By Lauren Means • Photos Provided by Nashville Pride
Pride season is upon us and there are so many things to be excited about – festivals, parades, parties, and of course, MUSIC. Music has always been an important part of our culture and history. From Bessie Smith in the late 1800s and Ma Rainey in the early 1900s to Sir Elton John and Lil Nas X, music has been a form of expression and a way to tell our stories. It also helps us find communities of people who are like us. In this issue, we are highlighting some of the headliners of this year’s Nashville Pride Festival and encourage you to listen to some of the other artists at this festival and many others across the state. Who knows? You might be witnessing the next star being formed!
Michaela Jaé
Actress and singer Michaela Jaé got her start in entertainment with small television roles, including Nurse Jackie, The Carrie Diaries and Luke Cage. She parlayed those roles into a lead role in FX’s ground-breaking drama, “Pose.”
Her performance as Blanca Evangelista garnered critical acclaim. 2021 was a big year for Michaela Jaé as she became the first transgender woman to earn an Emmy Award nomination in a major acting category, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in “Pose,” and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in January 2022.
Having a theater background, Michaela Jaé had the opportunity to showcase her vocal skills on “Pose,” when they had musical numbers. She used that as a kickstart to her singing career. In June 2021, Michaela Jaé released her debut single “Something to Say” under the record label Access Records. The song serves as the lead single for her forthcoming debut EP.
Tanya Tucker
Singer-songwriter and country music legend Tanya Tucker had her first hit, “Delta Dawn,” in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the next four decades, she would experience highs — like chart-topping hits and Grammy Award-winning albums — and lows such as short-lived romances and addiction.
With the help of friends and family, she was able to overcome her addictions and re-emerge with new music. She has worked with other artists like Brandy Carlile and Shooter Jennings to produce new music. She recently announced she has completed the work for her follow-up album to the 2019 release “While I’m Livin’” although no release date has been announced.
She also collaborated with RuPaul in late 2021 for the song “This Is Our Country.” The song first aired during the season six finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars,” in which Tucker was a guest star. The song talks about how we all have different journeys and stories but love is at the core of living a good life.
VINCINT
VINCINT is a singer-songwriter who got his start when his father took him to audition for an all-boy choir in Philadelphia when he was seven. That awoke something in him that propelled him to begin songwriting. He penned his first song when he was twelve. He was a contestant on the short-lived reality talent show, “The Four: Battle for Stardom,” where VINCINT made it to the finale.
In April 2019, VINCINT premiered a music video for a single called, “Please Don’t Fall in Love,” and in February 2020 he released his debut EP, “The Feeling.” VINCINT’s song, “Be Me,” was the anthem of the fifth season of Queer Eye. He released his debut studio album, “There Will Be Tears,” in June 2021.
Walk The Moon
Known for their energetic performances, Walk The Moon was started in 2006 by lead singer Nicholas Petircca. The group independently released their debut studio album, “I want! I want!,” in November 2010 while their self-titled major-label debut “Walk the Moon” was released by RCA Records in June 2012.
Even if you don’t think you know the band, you know their music. Their hit “Shut Up and Dance” has been featured in marching-band shows, wedding videos, and even an Amazon Prime commercial.
Their second release, “Different Colors,” is about celebrating and embracing each other’s differences by speaking out against discrimination of any kind. In a 2015 interview with ABC Radio, Petircca explained where the inspiration for the song first came. “While ‘Different Colors’ speaks out against discrimination of all kinds, it was the fight for marriage equality that initially inspired the song,” he said.
Petircca is also a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. He has shared his belief that sexuality is a spectrum and in a post on Instagram in June 2020 he explained, “I have feelings for, am attracted to both men and women, and I have had experiences with both men and women, and I’m proud of it.”
ABOUT NASHVILLE PRIDE
For more about Nashville Pride, visit nashvillepride.org.
