I'm now a happily queer tattooed tomboy in my thirties and am chuffed that artists continue to push the boundaries of gender. However, while the public may see it as part of the performance - just another musician pushing the boundaries of creative expression - only the artist knows where the line between art and their true identity exists. ( Instagram: Halsey)īut you could be excused for thinking that everyone's jumping on the non-binary bandwagon, with Miley Cyrus, Sting's child Eliot Sumner, and a list of other young artists all publicly shunning gender or sexuality labels. Highlighting your point of difference is certainly not a silly move in the fiercely competitive music business.īrooklyn singer Halsey breaks down gender stereotypes. 'Don't have a preferred so much but I wish I didn't have to be categorised as female constantly.' Gender bending is not just 'part of the performance' 'I vibe in a gender neutral space so I'm kinda impartial to pronouns for myself,' Grimes, whose real name is Claire Boucher, revealed on Twitter. These days artists like next-big-thing Brooklyn singer Halsey and 27-year-old indie-pop vanguard Grimes are breaking down gender stereotypes and articulating their identities with ease. Musicians have been blurring the gender boundaries for years and celebrated for their non-conforming edge, but it appears to have become more commonplace. I was infatuated with Axl Rose's androgynous sex appeal, intrigued by Grace Jones' badass flat top, I thought Bowie looked fierce in a dress and heels, and found artists like Boy George, Annie Lennox and the make-up clad new romantics way more interesting than the squeaky clean soap stars that lined my school mates' lockers. You broke the gender rules, and in doing so, the minds of your peers. In high school being a tomboy meant you were a bit of an outsider - you weren't the hot girl, your athleticism was intimidating, and you certainly didn't share the other girls' enthusiasm for a DIY French manicure. I've always idolised musicians over actors, world leaders and other famous types.Īs a young tomboy, I recognised pretty early on that rock 'n' roll was one of the few spaces where weirdos were seen as cool. ( Instagram: Halsey Miley Cyrus Shamir Bailey Grimes Big Freedia.) You could be excused for thinking everyone's jumping on the non-binary bandwagon: a long list of young pop stars are blurring gender lines.

Windows 10 firefox 45.0 blur bar