Category: Amplify

Amplify Articles Culture Dhruv Interviews LGBTQ Music LGBTQ+ New Music Long Reads Music News Originals

After stumbling upon viral success, Dhruv is learning to trust his intuition

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The rising musician finds his feet on a debut album which explores ‘losing the breakup’ and creative misdirections turned good. Words by Zoya Raza-Sheikh If you’ve listened to his music, it will come as no surprise that Dhruv Sharma is a Pisces. Known mononymously as Dhruv to his fans, the singer-songwriter crafts compellingly introspective pop and gained attention for earworm ‘double take’ at the dawn of TikTok music virality in 2021. Since then, he’s further proved his water sign credentials with delicate songs exploring memory, nostalgia and an acute awareness of…

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9 Sad Symphonies Amplify Articles Buffy Buffy the Vampire Slayer Culture Interviews Kate Nash LGBTQ Music LGBTQ+ New Music Long Reads Music News Originals Trans Issues

Kate Nash: ‘People seeing the exploration of gender as a threat to feminism have it wrong’

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The British singer-songwriter speaks with GAY TIMES about her lauded fifth album, the need more for “union” between feminists and trans people and the future of her cult queer comedy GLOW. WORDS BY SAM DAMSHENAS PHOTOGRAPHY BY DORA PAPHIDES FASHION BY RÍON HANNORA MAKEUP BY OONAH ANDERSON HAIR BY YO ALEXXI KRUIZ SET DESIGN BY MACY TRIEU-DINGLE SET ASSISTANTS ERELIN CRAY, DOM BLENCOWE MOVEMENT DIRECTOR LIAM JOHN LIGHTING ASSISTANT JOSH HAMMAREN “Rhonda would be such a good vampire slayer,” Kate Nash (correctly) says of her Britannica wrestler-scientist in GLOW. Minutes into…

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Amplify Articles Ayesha Madon Culture Heartbreak High Heartbreak High season 2 LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ Community Music Netflix News Originals Queer

Heartbreak High’s Ayesha Madon is more than a TV star

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The rising star on unlearning comphet culture, Rina Sawayama’s influence on her music career and her new single ‘Blame Me’ WORDS BY ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH PHOTOGRAPHY BY YASMIN SUTEJA Right now, it’s Ayesha Madon’s moment. Poised, face illuminated by a beaming ring light, the 26-year-old Australian actress is grinning over Zoom. And, of course, she’s excited. In recent years, a lot has been at play for Madon – she’s garnered high praise for her lead role in Netflix’s campy teen series Heartbreak High and picked up nominations including the AACTA Audience…

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Amplify Articles Cassyette Music News

Genre-shifting, boundary-breaking and free: Cassyette is under no influence

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As GAY TIMES’ latest Amplify digital cover star, the musician opens up about dance music, day oners and the grief that inspired her debut album INTERVIEW BY ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH COVER DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE LUNT STYLING BY MATT KING GLAM BY CASSYETTE Whether it’s discussing her frustrations about online gatekeepers (“boring and really toxic”) or sharing her thoughts on dance music production (“fucking piss easy”) Cassyette is not someone who shies away from speaking her mind. It’s this candour and, let’s be real, no-fucks-given attitude, which has…

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Amplify Articles Fandom Fred Roberts LGBTQ Music LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ fans LGBTQIA+ music Music News Queer Troye Sivan

Fred Roberts wants to be the future of gay pop

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The London-based artist on why we need more gay male musicians, his diaristic debut EP Sound of My Youth and transforming into his truest self.   WORDS BY ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONO WHITE There’s a boyish eagerness to Fred Roberts. The rising 21-year-old artist wants his music to connect, to resonate, with his audience in the way his favourites – like Troye Sivan – have with him. On his debut EP, Sound of My Youth, the singer unravels his queer coming-of-age story through open-hearted lyricism and moving pop ballads. “I…

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Amplify Articles Baby Queen Billie Eilish Cassyette Lesbian LGBTQ+ Music Artist Music New Music News Olivia Rodrigo Originals Reneé Rapp Sapphic TikTok Towa Bird

