ā12 Interesting Songs That Reference Bisexualityā features songs by Demi Lovato, Halsey, Harry Styles, Panic! At the Disco & Rihanna.
A number of LGBTQ+ artists, their songs, and their albums have appeared on The Musical Hype throughout the years. Being a site that incorporates and includes a number of different people from all walks of life was always among the top goals of this site ā inclusivity.Ā The biggest compilation of LGBTQ+ songs yet on the site, Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming with PRIDE, arrived in June 2019 (expect for it to be topped in 2020, of course).Ā The list at hand, 12 INTERESTING SONGS THAT REFERENCE BISEXUALITY, seeks to narrow down songs from that ābig list,ā as well as add some additional ones referencing bi-curiosity and/or bisexuality.
It is important to note, that bisexuality is treated in various ways in the songs featured on this particular list.Ā Some examine it more favorably, while others have landed the artists in āhot waterā ā looking at you specifically Liam Payne (āBoth Ways,ā really?).Ā Regardless, all of the 12 INTERESTING SONGS THAT REFERENCE BISEXUALITY minimally begin some sort of discussion; talking points.Ā Musicians with songs featured on this particular list include Demi Lovato (āCool for the Summerā), Halsey, assisted by Lauren Jauregui (āStrangersā), Harry Styles (āLights Upā), Panic! At the Disco (āGirls/Girls/Boysā), and Rihanna (āTe Amoā) among others.Ā Without further ado, here are 12 INTERESTING SONGS THAT REFERENCE BISEXUALITY.
1. Harry Styles, āLights Upā
Fine Line ā¢ Columbia ā¢ 2019
Did Harry Styles ācome outā when he released single āLights Upā on October 11, 2019 (National Coming Out Day)? That is the question surrounding the single. Regardless of how Styles identifies sexually, āLights Up,ā is quite the intriguing record. The British heartthrob went against the grain on his promo single from his sophomore album, Fine Line, and it boded well for him.
āLights Upā contrasts most of the songs that appeared on Harry Stylesā debut album, self-titled solo debut album. āLights Upā has elements of vintage and retro, led by the robust bass line and the keyboards.Ā Still, there are also some modern cues, including the sleekness of the vocal production and some programming as well.Ā The record possesses a great groove, and fine production work courtesy of Tyler Johnson. Vocally, Styles remains a force, sounding absolutely marvelous, as he makes it clear he will āShine, step into the lightā and notably, ānever go back.ā
Honestly, itās the lyrics, the accompanying music video, and the significance of October 11, 2019 that add to the speculation regarding Stylesā sexuality.Ā Does he care? Probably not.Ā There does seem to be elements of bisexuality implied in the music video, while the lyrics seem to be āopen-mindedā without specifically addressing sexuality.Ā But the chorus seems to āopen the doorā:
āAll the lights couldnāt put out the dark Runninā through my heart Lights up and they know who you are Know who you are Do you know who you are? (Oh).ā
āLights Upā previously appeared on the playlist, 11 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy in October 2019.
2. Liam Payne, āBoth Waysā
LP1 ā¢ Capitol ā¢Ā 2019
I have no doubt that the reactions to LP1 bothered Liam Payne.Ā The reactions to the much-maligned album suggest that (possibly even confirm) a lucrative solo career for Payne seems quite unlikely.Ā The thing is, Payne is talented, not to mention incredibly handsome.Ā That said, LP1 was definitely deserving of its spot as the third worst album of 2019 by estimations. Sure, it had its respectable moments (āStrip That Downā, āGet Lowā, and āFamiliarā), but the One Direction heartthrob also made some glaring missteps.Ā None is more glaring than āBoth Ways,ā which was selected among the 11 of the Absolute Worst Songs of 2019, also quite deservedly (Only āEarthā by Lil Dicky fared worse TBH).
Why did āBoth Waysā end up being a very bad moment for Mr. Payne? Well, the āhorn-dogā himself appears to fetishize bisexuality ā what an āarseholeā move! In a time where the collection of LGBTQ+ songs is only increasing, Payneās entry is totally ill advised. Easily the most polarizing and shocking song ofĀ LP1, Payneās girlfriend is portrayed as bi, hence, why āshe like it both ways.ā Liam brings a whole new level of kinkiness as opposed to respect, tolerance, or transcendence, referencing threesomes, where, unsurprisingly, his girlfriendās girlfriend gets him involved:
āLovinā the way that sheās turning you on Switching the lanes like a Bugatti Sport Nothing but luck that she got me involved, yeah Flipping that body, go head, I go tails Sharing that body like itās our last meal One and a two and a three, thatās for real.ā
Question: is anyone turned on by this? Answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Hence, āBoth Waysā is a great way to sink a solo career before it even truly begins. Ā Horrid.
