Brooke Candy has long been an advocate for those who feel like they don’t quite fit in. With songs that call for empowerment and sexual liberation, Brooke Candy makes unfiltered music for the voiceless — much like her recent single “Living Out Loud,” which features pop icon Sia, where she triumphantly sings, “I gotta live out loud because it’s the only way I know how.”
As a part of Billboard’s 30 Days of Pride, the outspoken artist shared some of her favorite visual artists, recording artists and designers who have touched her life and the LGBTQ community in some way.
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JD Samson of Le Tigre
JD is super-talented, and a modern day pioneer for the alternative queer community.
Seth Bogart of Hunx & His Punks
He’s one of those people that is so cool, and I’ve always looked to him. His best friend is named Peggy Nolan, and their whole crew, they’re just so uber-cool, and they just ooze creativity. The art that they make is so uniquely theirs and it’s so cool to see because I think we are living in a time where everything is recycled and a lot of the visuals that we see, we’ve seen before and it’s really cool to see someone create from such a pure, strange place.”
Surfers and Surfwear Designers, Brothers Marshall
Three brothers from Malibu who are the sickest surfers ever! They created the GLSA (Gay and Lesbian Surf Association). They wanted to shake some shit up, so they decided to start the Gay and Lesbian Surf Association and promote it at every single event, and it’s caught on and it’s still going.
Kathleen Hanna
She is the epitome of feminism to me… She’s always been a proponent for feminism, and in a pure way. It’s not contrived. It’s not of the moment. It’s not trendy. She is just a woman who is strong and can stand really firm in her womanhood and it’s just really cool. She’s living, breathing feminism.
Shayne Oliver of Hood by Air
The creator and head designer of Hood by Air. It’s an innovative clothing brand that surpasses fashion and it kind of enters into the world of fine art. I think very few designers [verge] into that. It’s such a fine line to stand on, and I think Shane has fully straddled it.
Mykki Blanco
Our generation’s GG Allin… I love real punk music and, to me, he embodies real punk.
Jesse Saint John, Recording Artist
He has written all the cool songs that I’ve put out, and being in the studio with him, it’s like five minutes, done. He’s another person that oozes creativity that I’ve always looked up to, and he is such a positive human being and such a special person.
Morrissey
Basically Morrissey is the coolest human. But I had a friend who went on tour with him, and one of his favorite things to do after a show, Morrissey would go to a dive bar and he would sit at the bar, and he would get really drunk, and he would wait for some macho, meathead f—er to come in and sit down next to him and then he would start a conversation. He would throw a little bait on by hitting on whoever was sitting next to him, and he would wait to see, “Is this person going to be homophobic? If this person is going to call me a ‘f—-t’ or they do anything homophobic, I’m going to take them outside and beat them up,” and it was like every night. He would like to bar fight homophobic bros, which I think is so fun. I think more people after their shows should beat up some homophobes.
Robin Black of Beauty is Boring
My favorite collaborator at the moment. Robin started her own beauty company Beauty is Boring where she conceptualizes beauty looks, paints them on the model, and take stunning photographs oh the entire process. I just love women that create something out of nothing and what she has created is so well respected.
Boychild, Performance Artist
My favorite performance artist. Boychild plays with gender norms, abstract beauty looks, and insane live performance concepts.
