This Pride Month, TODAY partnered with Spotify to create a pride playlist featuring upbeat songs by LGBTQ pop stars and allies to start your day. The 30 songs feature a through line of celebration and love, displaying the joy experienced by the LGBTQ community and their icons in music.
From Olly Alexander of Years & Years to Michaela Jaé to RuPaul, many of the artists are subjects we'll be profiling in our celebration of LGBTQ pride this month. Other artists featured include Hayley Kiyoko, Orville Peck, Rina Sawayama, Alex Newell, Kim Petras, Billy Porter, Mila Jam, VINCINT, George Michael and many more.
But that's not all Spotify is doing this month to celebrate pride.
Their global campaign "Raise Your Voice" includes a series of activations over the course of June, all aimed at using the power of audio to provide solidarity and support for their LGBTQ listeners. According to the streaming platform, the goal is provide "inspiration for community members and allies alike to join in the fight."
The campaign includes a refreshed Pride Hub, partnering with a diverse group of historically underrepresented activists from all over the world: including Jonathan Lykes from the United States, Phyll Opoku- Gyimah aka Lady Phyll from the United Kingdom, Karolyna Pollorena from Mexico, Fumino Sugiyama from Japan, and coming Darin Zanyar from Sweden.
Spotify will also be making financial donations directly to organizations within these five regions: the National Black Justice Coalition in the United States, UK Black Pride and GiveOut in the United Kingdom, Regnbågsfonden in Sweden, Casa Frida Refugio in Mexico, and ReBit in Japan.
To listen to TODAY Pride's playlist, head here.
To celebrate LGBTQ pride, TODAY is sharing this community’s history, pain, joy and what’s next for the movement. We will be publishing personal essays, stories, videos and special features throughout the entire month of June.