Transgender Singers, Musicians and Composers
There are many prominent transgender singers, composers, and musicians around the world. They are active across the spectrum of musical genres: classical, pop, country, folk, jazz, rock, hip hop, and more. Some have won prominent awards in the profession, including the UK’s Mercury Prize, the Tony Prize, and the International Chopin Piano Competition.
Many of these individuals who are contemporary musicians have relayed their experience of living has a transgender individual, or their transitioning from one sex to another, in their music and their performances (though certainly not exclusively). Some of their songs reflect trans activism and opposition to transphobia and homophobia. For others, being transgender is not necessarily reflected in their music at all.
We have identified transgender musicians from Spain, Angola, Turkey, Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, the United States, South Korea, Canada, Vietnam, and Australia. To read their fascinating biographies, access stories, and view videos of their performances, simply click on their names:
- Calpernia Addams, United States
- Aderet, Israel
- Barbara Amesbury, Canada
- Anhoni, Great Britain
- Alexis Arquette, United States
- Estelle Asmodelle, Australia
- Justin Vivian Bond, United States
- Namoli Brennet, United States
- Tona Brown, United States
- Sara Davis Buechner, United States
- Mina Caputo, United States
- Coccinelle, France
- Bulent Ersoy, Turkey
- Jade Esteban Estrada, United States
- Laura Jane Grace, United States
- Romy Haag, Germany
- Harisu, South Korea
- Antony Hegarty, Great Britain
- Donna International, Israel
- Katastrophe, United States
- Skylar Kergil, United States
- Kokumo Kinetic, United States
- C N Lester, Great Britain
- Angela Morley, Great Britain
- Dee Palmer, Great Britain
- Jeanette Schmid, Austria
- She King, Canada
- Lucas Silveira, Canada
- Breanna Sinclair, United States
- Rae Spoon, Canada
- Cindy Thai Tai, Vietnam
- T. Thomason, Canada
- Billy Tipton, United States
- Titica, Angola
- Manuela Trasobares, Spain
- Shawan Virago, United States
- Massey Whiteknife, Canada
