Roots and Influences invites our favourite artists, local and afar, to curate a playlist of 10 songs that have inspired their career to date. Ahead of their brand new day-to-night festival by Trans for Trans, we sit down with Manchester-based community Tranuary!
Debuting in Manchester's Soup on the 28th January, Tranuary will host an exciting series of daytime creative workshops and evening performances. Featuring I. JORDAN’s TRANSFORMATION_POWER IN COMMUNITY, a short film premiere from Rylan Gleave, an all-trans cabaret revue and finally, 4 hours of queer club hedonism featuring Egg on Toast (Not Bad For A Girl), Bonzai Bonner (Shoot Yr Shot), DJ Soyboi and a special guest. Get your tickets here!
Following their Mornings With show on our airwaves, we hear from team Tranuary the pivotal tracks that have shaped their musical tastes to date. From introspective heart throbbers to straight up queer, club bangers!
Pulp - Do You Remember The First Time
Lush, bitterly camp lyrics over beautiful arrangements as Jarvis screams “Jesus, It Must Be Great To Be Straight” and guts an ambiguously androgynous figure.
Divine - Native Love
A fiercely stompy extravaganza. A call to arms and like all of Divine’s music, a totally unleashed celebration of the self and a demand for her beauty and sexuality to be adored.
Sophie - Immaterial
Because it would be blasphemous to not feature the late genius Scottish producer. This list could be filled with her, Immaterial is a beauty confection of a song. A true doll’s anthem hiding sinister sadness behind her most exquisite production.
Dusty Springfield/Leslie Gore - You Don’t Own Me
An anthem of femme dyke identity. It operates in the exact same way for any trans person who’s ever tried and failed to be loved by a society that rejects them.
Cheryl Lynn - Got To Be Real
made famous by legendary documentary ‘Paris Is Burning’, this track is a celebration of realness. The confidence of discovering one’s self to some of the most purely exhilarating disco production ever. A song to twirl to in abandon.
Prince - I Would Die 4 U
“I’m not a woman. I’m not a man. I am something you will never understand.” Enough said.
Robyn - Dancing On My Own
Any trans queer who’s quietly sat in love, without the confidence in themselves to act on it, knows exactly what Robyn is saying.
CeCe Peniston - Finally
Beloved of queens, queers, dolls and divas alike, a song to unite the DANCEFLOOR and all those who live on it.
David Bowie - Rebel Rebel
The high priest of androgyny delivers his most explicitly trans song. A love letter to finding yourself, self discovery and the sheer joy and importance in being a hot mess.
Sylvester - You Make Me Feel Mighty Real
Sheer joy and ecstasy, a song you immediately lose yourself in. Then find yourself again, a better, happier and more interesting person.
Be sure to get your tickets for Tranuary here. In the meantime, listen back their Mornings With show below, hosted by team Tranuary and gorgeous cabaret hostesses, Manchester drag legends Lill and Violet Blonde!
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