The GLAAD Media Awards have announced nominees across 33 categories, singling out artists that "honor media for fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues." Among the categories in the music industry, this includes Outstanding Music Artist, Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and in the Outstanding Documentary category, Magnolia Pictures' Little Richard: I Am Everything.
Cyrus is nominated for Outstanding Music Artist at the GLAAD Media Awards.
In the Outstanding Music Artist category, the nominees include:
Billy Porter, Black Mona Lisa
Boygenius, The Record
Brandy Clarke, Brandy Clark
Janelle Monae, The Age of Pleasure
Kim Petras, Feed the Beast & Problematique
Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation
Renee Rapp, Snow Angel
Sam Smith, Gloria
Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
Victoria Monet, JAGUAR II
In this field, the biggest name is pop songstress Cyrus. Her album and the single "Flowers" released at the beginning of 2023, dominated the global charts, setting several records (37 weeks spent at the top of Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and at Spotify for the most streamed song in a week) and receiving three Grammy nominations. Cyrus founded the non-profit Happy Hippie Foundation in 2014 which focuses on youth homelessness, particularly those in the LGBTQ community and other vulnerable populations.
Ice Spice at the BET Awards, June 2023.
In the Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist category, the nominees include:
Chappell Roan
David Archuleta
Fancy Hagood
G FLIP
Ice Spice
Iniko
Jade LeMac
The Scarlet Opera
Slayyyter
UMI
Ice Spice has broken out big in 2023. Only 24 years old, the rapper has gained traction in the pop music world with her collaborations, including "Princess Diana" with Nicki Minaj and "Boys A Liar Pt. 2" with Pink Pantheress. Also one cannot overestimate the impact she's had in association with some of 2023's biggest names: the Taylor Swift pairing for "Karma," and "Barbie World" with Nicki Minaj and Aqua, which have earned her recognition at this year's Grammy Awards with a total of four nominations.
Little Richard: I Am Everything
In the film category, director Lisa Cortez's Little Richard: I Am Everything is a ground-breaking study of one of the true icons of rock and roll. Throughout his life, Little Richard (born Richard Penniman) was outlandish, confrontational yet highly influential with his charged-up singing style preserved forever with songs such as "Tutti Frutti," "Lucille" and "Good Golly, Miss Molly" alongside his slamming piano playing and sharp sense of humor.
However, it was his conflicting, switchback lifestyle that remains the center of the documentary. Born at a time when the notion of homosexuality was taboo, he fought the deeply ingrained nature of his evangelical Christian upbringing by flouting his effeminate manners and engaging in secretive gay relationships. As time progressed, he was born-again, came back to rock music, later admitted he was gay, then near the end of his life, denounced homosexuality and transgender identity as "unnatural."
Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce will be presented with a Special Recognition Award, which honors "projects and individuals that spotlighted diverse segments of the LGBTQ community in innovative ways," as stated by GLAAD.
The 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held this year in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday, March 14 and in New York City, at the Hilton Midtown, on Saturday, May 11. The full list of nominations can be found here.