3. Janelle MonĆ”e, āMake Me Feelā
Dirty Computer ā¢Ā Bad Boy ā¢Ā 2018
āYou keep on asking me the same questions / And second guessing all my intentions / Should know by the way I use my compression / That youāve got the answers to my confessions.ā Dirty Computer, the third album by eclectic R&B artist Janelle MonĆ”e, was by far her boldest, most personal, and most transcendent album of her career. Unsurprisingly, the accomplished 2018 album was nominated for the Grammyās most prestigious category, Album of the Year.Ā One of the best songs from Dirty Computer is single, āMake Me Feelā.
On āMake Me Feel,ā MonĆ”e blends throwback 80s R&B-funk production, and modern, urban contemporary fare.Ā Notable instruments used are guitars and of course, keyboards. Also, Grammy-nominated pop singer-songwriter Julia Michaels serves as a co-writer. The influence of Prince is evident, particularly the yelps that occur on the bridge section.Ā MonĆ”e delivers sexy-sounding vocals, in line with liberated, risquĆ©, and sensual nature of Dirty Computer.Ā As the aforementioned lyrics suggest, MonĆ”e is opening up sexually, confirming queer speculation you might say. Itās further confirmed with lyrics such as, āItās like Iām powerful with a little bit of tender / An emotional sexual bender.ā The chorus is the crĆØme de la crĆØme:
āThatās just the way you make me feel Thatās just the way you make me feel So good, so good, so fuckinā real Thatās just the way you make me feel.ā
āMake Me Feelā was ranked as the 29th best song of 2018 on the year in review playlist, 100 Best Songs of 2018, and also appears on the playlist, Emotional Songs Where Itās All About the Feel, Vol. 1.
4. Rita Ora, āGirlsā
Ft. Bebe Rexha, Charli XCX & Cardi B
Phoenix ā¢ Atlantic ā¢ 2018
āI aināt one-sided, Iām open-minded / Iām fifty-fifty and Iām never gonna hide it.ā Perhaps, her heart was in the right place, but Rita Ora fell far short on her star-studded bisexually-driven anthem, āGirlsā (Phoenix), which features Cardi B, Charli XCX, and Bebe Rexha. Typically, socially charged songs, particularly those with a LGBTQ tilt, are applauded.Ā That has NOT been the case withĀ āGirls,ā which has received widespread criticism.Ā Considered to be among the worst songs of 2018, to Oraās credit, she makes a statement about sexuality, specifically bisexuality, albeit poorly stated.
On the aforementioned Rita Ora excerpt from the first verse, she seems to be admitting that sheās bisexual, or at least not merely heterosexual.Ā Charli XCX follows up with the pre-chorus encompassing a lesbian relationship, mĆ©nage trois, and kush ā hmm. On the chorus, both admit, āI just wanna kiss girls.ā Rexha joins on the second verse, focusing on same-sex attraction with Cardi B capping things off: āI steal your bitch, have her down with the scissor / Tonight, I donāt want a dog, I want a kitten.ā Again, Ora and company oversimplify bisexuality, same-sex attraction, and sexuality in general.Ā This is a misguided pop record through and through, that had it been executed properly, couldāve packed a mightier punch.Ā Even so, āGirlsā previously appeared on the playlist, Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming with PRIDE.Ā Additionally, it also graced the playlist, Songs About Girls, Vol. 1.
5. Tove Lo, āBitches (Remix)ā
Ft. Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant & ALMA
āBitches (Remix)ā ā Single ā¢Ā Universal ā¢Ā 2018
Swedish artist Tove Lo always seems to āpush the envelope.ā A perfect example arrives via ābitchesā, the seventh track from her 2017 album, BLUE LIPS (lady wood phase II).Ā In 2018, Tove Lo returned with a remix of the record, featuring Charli XCX, Icona Pop, Elliphant, and ALMA.Ā The song explores lesbianism (Tove Lo is bisexual).Ā She starts things off bluntly with lines like āKnow your own love, I donāt fuck with no gloveā and āLet me be your guide when you eat my pussy out.ā Charli XCX, drops in for the pre-chorus asserting, āAll the girls stare at me, drop lip / Dripping in harmony, like Fifth.ā
Joined by Tove Lo, they deliver the āfilter-lessā hook:
āBitches, I donāt trust āem But they give me what I want for the night Bitches, I donāt trust āem But I tell āem and they do what I like.ā
Icona Pop arrives for the second verse, ending with a bang: āSo, baby, spread your legs, Iāll do the same, already cumming.ā On the third verse, Elliphant and ALMA trade solo lines, while also performing alongside Tove Lo.Ā So, what does one make of this blunt record? Depends on who you are, where you are, and what your perspectives are.Ā What is clear is that Tove Lo isnāt afraid to speak about her sexuality and manages to get unique pop single out of it.Ā āBitchesā previously appeared on a couple of playlists: Ā Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming With Pride and 13 Totally B!+chinā Songs.
