This week, in honor of Pride Month, Luminate celebrates the LGBTQ+ trailblazers who work tirelessly to bring authentic, inclusive, and visible LGBTQ+ representation to all aspects of entertainment. Below is a selection of stats from just a handful of the incredible LGBTQ+ artists impacting today’s music industry.
Then, from the Luminate Film & TV database we feature LGBTQ+ management companies, writers, and industry advocates who are bridging the gap between creatives and employers to uplift the community and dispel toxic stereotypes. Find out about some of the truly incredible LGBTQ+ entertainment industry champions we are proud to highlight.
Selection of Music Stats from LGBTQ+ Artists
Omar Apollo
Singer/songwriter’s song “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)” reached #5 on the Pop On-Demand Audio chart
Kaytranada
Producer and Hip-Hop/R&B artist has 600M+ Total On-Demand (audio and video) streams in the US to-date
Kehlani
Singer/songwriter has 5.6B+ Total On-Demand streams in the US to-date
Lil Nas X
Songs “Industry Baby” and “Old Town Road” are currently the #1 and #2 Hip-Hop/R&B songs in Total Global On-Demand streams this year (3B and 2.3B)
Janelle Monáe
R&B/Pop artist and actress’ new song “Lipstick Lover” had 2m+ Total On-Demand streams in its first week
Orville Peck
Country artist’s album Bronco has been on Current Country Albums chart for 59 weeks and peaked at #1
Kim Petras
Pop artist on the verge of crossing 1B lifetime Global Total On-Demand streams (currently at 990m+ week ending 6/8/23)
Sam Smith
Duet with Kim Petras, “Unholy”, reached number 1 on the Hot 100 in October 2022, and was a top 10 song for twelve different countries in Q1 2023
Kali Uchis
R&B artist’s song “Telepatia” has 1.6B+ Total On-Demand streams globally
LGBTQ+ Film & TV Industry Advocates
At Luminate, we believe that data reflects trends and culture, leading to the ability to pull insights about progress made and work that still needs to be done. Our 2023 Entertainment Diversity Progress Report, released earlier this spring, seeks to show the true progress of diversity and representation in the entertainment industry– across multiple metrics– using our database of over 1.5 million people.
QueerUp
Noga Wind and Kharmony Fortune are co-CEOs of the industry’s first queer management and production company, QueerUp. Actors in their own right, Noga co-starred in Max’s The Flight Attendant, and Kharmony co-starred in ABC’s Abbott Elementary. The roster of their management agency is a diverse and inclusive mix of some of the industry’s most talented LGBTQ+ talent.
Transgender Talent
An independent production company and management agency dedicated to talent who identify as transgender, gender nonconforming, and/or nonbinary, Transgender Talent is headed up by founder, CEO, and manager Ann Thomas. The company is another industry-first when it comes to their dedication to representing queer stage, screen, and musical talent. Ann’s clients have appeared in Pose, Seal Team, Star Trek, Kenan, and The Addams Family 2, to name just a few projects.
QueerVox
JP Karliak is founder of a non-profit academy and community for LGBTQIA+ voiceover talent. Frustrated with queer voiceover roles rarely being voiced by authentic queer voices, QueerVox offers its members classes and workshops, public and private industry panels, a thriving Discord community and a comprehensive directory and database of queer voiceover talent created by member Anjali Kunapaneni. JP’s own voiceover resume is equally as impressive as his organization, and includes voiceover roles in Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, Minions: The Rise of Gru, Castlevania, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, and Trolls: Trollstopia, among many others.
The Clubhouse
Authentic representation begins with authentic storytelling and the members of The Clubhouse, an intersectional group of queer Latine writers building community, connection, and long-lasting careers in the entertainment industry, are on the frontlines of advocacy for authentic LGBTQ+ narratives, stories, and writers’ equity. Their members have contributed to projects like Roswell, New Mexico, Criminal Minds, Acapulco, American Rust, Resident Alien, Legacies, and Star Wars: The Bad Batch, to name a few.
WGA-West LGBTQ+ Writers Committee
The WGA is currently at the forefront of media attention as they advocate for fair pay for their over twenty thousand members. The writers’ strike has also shined a spotlight on underrepresented writers in the industry, as they stand-up for equal compensation for their work, along with a place at the table. The WGA-West LGBTQ+ Writers Committee is led by Co-Chairs Rob Forman and Spiro Skentzos, and Vice Chair JJ Wienkers-Alvendia, these three accomplished writers help navigate LGBTQ+ members as they advocate for LGBTQ+ stories to be told by those whose lived experiences align with the narratives being told.
As we reflect on the incredible LGBTQ+ entertainment industry champions, Luminate recognizes the ongoing work that still needs to be done. While progress has been made, there are still barriers to break down stories to be told, and songs to be sung. Luminate believes it is essential to continue supporting and amplifying LGBTQ+ voices and fostering an environment where diversity and inclusivity are celebrated. This Pride Month we invite you to explore our comprehensive, respectfully sourced, and highly accurate data; and encourage you to seek out and support LGBTQ+ creators across music, film, and TV.
