Arca & Planningtorock, Queer | Beaming with Pride

In the 71^st edition of Beaming with Pride (2026), we highlight “Queer” performed by nonbinary and trans musicians Arca and Planningtorock.

Are you ready to beam with P-R-I-D-E? Beaming with Pride highlights songs by LGBTQ musicians and allies, offering background, analysis, and discussion of the decadent bops served up. All genres are welcome, and both classics and new songs are recognized. So, without further ado, in the 71^st edition of Beaming with Pride (2026), we highlight “Queer” performed by Arca and Planningtorock.

Noted, though the English translation might provide clarity: “Oh, I’m already taking away all your pain / Don’t complain when he doesn’t do the same for you, whoa.” Gotcha! Nonbinary and trans Venezuelan, Barcelona-based musician/record producer Arca (Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, she/her, they/them pronouns) collaborates with English, Estonia-based nonbinary and trans electronic musician and record producer Planningtorock (Jam Rahuoja Rostron, they/them and he/him pronouns) on “Queer”. “Queer” is the fourth track from Arca’s 2021 album, kick iiii. It was written and produced by Arca and Safety Trance (Cardopusher).

“Queer” is ear-catching from the get-go. That is an understatement. It features a robust, vibrant, and warm sound palette.  Those creative synths hit and truly pop out of the production. So does the beat, providing a firm anchor. Like the excerpted lyrics from earlier, Arca performs the first verse in their native Spanish [English translation]: “Desde que te vi no he visto a nada igual [Since I saw you, I haven’t seen anything like it] / Lo juro que lo único que quiero yo es vibrar [I swear, all I want is to feel the vibe].” Planningtorock performs the chorus in their native English:

“I got tears, but tears of fire

Tears of power, tears of power

I got tears like a queer

Queer power.”

The vocals feature various effects, adding more richness and intrigue to the sound. Arca and Planningtorock both perform the second verse. Arca draws first blood (Spanish), while Planningtorock performs most of it, in English, concluding powerfully, “Queer life, queer fire, shower in power line.” Right on 🌈! Planningtorock also performs the bridge (“Desire for tears”), the chorus, once again, and the outro, where they proclaim, “I will shower, I will shower, I will shower you in tears of fire.” Ultimately, the sleekly produced “Queer” is a powerful queer anthem that acknowledges the hardships experienced by the queer community and overcoming them.

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Arca » kick iii » Arca / XL Recordings Ltd. » 2021

Arca & Planningtorock, Queer: Beaming with Pride No. 71 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner/ The Musical Hype; Arca / XL Recordings Ltd.; Cristyan Bohn, Ketut Subiyanto, Luis Morales Torres, SHVETS production, Uriel Mont from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson, Wolfgang Eckert from Pixabay]

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