6. Halsey, āStrangersā
Ft. Lauren Jauregui
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom ā¢Ā Astralwerks ā¢ 2017
Alt-pop artist Halsey, who is bisexual, tackled a lesbian relationship on her 2017 hit, āStrangersā, which appears on her sophomore album, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. Its content is different from most of the songs featured on the album. Early on, it establishes itself as an LGBTQ song.Ā On the first verse, she sings: āShe doesnāt kiss me on the mouth anymore / āCause itās more intimate, than she thinks we shouldā¦ā
The chorus confirms the LGBTQ tilt:
āSaid that weāre not lovers, weāre just strangers With the same damn hunger To be touched, to be loved, to feel anything at all.ā
Lauren Jauregui, a member of Fifth Harmony (also bisexual), similarly shares her side of the story on the second verse. Both unite on the bridge:
āI miss the mornings with you laying in my bed I miss the memories replaying in my head I miss the thought of a forever, you and me But all youāre missing is my body.ā
āStrangersā previously appeared on a couple of playlists: 12 Friends & Strangers Songs and Ā Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming With Pride.
7. Demi Lovato, āCool for the Summerā
Confident ā¢ Island / Hollywood ā¢Ā 2015
āTell me what you want / What you like / itās okay / Iām a little curious tooā¦I can keep a secret, can you?ā Open-minded pop star Demi Lovato courted some controversy (for lack of a better word) with her hit single, āCool for The Summerā (Confident, 2015). What makes the record bold are references to bi-curiousness and lesbianism, insinuated in the aforementioned lyrics.
The lustfulness is clear, with a reference to ācherryā fueling the same-sex tilt.
āGot my mind on your body and your body on my mind Got a taste for the cherry, I just need to take a bite.ā
The chorus continues the curiousness:
āTake me down into your paradise Donāt be scared, cause Iām your body type Just something that we wanna try Cause you and I Weāre cool for the summer.ā
āCool for the Summerā brings light to the existence of a sexual spectrum that goes beyond being exclusively straight, exclusively gay, or bisexual.Ā Interestingly, thereās a Purple-Red Scale for determining sexuality.Ā Since itās only ācool for the summer,ā clearly Lovato considers this to be a fling as opposed to a serious relationship. Nonetheless, a sexually awakening experience. āCool for the Summerā previously appeared on a couple of playlists: 13 Captivating Summer Songs andĀ Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming With Pride.
8. Panic! At the Disco, āGirls/Girls/Boysā
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! ā¢ Fueled by Ramen ā¢Ā 2013
Brendon Urie and Panic! At the Disco delivered one of his most risquĆ© singles of its career with āGirls/Girls/Boys.ā The single, not to mention Urieās revelation of sexual experimentation caused the media to incorrectly label him as bisexual; notably, he came out as pansexual in 2018.Ā Heās definitely onboard with the freedom to be and of course do what youād like.
āGirls/Girls/Boysā embraces bisexuality, from a girlās perspective:
āAnd never did I think that I Would be caught in the way you got me But girls love girls and boys And love is not a choice.ā
Later on, Urie admits to interfering with his love interestās preferences:
āIām just a villain vying for attention from a girl A girl who canāt decide And hereās the reason why Girls love girls and boys.ā
While he proclaims himself as the villain in this case, heās ultimately thinking bigger. Since āGirls/Girls/Boysā is bisexual anthem, he suggests those interfering with people choosing who to love ā judgmental or otherwise ā are the villains. āGirls/Girls/Boysā previous appeared on the playlists: Songs About Girls, Vol. 1, 14 Songs That Are About Boys or Girls, andĀ Totally Awesome LGBTQ+ Songs Beaming With Pride.
9. Rihanna, āTe Amoā
Rated R ā¢Ā Def Jam ā¢ 2009
The 2009 Rihanna album, Rated R, was indeed, rated R.Ā This was an important, transitional album in the R&B/pop artistās discography.Ā Notably, the album followed the whole Chris Brown scandal.Ā Rihanna would return edgy, with music that embodied being risquĆ© AF.Ā One of the kinder, gentler numbers from Rated R, āTe Amo,ā would end up being progressive than some of the cuts that found Ri incorporating f-bombs.
