The Annual 2023
Hei fra Bergen and welcome to the Annual 2023. It’s been an amazing journey of music. The highlight of my last year’s music discover certainly was the opening and closing concerts of Sydney World Pride 2023.
There I relished in hearing favourities live, but I also discovered so much. I discovered MUNA and they debut with I Know A Place. It may be from 2016 but it spoke so much to my heart. It’s an LGBTQIA+ anthem about finding a safe place where you can “lay down your weapon.” Certainly music has been the safe place my whole life but also the pride parades, the LGBTQIA+ bars & clubs, the community centers, and ally spaces.
I also discovered and affirmed the amazing talents of Ava Max. It was so hard to choose tracks from her recent album Diamonds & Dancefloors. I choose the title track and track number two, which Ava mentioned as a favourite, Sleepwalker.
Kim Petras returns with an unreleased track that she has performed at events for over a year now. It’s been a joy following her career and I’m so proud of her Grammy win. Jake Shears debuts as a solo artist. Betty Who returns with She Can Dance. It feels amazing to highlight so many LGBTQIA+ artists. Music is the blood of the LGBTQIA+ community. It has inspired us to be ourselves.
Lizzo continues to her upbeat positivity, “Guess I better learn to like this”. Miley Cyrus grows with Flowers.
I hope you enjoy and here are my favourites discovered or released from March 21st 2022 to March 21st 2023:
Jake Shears – Too Much Music
Lizzo – About Damn Time
Ava Max – Sleepwalker
Tiësto & Tate McRae – 10:35
MUNA – I Know A Place
The Knocks – Slow Song (with Dragonette)
Carly Rae Jepsen – Surrender My Heart
Tove Lo – No One Dies From Love
Miley Cyrus – Flowers
RAYE – Black Mascara.
Lizzo – 2 Be Loved
Joel Corry, David Guetta & Bryson Tiller – What Would You Do?
Kygo & Dean Lewis – Lost Without You
Betty Who – She Can Dance
Kim Petras – Hit It From The Back
Electric Fields – We The People
Rita Ora – You Only Love Me
Freya Ridings – Weekends
Ava Max – Diamonds & Dancefloors
