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How do our identities get fused into the sounds we make? In this episode, we witness the birth of a song co-created by two friends. What they come up with turns out to be an intricate portrait of gender dysphoria and Filipinx identity.

What’s it like to be in an environment where you can say whatever you want—but so can everyone else? In this episode, we dive headfirst into the battle rap arena—a place that'll make you squirm and wince and revel in a masterful word war between two women rappers: 40 B.A.R.R.S. and QB Black Diamond. This episode is raw, revealing, explicit, and the opposite of a safe space.

What does church music have to do with queer culture? We rewind back to a time in the early aughts, when Contemporary Christian Music – CCM for short – permeated popular culture and was used to press evangelical values on those who made and consumed these songs. In this episode, we hear from queer Christian musicians Jennifer Knapp and Semler, as well as scholar Caris Adel. 

Sounds Gay tells stories of queer people whose lives have been transformed by music. In this limited series, host Sarah Esocoff takes you to the middle of a trans mosh pit and to a heated rap battle. You’ll go with her to the shores of the Pacific ocean to fly remote control airplanes with an 86-year-old pioneering sound artist. You’ll witness firsthand the songwriting process of two friends as they explore nonbinary and Filipino identity by writing an emo song. And together you’ll attempt to unravel the legacy of a controversial composer whose death remains a mystery. Coming May 24