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It’s Pride Month! Throughout June, HollywoodLife is celebrating with The Sound Of Pride, where celebs and stars of the LBGTQ+ community pick songs for the ultimate 2023 Pride Month playlist. It’s the perfect soundtrack to planning your Pride party, researching how to protect LGBTQ+ rights, or reading about the history of Pride Month. Today, Hopeless Records artist Phem joins in the fun.
There’s more than meets the eye with Phem. Though the Hopeless Records star’s recent engagement to Tyler Posey might seem like she slots within the heteronormative binary, the alt-rock singer is proudly open about her sexuality – and the trials she’s faced due to it. As detailed in “sorry, mama,” Phem dealt with finding love and acceptance, especially under the boot of strict religious doctrine. ” Lost my mind tryna swim through these dark ass waters,” she sings. “Choking on a prayer, got me screaming ‘Our Father’ / Begging for Him to pull me out my problems / F–k it, I’ma keep it, no one’s gon’ solve them.”
“To me this is one of the best queer anthems I’ve ever heard and ever written,” Phem tells HollywoodLife about the song and its inclusion in this year’s The Sound of Pride playlist. “Basically, my Mom heard this and wasn’t happy, but it needed to be said.”
However, Phem – and her fiancé – are not letting their oppression and pain define their queer experiences. She tells HL that this Pride Month, she’s “trying to spend as much time with friends as I can and go out and celebrate at all the Pride events.” On June 10, she performed at Eden LA’s party, LA Pride’s largest party for queer women. Phem tells HL that had an experience she’ll always remember at the party, so read on to find out along with her picks for the Pride Month playlist.
raye ft. 070 Shake, “escapism”
“I’ve been jamming this song on loop… it has so much no fuxks energy and also I’m a huge 070 shake fan.”
g flip, “be your man”
“I think this song is beautiful and I totally relate to it in many ways. Also, I love g!
phem ft. MGK, “sorry mama”
“To me this is one of the best queer anthems I’ve ever heard and ever written. Basically, my Mom heard this and wasn’t happy, but it needed to be said.”
HL: How does Pride 2023 compare to last year’s vibe?
Phem: “I think me and everyone I know really wants to make the most of this summer. I’m doing more Pride events and I’m actively trying to travel and put myself out there more with friends. I think we all just wanna have a good time and dance.”
Pride is a time to celebrate unsung heroes. Are they any you’d like to see get some flowers this year?
“Some of my favorite queer artists right now in the hyper pop alt space are Brakence, Laura Les, Alice Gao, underscores. Would love to see more representation in the alt/hyperpop/alt space.”
Do you have a memory of Pride Months past that you’d like to share? Or a similar moment of Pride?
“YES! I was glued to The Ultimatum season 2 and became very emotionally invested. I fell in love with the cast but especially related to Tiff [Der] and their love for dogs. I have a song called “i love my dog” and we both ended up at Eden’s Pride Party a few weeks ago. Tiff came up and sang the song with me. It was a huge mind-blowing moment for me but also for Culture in general. Incredible evening. Tiff is also the sweetest.”
What do you have planned for June (and the rest of 2023?)
“I’m finishing my first full length and working on another. also trying to spend as much time with friends as I can and go out and celebrate at all the Pride events.”
Do you have a Pride 2023 message to share?
“Be urself 4evr!!”
Keep reading HollywoodLife throughout June for more entries in The Sound of Pride and additional Pride Month coverage. And remember — fix your heart or die!