Queer Spotlight: Indigo Girls

The Indigo Girls, an American folk-rock lesbian duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Sailers, went under the Queer Spotlight this week.

The girls began in 1985 with the release of a seven-inch single "Crazy Game", and an EP and full-length album titled Strange Fire followed. In 1988 they signed a major record deal with Epic Records and released their second, self-titled album. The album reached #22 in the US and was certified platinum. The duo was nominated a Grammy Award for "Best New Artist" (loosing to Milli Vanilli), and won one for "Best Contemporary Folk Album". The album produced their highest charting single on the Billboard Hot 100 "Closer To Fine", which reached #52.

The studio albums Nomads Indians Saints (1990), Rights Of Passage (1992), Swamp Ophelia (1994), Shaming of the Sun (1997), Come on Now Social (1999), Become You (2002), All That We Let In (2004) all followed until the girls departed with Epic and signed with Hollywood Records.

Their stay with Hollywood was cut short after the release of just one album, 2006's Despite our Differences. The album was highly praised for being "...the most infectious, pop-infused set that the duo ever has managed to concoct...its melodies, harmonies, and arrangements are so ingratiating that the album carries the weight of an instant classic." Since leaving, the girls are now releasing their music independently and in March 2009 released the album Poseidon and the Bitter Bug which reached #29 on the Billboard 200.

The girls are heavily involved in political activism. Their advocating for LGBT rights has made them gay icons. As well as this, they stand for environmental causes and have worked with Greenpeace, the rights of Native Americans, and are part of the National Coatition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Ray and Saliers have also appeared at the annual SOA Watch rallies, the March for Women's Lives, and several other rallies and protests.

In 2006, they featured on Pink's album I'm Not Dead in the song "Dear Mr President", a protest song criticizing George W. Bush about war, poverty, LGBT rights, abortion rights, and the No Child Left Behind Act. During June 2007 the Indigo Girls were part of the multi-artist True Colors Tour 2007, created by fellow gay icon Cyndi Lauper in benefit of the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations that provide support to the LGBT community. The Indigo Girls performed again on the True Colors Tour 2008.

Queer Spotlight: John Barrowman

This week we put John Barrowman, the multi-talented Scottish entertainer, under the Queer Spotlight.

Barrowman is best known on British television for his acting and presenting work for the BBC. His most prominent television role has been as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and its spin-off series Torchwood. He has featured in such light entertainment shows as Live & Kicking, Any Dream Will Do, How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, and I'd Do Anything as well as appearing on the celebrity ice skating show Dancing on Ice.

John has dual citizenship in the UK and US. As a result of his family's move to Illinois when he was eight years old, he speaks with an American accent on screen, but reverts to a Scottish accent when with family or in Scotland.

John has been with his partner, Scott Gill, since 1993, from when they met during a production of Rope at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Despite this long-standing relationship, John told Scotland's The Herald newspaper that he had no plans to marry, saying, "Why would I want a 'marriage' from a belief system that hates me?" However, he and Gill did become civil partners on 27 December 2006. As John explained when the couple were interviewed by Attitude magazine, the couple do not want to call this a marriage: "We're just going to sign the civil register. We're not going to have any ceremony because I'm not a supporter of the word marriage for a gay partnership."

Interestingly, he was turned down for the role of Will in the US series Will and Grace as the producers felt he was "too straight". The role went to Eric McCormack who is heterosexual in real-life. Of the decision, John said "The sad thing is it's run by gay men and women," said Barrowman in a January 2006 article. He later expressed contempt for the idea that all gay men act the same way.

He was voted the 2006 Stonewall "Entertainer of the Year" and was third in Broadcast magazine's "Hottest Commodity" poll in November 2006. He was named by Out Magazine as "One of the 100 Men and Women to make 2008 a year to remember".

In 2008, he released an album of mostly covers titled Music Music Music. We played the first single "What About Us", an original song penned by Gary Barlow and Chris Braide. Watch the video here.

Queer Spotlight: Adam Lambert

Being a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered radio station, it was a no-brainer that we would showcase queer talent on Sound Museum. So each week we'll put a queer performer under the spotlight and highlight their professional and personal achievements.

This week we covered a very recent rise-to-fame. Adam Lambert was the runner-up of this year's American Idol season. For many he was favorite to win throughout the competition, but lost out to Kris Allen. With his trademark queer-friendly look of dark eye-makeup and alternative, punk style fashion, Adam was certainly something different for the squeaky clean Idol image, but won audiences over with his soaring vocals and energetic stage presence. He also took on some very interesting songs: "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes, "Believe" by Cher, "Play That Funky Music" by Wild Cherry, "Black Or White" by Michael Jackson and "Whole Lotta Love" by Led Zeppelin were just some of his choices.

His performances garnered critical acclaim each week from the judges. For his second Top 7 performance, Lambert sang "If I Can't Have You", delivering what Kara DioGuardi described as his "most memorable performance", while Simon Cowell described his vocals as "immaculate". Paula Abdul was reduced to tears. In the Top 4, Lambert performed "Whole Lotta Love". Cowell commented, "that was one of my favorite performances... nobody can top that now", while Abdul, punning on the song's title, described Lambert's performance as "a whole lotta perfect".

Questions about his sexuality came to the forefront when photos of him kissing other men, and in drag, began circulating the internet. Adam confirmed the photos where of him, saying he had nothing to hide, but never publicly confirmed his sexuality whilst on the show. Weeks after the finale, he came out publicly on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. He said, "I don't think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear I'm gay... I'm proud of my sexuality. I embrace it. It's just another part of me."

Adam is certainly not the first openly gay man to come from the Idol series. Last year, American Idol Season 2 runner-up Clay Aitken finally came out after years of speculation. In 2006, Australian Idol Season 2 runner up Anthony Callea came out after heavy speculation. See a trend happening here?!? And of course, 2002 UK Pop Idol winner Will Young is openly gay, and has enjoyed continued musical success over the years. Australia also had a drag contestant named Courtney Act make the semi-finals in its first season.

Adam is currently working on his debut album with producers Greg Wells and RedOne, due later this year. We played his gorgeous version of "Mad World" by Tears For Fears on this week's show.