Out Artists on the Rise
Team Gina’s expressive brand of rap combines their shared experience as children of the ’80s, and their love of all things pop.
The Seattle-based duo of Gina Genius, 27, and Gina Bling, 26, audaciously sample Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Baby Got Back,” simultaneously referencing My Little Pony, and themes from the queer rights movement.
“We’re synthesizing all the elements of pop culture that we grew up with and mashing them up to create something new,” Genius. “We’re also trying to bring a perspective that’s kind of utopian—we want to represent the perfect queer paradise that doesn’t exist yet, that maybe exists at our shows.” Components? “Well, there’d be really great outfits,” muses Genius, giggling. “And really great dance moves.”
While Gina Bling is a Seattle-born former “musical theatre junkie,” Genius, who hails from D.C. via Brooklyn, is a former folk singer. The beat-heavy duo, who met in 2006 at a Scream Club show, sport matching attire (think booty shorts, wristbands) when they break it down every first Friday at Seattle’s Wild Rose bar. Their debut CD, gina gina revolution, was released this year by Crunks Not Dead and Don’t Stop Believin’ Records.
The two giggly femmes, who just finished touring with MondoHomo Dirty South, share one other love: butch girls. Hence these memorable lyrics from their Sir Mix-sampled track “Butch/Femme”: “I like butch girls and I cannot lie/You other femmes can’t deny/When a butch walks in all the femmes wanna fuss/’Cause it’s like one of them and thirty of us.”
For more on Team Gina, visit myspace.com/teamgina. –Melody Wells
Hip-hoppers to country crooners, this year’s up-and-comers are here, queer and ready to entertain
Sandra Grace
Sandra Grace’s music is a mix of pop, techno and a great Saturday Night Live sketch. While the Brooklyn native lays down serious dance beats, she also likes to make her audience laugh. “The types of songs I write are truths that hit me in a funny way or a profound way.”
The video for Grace’s newest single, “Do You have A Lover?” has burned up the charts of Logo as well as YouTube.com. In the video Grace hilariously parodies a cheesy pick-up line heard in an NYC lesbian bar. She saunters into to the bar with fake nails and a hefty New York accent, asking beautiful girls if they “have a lover.”
Grace, who recently hosted the 24th Annual NYC Pride Parade, is a proud and active member of both the New York City and Miami lesbian communities, which Grace believes have distinct but inspirational musical and cultural flavors.
The outspoken singer prides herself on seeing music in everyday life and her day-to-day enthusiasm comes through in her upbeat music and lyrics. Her album, Do You Have A Lover, released in 2007, is a combo of upbeat techno, a couple of great covers, and some heartfelt ballads. What Grace advocates most for in life, from both herself and her fans, is honesty. “As an artist and as a human being I think for me it’s very important to be honest with yourself always, be true to yourself always and to take the risk to be yourself.”
For more info about Sandra Grace and to watch her videos check out myspace.com/sandragracemusic. –SH
