anthem for younger generations in the process.
02:26Number 8, Dancing Queen, ABBA.
02:29Not every anthem was necessarily created to be an anthem.
02:41ABBA's infectiously joyous hit, Dancing Queen, is the ultimate proof of that.
02:45Though it doesn't have an outright political message, its positivity and purely fun lyrics and sound have made it a long-lasting favorite for the community.
02:52It serves as a breath of fresh air and allows listeners to let go of the hate and strife they go through, even if only for a few minutes.
03:06And when you get the chance, you are the dancing queen.
03:14It just goes to show that even songs that seem to have little substance can still hold deep meaning to whole collectives of underserved individuals.
03:22Dancing Queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, oh yeah.
03:30Number 7, We Are Family, Sister Sledge.
03:41One thing that the movement had championed across the years is the idea of a chosen family.
03:46Given how many gay and trans people have been disowned or otherwise turned away by their blood relatives,
03:50it only makes sense that many took to creating their own platonic familial units.
04:02Sister Sledge's We Are Family was the ultimate way for them to celebrate that newfound sense of community.
04:07The jovial song pointed out how important the idea of family was,
04:11while also allowing listeners to interpret the definition of it to fit their own needs.
04:15It's no wonder why it's been a long-standing staple of the gay scene since its release back in 1979.
04:27We Are Family, I can hear you guys.
04:32Yes, everybody's saying.
04:34Number 6, Come to My Window, Melissa Etheridge.
04:38I would dial the numbers just to listen to your breath.
04:42Coming out isn't an easy thing to do, especially when your career is just starting to take off.
04:47In 1993, Melissa Etheridge shocked the world by coming out as a lesbian,
04:52and later that same year, released an unquestionably queer love song about her girlfriend at the time.
04:57Come to my window
04:59Her coming out took the track from a classic romantic ballad to a powerful anthem
05:06that resonated with those in the gay rights movement,
05:08with the bridge in particular serving as a proud proclamation against those with homophobic beliefs.
05:18I don't care what they think
05:21I don't care what they say
05:26It was also proof of LGBTQIA plus solidarity,
05:29with people coming together to uplift a fellow member and ensure her success,
05:33granting her a bona fide hit despite the societal climate of the time.
05:44Number 5, You Make Me Feel Mighty Real, Sylvester.
05:481978 was the year of the queer anthem.
06:00Besides Gloria Gaynor's defiant and celebratory I Will Survive,
06:03it was also the year that Sylvester's You Make Me Feel Mighty Real hit airwaves.
06:14It's considered to be a cornerstone of disco,
06:16but beyond that, it's the very essence of gay liberation bottled into song form.
06:21It's iconic enough on its own,
06:23but the singer ensured it would remain a staple for generations
06:27by using the profits to give back to the community years later at the height of the AIDS crisis.
06:37He still lived the message up until the very end,
06:40and to this day, it's a reminder and tribute to those the movement has lost.
06:46Number 4, Believe, Share.
06:59Given her status as one of the most celebrated gay icons of all time,
07:03it's hard to choose just one of her songs that has continuously uplifted the movement.
07:08However, it's arguably the ever-enduring and groundbreaking Believe that has had the largest impact.
07:13It's message about persevering through even the hardest times resonated throughout the population.
07:25It allowed countless people to have a modicum of hope during a period of elevated homophobic violence,
07:30reminding them to stay strong even in the face of hate.
07:32With one track alone, the icon cultivated a fourth musical comeback for herself,
07:43and gave her fans a moment of pure Europop escapism.
07:47I can feel the pain that's left to say.
07:51I really don't think you're strong enough, though.
07:55Number 3, Vogue, Madonna.
07:58Strike a pose.
08:04Though she has a plethora of hits that could easily qualify,
08:08such as the unapologetically anthemic Express Yourself, this one easily takes the cake.
08:13Madonna's Vogue is a commemoration of gay culture.
08:22Besides the pounding house production laced throughout the track,
08:25the music video shone a spotlight on the ballroom scene.
08:28This introduced a virtually unknown subculture to the mainstream,
08:32giving some people within the LGBTQIA plus populace their very first taste of the culture.
08:43Beyond the visuals, the song's content encourages listeners to let go and be themselves on the dance floor,
08:50no matter who they are or what walk of life they come from.
08:53It's no wonder why this is still considered one of her gayest releases to date.
09:04Number 2, I'm Coming Out, Diana Ross.
09:07For many, being open about their identity to others is the most terrifying experience imaginable.
09:18However, having a track that embraces that raw honesty can help ease the potential pain.
09:31Written for Diana Ross after seeing drag queens impersonate the diva,
09:34I'm Coming Out was intended to give power back to a collective that had endlessly supported her.
09:39It did all that and more, becoming a beacon for those who felt trapped in their own lives.
09:50The message is beautiful, encouraging people to break free from society's confines and be their
09:54authentic selves, regardless of the reaction they may receive. It's an iconic piece and is considered
10:00one of the most important tracks for the LGBTQIA plus community. And it's clear to see why.
10:12Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:16Hot To Go, Chapel Rhone. The queer cheer tune became the YMCA of a new generation.
10:22H-O-T-T-O-T-O-T-O. You can take me home to go.
10:28Padum Padum. Kylie Minogue. Both the coded title and sheer joy it created made it an anthem.
10:34I know you wanna take me home. Padum. And get to know me close. Padum. Padum.
10:42Closer. Tegan and Sarah. Effortlessly captures the essence of young queer love.
10:47Here comes the spark. Before the dark. Come a little closer.
10:53I want to break free. Queen. The dragged up music video took it from standard pop rock to gay anthem.
10:59I want to break free. I want to break free.
11:06I'm every woman. Shaka Khan. An uplifting bop that's empowered the community for decades.
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11:35Number 1. Born This Way. Lady Gaga.
11:44When it comes to unapologetic celebratory queer art, it doesn't get much better than this.
11:50Released in 2011, Born This Way became one of the defining anthems of the 21st century.
12:00The Lady Gaga hit is all about accepting and loving yourself the way you are.
12:04Even if it goes against the societal grain.
12:07The seemingly simple message resonated throughout the LGBTQIA plus community.
12:17Knowing Gaga is bi herself made the message all the more sincere.
12:21With the titular phrase still being tattooed on her today.
12:24The infectiously positive track has inspired for over a decade now.
12:28And has cemented Gaga's role as a modern day gay icon.
12:31And has cemented Gaga's role as a modern day gay icon.
12:39What song do you think exemplifies the queer community the most?
12:42Let us know in the comments below.
12:44Somewhere over the rainbow.
12:50Somewhere over the rainbow.
12:52Somewhere over the rainbow.
12:54Somewhere over the rainbow.
12:56Somewhere over the rainbow.
12:58Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:00Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:02Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:04Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:06Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:08Somewhere over the rainbow.
13:10Somewhere over the rainbow.
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