For lesbian and bisexual gals, there's not much offered for them on the radio. Endless girl x boy love songs parade by, without so much as a nod to the LGBTQ community. Do not despair, sapphic ladies, because this article is for you. Get your music app ready for some catchy lady love that's actually present in the lyrics rather than just hinted at in the music videos.
1. "Girls like Girls" by Hayley Kiyoko
"Saw your face, heard your name, gotta get with you
Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new"
Hayley Kiyoko’s song "Girls Like Girls" tackles the struggle of having a crush on a girl with
a boyfriend. Hayley revealed in an interview that the song is a "female anthem for a girl stealing another guy’s girl," rather than the typical "guy steals another guy’s girlfriend."
2. "Boyfriend" by Tegan and Sara
"You treat me like your boyfriend
And trust me like a like a very best friend
You kiss me like your boyfriend
You call me up like you want your best friend
You turn me on like you want your boyfriend
But I don't want to be your secret anymore"
This song is about dating someone who isn’t quite ready to admit their sexuality yet and ends up stringing you along while they figure themselves out. No one wants to be a dirty little secret, after all.
3. "Strangers" by Halsey feat. Lauren Jauregui
"She doesn't kiss me on the mouth anymore
'Cause it's more intimate than she thinks we should get
She doesn't look me in the eyes anymore
Too scared of what she'll see, somebody holding me"
Halsey’s song "Strangers" uses "she" four times in the first four lines, making it impossible to interpret it as anything but a lesbian/bisexual lovesong. For such a big name in the music industry to make a song like this is a huge milestone for LGBTQ music. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a total bop, either.
4. "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u
"And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed
They say it's my fault but I want her so much
Want to fly her away where the sun and rain
Come in over my face, wash away all the shame
When they stop and stare – don't worry me
'Cause I'm feeling for her what she's feeling for me"
Here’s a bit of a throwback to 2002. This song is about a girl in love with another girl, and her mind is racing throughout the song with new, mixed emotions.
5. "Big Jet Plane" by Alok and Mathieu Koss
"Be my lover
My lady river
Can I take you
Take you higher"
This song is a remix of a cover of the original. In this version, a woman sings the lyrics with haunting beauty. The beat is so damn catchy that I’ve been playing it on repeat ever since I found it on Spotify.