āTe Amoā encompasses a āromantic encounterā between two women.Ā Thereās no relationship, nor do things āgo all the way.āĀ Still, the particular woman desires to be āmore than friendsā with Rihanna. āTe amo, te amo / She says to me / I hear the pain in her voice,ā Rihanna sings on the first verse, continuing, āThen we danced underneath the candelabra / She takes the lead / That when I saw it in her eyes, itās over.ā Ā Rihanna makes her resistance to this potential relationship crystal clear on the chorus of this Latin-tinged, tropical pop gem:
āThen she said te amo Then she put her hand around my waist I told her, no She cried te amo I told her Iām not gonna run away But let me go My soul is awry Without asking why I said te amo Wish somebodyād tell me what she said? Donāt it mean, I love you? Think it means, I love you Donāt it mean, I love you?
A terrific song, it captures a scenario that is quite easy to envision by all means.Ā Crushing on the same-sex, yet the crush doesnāt feel that way ā definitely a realistic situation.
10. Lady Gaga, āPoker Faceā
The Fame ā¢ Interscope ā¢ 2008
āLove game intuition, play the cards with spades to start / And after heās been hooked, Iāll play the one thatās on his heart.ā Listening to āPoker Faceā without context, or playing extremely close attention to the lyrics, it would seem that itās a harmless, dance-pop record by Lady Gaga. Dance-pop often focuses on the production and vibe more so than the lyrics, so, Lady Gaga could easily get a bit of a pass given the infectious, killer vibes of āPoker Face.ā Donāt let the infectiousness of this number one hit from The Fame Monster fool you.Ā Basically, you should totally āread intoā the chorus, which clearly insinuates bisexuality, confirmed by the musician herself.
Thereās nothing wrong with that, but back when, how many caught what Gaga was actually singing about?
āCanāt read my, canāt read my No, he canāt read my poker face (Sheās got me like nobody) Canāt read my, canāt read my No, he canāt read my poker face (Sheās got me like nobody).ā
āPoker Faceā previously appeared on the playlist 13 Songs That Focus on the Face.
11. Katy Perry, āI Kissed a Girlā
One of the Boys ā¢Ā Capitol ā¢Ā 2008
āThat was never the way I planned / Not my intention / I got so brave, drink in hand / Lost my discretionā¦ā Well, thatās very telling Katy Perry.Ā Of course, the opening lines from the first verse set up the 2008, bisexual anthem (rather, bi-curious), āI Kissed a Girl.āĀ Of course, the juiciest part of the verse is the second half, where Perry asserts, āJust wanna try you on / Iām curious for youā¦ā
Does āI Kissed A Girlā have a transcendent message? Eh. A Huffington Post article sheds some light on this controversial, though extremely popular hit. Regardless of the controversy ā the aforementioned āBoth Waysā (Liam Payne) and āGirlsā (Rita Ora) are also controversial ā you could argue āI Kissed A Girlā broke barriers at the time.Ā Same-sex interactions wasnāt a popular topic for pop hits back in 2008.Ā And who didnāt ālike itā at the time? By the way, the ācherry chap stick referenceā was naughtier than anyone thought.
12. Franz Ferdinand, āMichaelā
Franz Ferdinand ā¢Ā Domino ā¢Ā 2004
āSo sexy, Iām sexy / So, come dance with me, Michael / Iām all that you see, you want to see / So, come and dance with me, Michael.ā You know, when I think of Franz Ferdinand, bisexuality and homoerotic certainly donāt come to mind.Ā However, āMichaelā has always stood out on their self-titled, 2004 album.Ā Thereās quite the argument to be had.Ā Does āMichaelā dip into a same-sex situation, or is it generally misinterpreted or misread? That is the question!
āMichael, youāre the boy with all the leather hips / Sticky hair, sticky hips, stubble on my sticky lipsā¦ā Wow ā thatās hot stuff to say the least, Alex Kapranos! Ā Taken the lyrics literally, āMichaelā has homoerotic thriller written all over it. āBeautiful boys on a beautiful dance floor,ā he continues on the chorus, adding, āMichael, youāre dancing like a beautiful dance-whore.ā Sure, āMichaelā isnāt extremely explicit, far paling in comparison to contemporary sexually charged music, but still, an early ode from male to male (2004) ā itās worth talking about, and still potent to this day.