As the season shifts and you look for new music, consider exploring artists who identify as part of the sapphic community. The term sapphic is often used to describe women and gender-diverse people who love women, and it encompasses a wide range of creative approaches. This guide highlights five musicians whose work combines personal storytelling with bold musical choices. Each profile includes background, notable releases and the themes they explore, offering a snapshot for listeners who want to broaden their playlists with queer-centered voices.
Why these artists matter
These performers represent more than sound: they bring visibility, advocacy and artistic diversity to modern music. From intimate acoustic songwriting to samba-infused pop and polished indie production, the collection demonstrates how genre fluidity enriches cultural conversation. Many of the musicians also use their platform to discuss identity, mental health and community, creating work that resonates beyond a single track. Paying attention to these names means supporting musicians who reflect lived experience and pushing against mainstream erasure of LGBTQIA+ stories in music.
Profiles
Joy Oladokun
Joy Oladokun (she/they) grew up in Arizona singing in church and took up the guitar inspired by artists like Tracy Chapman. After college they moved to Los Angeles to pursue music; their debut EP Cathedrals arrived in 2015 and set the stage for a catalogue that spans five studio albums. Joy’s sound moves between folk, pop, R&B and rock, and they’ve recorded with artists such as Chris Stapleton and Noah Kahan. They opened for Hozier on the Unreal Unearth tour in 2026. Joy identifies as gender-nonconforming and has described themselves as “not totally in the binary.” In 2026 they married Rachel Wein and occasionally share glimpses of life and art online.
Jamee (Jamee Lockard)
Jamee Lockard first gained attention as a member of the six-piece indie-pop band Michelle, which released two EPs and three full-length albums before announcing an indefinite break in August 2026. Since that pause she has pursued a solo path, releasing the debut EP Crawling Out The Deep End, a five-track record produced by Maya Polsky and Nick Catrambone. The collection leans into lush queer pop arrangements and introspective writing. Jamee has described the EP as deliberately personal — a kind of time capsule of queer firsts — and the songs showcase her emergence as a distinct solo artist with a clear artistic identity.
Olive Klug
Olive Klug (they/them) comes from Portland, where a childhood in musical theatre and early guitar lessons shaped their approach. After shifting away from a career in social work, Olive released the first EP Fire Alarm in 2019 and built a large audience through short-form video platforms. Tracks such as “Raining in June” and “Coming of Age” found new life on TikTok, helping the songs reach widespread listeners. Their music blends contemplative pop with existential themes, frequently examining personal growth, shifting identities and the tensions of adulthood in a style that feels both intimate and universal.
Ludmila (Ludmila Oliveira da Silva)
Ludmila Oliveira da Silva (she/her) is a singer-songwriter from Rio de Janeiro whose work fuses samba, pop and R&B influences. Since debuting in 2014 she has released eight albums and built a major international presence: in 2026 she became the first Afro-Latin American female musician to reach one billion streams on Spotify. Her album Numanice won the Latin Grammy for Best Samba/Pagode Album in 2026. Open about being bisexual and married to Brunna Gonçalves since 2019, Ludmila is also a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ representation within Brazil’s music scene and beyond.
Rachel Bochner
Rachel Bochner is a New York City–based singer whose entry into the industry began with an internship at a record label and evolved into a focus on songwriting and production. Her debut EP 2am arrived in 2026 and she followed with the full-length album Lovergirl in 2026. Rachel’s sound is often described as cinematic indie pop: atmospheric production, layered vocals and emotionally driven lyrics that read like scenes from a coming-of-age film. Her songs frequently address the complexities of intimacy and relationships, making her music relatable for listeners navigating similar experiences.
How to support queer media and artists
If you love media made by and for LGBTQIA+ women and gender-diverse people, consider backing organizations that sustain that work. DIVA magazine has been spotlighting the community for over 30 years and now operates as a charity. The publication is produced by the DIVA Charitable Trust, which accepts support to continue amplifying queer voices across print and digital platforms. You can learn more about subscriptions, donations and other ways to help at the trust’s site and the magazine’s social links: linkin.bio/ig-divamagazine and divacharitabletrust.com. Supporting queer media helps ensure these artists and stories keep reaching new audiences.