Towa Bird is a new kind of American hero

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The British-Filipino musician on making the ultimate sapphic sex song, touring with Reneé Rapp and getting matching tattoos with Deb Never in East Hollywood.  WORDS: ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH HEADER DESIGN: YOSEF PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKAYLA LOBASSO LIGHTING: ZACH ARQUILEVICH PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANTS: VIN STRATTON, SIYOON KIM, NELE MOENS   Towa Bird wants to be the lesbian Paul McCartney. On pop rock lead single ‘Drain Me!’, she mixes distorted guitars and pitchy synth-like sounds to pull off a hedonistic head rush anthem about lesbian sex – a song she grimaces at, thinking about how…

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Alfonso La Cruz Amplify Articles La Cruz LGBTQ+ Music Artist LGBTQIA+ community Long Reads Music News Original Reggaeton

Rising reggaetonero La Cruz bares it all

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In this bilingual interview, the Venezuelan reggaetonero behind ‘Quítate La Ropa’ opens up about shifting paradigms within El Movimiento’s mainstream. WORDS BY E.R. PULGAR HEADER DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY JONATHAN IVAN  STYLE BY JOSHUA ALAN CLARK “Let’s do it even if it’s in the car,” Alfonso La Cruz says smiling.  It’s 9pm in Madrid when I connect with La Cruz, who performs under his surname. He’s attentive, answering questions while balancing an iPhone on his steering wheel. The Venezuelan reggaetonero exudes Scorpionic charisma as he details a breakthrough…

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Adventure Time Amplify Articles Culture Dirty Hit Lava La Rue LGBTQ+ Community LGBTQIA+ artist Long Read Music News Originals Rina Sawayama Twilight

Final Fantasy: Lava La Rue is levelling up their lore

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The West London artist on the game-changing plans behind their debut album, how they fell in love with Twilight’s emo vampire universe and why signing to Dirty Hit marks a new era. WORDS BY ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH HEADER DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY CLARYN CHONG STYLING BY AMY HOLDEN-BROWN MAKE UP BY MAYA MAN It’s a drizzly afternoon in Ladbroke Grove but that hasn’t stopped Lava La Rue – born Ava Laurel – from showing up in full stereo. We’re taking shelter in the headquarters of their new indie label,…

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Amplify Articles Chrishell Stause Culture G Flip LGBTQ+ Community Long Reads Music News Selling Sunset

G Flip is the non-binary role model they never had

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The Australian musician on their Nicole Scherzinger-influenced queer awakening, the thirst-trap that kickstarted their romance with Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause and their new pop-rock album, Drummer.  WORDS BY CLAIRE MOUCHEMORE PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALLUM WALKER HUTCHINSON AND NAZRIN MASSARO HEADER DESIGN BY YOSEF PHELAN “I’m a proud they/them,” G Flip says, seated in their signature skater boi slouch. It’s a warm Wednesday afternoon in St Kilda, Melbourne and we’re sitting on the rooftop of the grand Victorian Pride Centre, a shiny new hub for Australian LGBTQIA+ communities – a place where…

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Amplify Articles Barry Keoghan Culture Dicks: The Musical LGBTQ+ Community Long Reads Music News Original Originals Saltburn Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Welcome to the ‘Sophaissance’: the return of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s brand of chart (and FYP) dominating pop

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The British musician weighs in on that Barry Keoghan scene in Saltburn, her camp classic Heinz campaign, and answers burning questions from her die-hard fans. WORDS BY NICK LEVINE COVER DESIGN YOSEF PHELAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA LEWIS Sophie Ellis-Bextor isn’t just having a moment – she is the moment. Everyone who’s watched Emerald Fennell’s prickly, provocative, queer-coded black comedy Saltburn is obsessed with the scene where Barry Keoghan’s character, scheming social climber Oliver Quick, dances to ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ in the nude. Thanks largely to the film’s popularity on…

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