What Clairo Means to Queer Women
When Clairo burst onto the music scene in 2017, her home-grown roots and organic approach to song production attracted the attention of millions. On her debut album, “Immunity”, the Georgia-born songstress opened up about everything from love, heartbreak, to her personal health struggles. By taking topics that are difficult to discuss and turning them into songs, she has given many the footing that they need to begin having hard conversations with their peers and within themselves. One of these conversations happens to be the beauty of love between two women.
While Clairo doesn’t like to label her sexuality, she’s positive that she isn’t straight.
“I’m having my gay sob right now, where I’m just letting all my emotions out and finally crying from that experience when I was twelve years old, ‘Why are girls so hot?’” She told Out in 2019.
Her willingness to be honest about her sexuality has comforted so many women that are going through the same thing, including myself. I’ve known that I’m a lesbian since I was in middle school and coming to accept that was one of the hardest things that I’ve ever been through. I can recall a particularly poignant moment from my freshman year of high school. I was outside with my friends during a free period, the sun shining brightly on our faces as the last fragments of winter faded from the air. Someone’s phone was playing music and a Clairo song came on. A girl next to me chirped excitedly, “I love her music!” she said. That’s when I remember thinking, if my friends like Clairo even though she likes girls, maybe they won’t mind if I do.
I’m not alone in feeling a sense of security from Clairo’s music. In fact, it’s one of the things that her fans say most commonly when they talk about what her songs mean to them.
“I think her music is so beautiful because she writes and sings about women in a distinctly sapphic way,” said Unpublished Fashion and Beauty Editor Emma Taila. “A straight man couldn’t relate to how she sings about women in the same way. It feels very by and for queer women, even though her fanbase is not exclusive to those identities.”
“[Clairo] has helped me accept myself and realize that I am so much stronger than I think.” A Twitter user added, echoing Emma’s sentiment.
Female queer representation in mainstream media is more important than ever. Though we are beginning to see relationships between women depicted more often, we are still one of the more underrepresented groups within the LGBTQ+ community. Time and time again, sapphic relationships are thought to exist as vessels for heterosexual men to be attracted to, rather than genuine romantic connections that deserve the same treatment as any other love.
Clairo is taking this stereotype and turning it into a thing of the past. On “Sofia”, the 22-year old talks of passionate romance, and the song’s effect is undeniable.
“It isn’t easy to release such a vulnerable part of you through mainstream music,” said Unpublished film writer Madeleine Lingad.“So I really credit Clairo and her music for making me and many other queer people feel okay to like who we are.”
With an army of queer fans behind her, Clairo is unleashing a wave of acceptance and vulnerability that is rarely seen in the music industry. By using music as an outlet to express her emotions, she’s given millions the freedom to feel that they can do the same. And it isn’t just fans that are catching on to this phenomenon. Since her rise to fame, the increase in artists that are willing to sing about girl-on-girl love has only doubled. From Girl In Red (stylized “girl in red”) to King Princess, the curtains have been pulled back on sapphic relationships in music. While Clairo wasn’t the first to touch on these subjects, we can certainly thank her for shoving the idea to the forefront, unable to escape public attention.
Clairo’s career only grows bigger. She’s scheduled to tour with Tame Impala in 2021 and has been teasing fans with information about her second album since March. As her star rises, so does the number of kids who feel that they no longer have to hide who they truly are. The lyrics to her songs are scattered throughout the personal journeys of countless people. I can’t thank Clairo enough for what she’s done for me.
Perhaps Madeleine put it best, “[her] music has allowed me to feel more accepting of myself, knowing that one of my favorite artists is just like me in a way.”
Regardless of the way that Clairo’s music resonates with you, I think we can all agree with this sentiment.
Source
Henderson, Taylor. “Musician Clairo Is Getting Comfortable Being 'Not Straight'.” OUT, Out Magazine, 28 May 2019, www.out.com/music/2019/4/30/musician-clairo-getting-comfortable-being-not-straight.