Zolita

Photo by Paige Maccready

Zolita is a 24-year-old independent artist based in Los Angeles whose music blends R&B and dark pop and lyrically draws on her experiences as a queer woman. “I am so grateful that I get to create art about girls loving girls in an authentic way, and that with social media so many people have access to it,” she tells GO. Zolita graduated with a film degree from New York University, and she’s built a loyal fanbase and widespread industry respect through her self-directed/produced music videos, each of which have garnered over 25 million combined views on YouTube and have gone viral. Zolita is known for her powerful message and avant-garde aesthetic, which has resonated with LGBTQ+ kids around the world. She is proud of the much-needed visibility she brings to her industry. “The most rewarding aspect of what I do has to be the messages I get from other queer people who can see themselves clearly in the stories I tell through my art. Growing up, I didn’t have any femme lesbian role models in pop music or in the mainstream media to look up to, so to be that for a young person growing up now is everything to me.” She recently won GLAAD’s “Rising Star” award, played L.A. Pride, and is looking forward to a summer touring with XYLO and playing at several other Pridefests. —DT