Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Chappell Roan, Lil Nas X, Lucy Dacus & More

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, we’re happy to inform you that you are in luck — because some of your favorite queer artists have some new songs for you to blast all weekend long. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.

From Chappell Roan’s long-awaited return to Lil Nas X’s latest pop-rap jam, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Chappell Roan, “The Giver”

Service tops everywhere, you’re welcome. After debuting the track four months ago via a live performance on Saturday Night Live, the fast-rising pop superstar finally delivered fans a studio version of “The Giver,” her cheeky, excellent new country-inspired song. Swapping out her synths for fiddles and banjos, Roan gives her prospective lovers a guided tour of exactly what she could do for them, all while flaunting some of her career-best vocals over the top of a raucous country track. Roan is right about one thing for sure, especially when it putting together A+ songs: she gets the job done.

Lil Nas X, “HOTBOX”

In a particularly wild move, Lil Nas X decided to release not one, not two, but five singles this week, each dropping on a different day. And while there are plenty in that bunch to talk about, none goes quite as hard at “HOTBOX,” the rapper’s bawdy, rambunctious new offering that sees Lil Nas well and truly entering his new era with a splash. Over glittering R&B guitars and a killer beat, Lil Nas raps his way in and out of a romantic situation, all while asserting that he’s still got plenty more to offer his day one fans.

Lucy Dacus, “Talk”

After spending her last few singles sharing all the love, Lucy Dacus is ready to change gears a little bit. “Guess,” the latest track off Dacus’ forthcoming new album Forever Is a Feeling, takes the lyrical gymnastics of songs like “Ankles” and “Best Guess” and turns them into cutting examinations of a relationship hurtling towards its inevitable end. Droning guitar lines and a relentless drum beat slowly ratchets up the tension as Dacus brings this brutal post-mortem to its climax: “Do I make you nervous or bored?” she sings on the chorus. “Or did I drink you to thе last drop?”

Anitta, “Larissa”

Over the course of her career, Brazilian pop superstar Anitta has made it a habit to sing from a bossed-up point of view. Now, on her latest single “Larissa” (direct from her new Netflix documentary), Anitta is exploring what it means to strip that persona away. Gone are the loud, audacious production swings she normally takes, now replaced by simple melodies and a simple drum beat, as she lets her defenses down and sings a fragile, tender love song that is well worth your time.

Royal & the Serpent, “Death Do Us Part”

On her latest single “Death Do Us Part,” Royal & the Serpent is done toying with her sound — she’s found it, and she’s not letting it go. Throughout this ominous track, Ryan Santiago’s voice shrouds itself in multiple layers od distortion as she sings about the kind of love that you hold as tightly as you can, all while the soundscape behind her gradually grows from a simple, acoustic setup to a delirious gltich-rock anthem. “Wherever you take me, I’ll die in your arms,” she sings. “We’ll turn into daises, yeah, we’ll turn into stars.”

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below: