If you’re looking for something new to listen to this summer, then look no further than these amazing queer Irish artists who are releasing brand new music this July.

Apollo Monroe X OLD PUP

Dublin-based alternative pop artist Apollo Monroe and British electronic artist and producer OLD PUP have joined forces on their new hyper pop anthem, bubblegum boy. The tracks’ bouncing synths, glitchy vocals, with a sugary overcoat create a highly repeatable hyper pop anthem that combines elements of EDM, bubblegum-pop, and dance-pop. 

A pop culture fan throughout his childhood, Monroe garnered a passion for songwriting, performance and fashion in his early teens. He now has his sights set on a future in pop music – intending to innovate and push boundaries within the Dublin music scene.

The single is set to be released on July 16. Both Monroe and OLD PUP can be found on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Banríon, Smoothboi Ezra and Pillow Queens

Everyone’s favourite queer Irish sweethearts Pillow Queens will be joined by even more queer Irish music greatness, in the form of Smoothboi Ezra and Banríon on their upcoming Irish tour. The majority of the tour is already sold out, with tickets available for the Cork show only.

Banríon announced yesterday on Twitter that they will be joining Pillow Queens in Cork, Listowel, Kilkenny, Limerick and for one night in Dublin at the Button Factory. Smoothboi Ezra will join the Queens in Dundalk, Derry and Galway, before closing the tour at the second of two sold-out gigs in the Button Factory. 

SURPRISE ! we're going on tour with @PillowQueens !
see u in cork, listowel, kilkenny, limerick and dublin !!!! pic.twitter.com/FlNJI0uPZW

— ró (@banrionbaby) July 8, 2021

Conleth Kane

Conleth Kane is a gay singer/songwriter from Lurgan in Co. Armagh who is currently based in London. He has teamed up with world-leading pop producers 7th Heaven who have remixed his song Proud into a big dance-club banger for a July 16, set to be released on all major music platforms (just in time for all the clubs reopening in London). 

A new music video will also be released with the remixed version of the single. The music video was filmed in the iconic LGBTQ+ venue, The Royal Vauxhall Tavern with 12 dancers from the LGBTQ+ dance group, The Alpha Dancers.

The song will be available on all streaming platforms and you can pre-save it at this link. 

ELKAE

Today, Friday, July 9, ELKAE releases her debut EP – Girls Like You Like Me. ELKAE describes the EP as “a total throwback,” heavily inspired by the sounds of 70s and 80s funk and soul. The four-track EP includes the title track, Girls Like You Like Me, as well as the recent single Distraction plus another two songs, Signal and Wrong Side of Love. 

The EP sees ELKAE hone in on a time in her life where she was getting her heart broken, breaking hearts, hooking up with different people, getting into different relationships, making mistakes, falling in love, making friends and partying. 

For the ‘Girls Like You Like Me’ EP, ELKAE has drafted in a who’s who of Irish music right now, with Lydia Ford, Chloe Agnew, ZaPho, Toishin, Karla Chubb (Sprints), Sinead McConville and Taylor Mas all contributing to the project. Available now, at this link.

Sylas Dean

Small town songwriter Sylas Dean releases his first new single; Real, following the debut of his EP American Dreeming. A cyberpunk fantasia with a synthwave influence, Real is a powerhouse plethora of a revenge anthem with dance undertones

Originally from a small town on the east coast – Dean drove straight across the country with hundreds of songs written to reinvent himself as “Sylas Dean.” A dance driven sound accompanied with colourful club-kid imagery.

Real explores the halfway point between fantasy and reality as a relationship falls apart and one questions sincerity. A combination of synthwave and a cyberpunk pop, Real is the revenge song of the ages cloaked in a menacing baseline and a classic hook. Available now on SoundCloud and Spotify.