Out and proud lesbian musician, Lily Rose, received a nomination for new female artist of the year from the Academy of Country Music! Nominees were announced February 10, 2022. This is big!
Rose’s songs often focus on her same sex relationships, which is truly a treat. I know, because I love a good country song and the first time I heard Rose it touched a void within. This was something that “wasn’t for us,” but now it is. The turning of tides happening in real time.
As an up and coming singer-songwriter, Rose is a double threat. TikTok is the new fame maker and Rose exploded on the app as her talent was recognized. This led Rose to release her single “Villain” in late 2020, which went on to hit number one on the iTunes all genre chart.
Accepting the role as the perceived villain in a break up, Rose models compassion even through heartbreak. Her lingering love and pain is palpable. It’s a deeply relatable song and I think that is what’s drawing Rose’s growing fanbase. She writes honestly, with depth, her voice both emotional and smooth at the same time.
In her own words, Rose explains, “[It’s] about when you come to the end of a relationship, sometimes one person tries to make it look like it was all ‘your fault,’ when really no one was in the wrong,” she explains. “I think it’s resonating with a lot of people currently because we’ve all been there. Sometimes, you just have to fall on your sword and take the higher road.”
In October of 2021, Rose released a full album, Stronger Than I Am. The title track has Rose grappling with overwhelming feelings. “Sometimes I feel stronger than I am, sometimes I can handle my own,” Rose sings. But sometimes it’s too much to be so strong and she needs something to take away the pain. I’ll be damned if we haven’t all been there. And there it is again- the raking up of my emotions as the listener as I am absorbed in the same feelings as Rose. This is musical mastery.
Flirty and playful is well within Rose’s range and she shows that side in, “Know My Way Around.” Hope floats in, “Breakin’ In.” The album is well balanced.
Rose often shares sweet photos of herself and fiance, Daira Eamon, on her instagram. I’m not sure you needed another reason to follow Rose, but if you did — there ya go. I can never get enough power lesbians on my feed.
Country wasn’t a welcoming genre for women like us for a long time. Brandi Carlile definitely paved the way a bit, but there are not many examples of out lesbians on country and Americana charts of yesteryear. What’s especially striking, beyond the obvious homosexuality, is Rose doesn’t fit into the box of how a woman should dress and look. Rose is an unashamed lesbian woman rocking her own style — very well, I might add, damn! If we thought country music wasn’t ready for women singing love songs about other women, we surely didn’t think they were ready for a masc woman doing so. We should have known we just needed a solid, strong lesbian to knock at the door long enough and hard enough until it opened.
We’re rooting for you, fam.
You can give, “Stronger Than I Am,” a listen here:
