What better way to top off a music issue than with a chat with Matt Farber, founder of the LGBT channel LOGO and executive producer of the new LGBT music label Music With a Twist?
Music With a Twist is the first major music label dedicated to emerging LGBT talent. In collaboration with Sony Music Label Group, which includes the labels and divisions Columbia Records Group, Epic Records, Sony Nashville and Sony Urban Music, Farber's company, Wilderness Media & Entertainment ( WME ) , spearheaded the launching of this revolutionary label.
The new label also recently released the first branded compilation of LGBT artists on the cusp of making it big. The compilation, Revolutions, includes emerging artists such as Sarah Bettens, local crooner Dylan Rice, God-des and She, Ivri Lider, Levi Kreis and more, plus the label's first signed artists, The Gossip and Kirsten Price.
WME has created a number of LGBT brands and businesses in partnership with media giants such as MTV Networks, Instinct Publishing and AOL. Breaking into the mainstream music market was a natural, yet long-overdue, step.
Windy City Times: When did the idea to create a label specifically for LGBT artists come about?
Matt Farber: The idea was there should be national brands in every facet of media and entertainment that could be a home for LGBT audiences or talent, as there are for every other audience.
…One of the things that made sense as part of the portfolio of different businesses here was to have a label that could be a home for LGBT artists who wanted to experience mainstream success. All of the brands and businesses are about saying, 'Sure, it's authentically gay, and by gay people and for gay people, but look, it's for everyone.' Being gay isn't to be on an island and be segregated. It means being welcomed and included in the mainstream without compromising what you are about and who you are. So the idea…made sense as part of the vision of Wilderness Media & Entertainment to create a portfolio of brands and businesses that work together to create homes for LGBT audiences that also appeal to mainstream audiences.
WCT: In the past, LGBT artists tended to stick with either independent labels, or decided to release their own albums. Is this going to really help open the doors for these artists to go ahead and just go mainstream without being afraid of something they thought wasn't even a possibility?
Farber: I would hope so. In order for an artist to go mainstream, they are potentially two things [ that are a factor ] . One, the music and artistry have to appeal to a broader audience. The second thing is there has to be comfort on everyone's part, the label behind it or the artists themselves, to want to do that. I think that there's always been talent who are gay artists, of course across every genre. They might not have been comfortable having that as a part of their known identity or a label might want to pigeonhole them into being their gay artist. I would hope that we prove that just because of your sexual orientation, you can still achieve mainstream success on the onset of your career without having to compromise any bit of that piece of your identity. At the same time, there's no one-size-fits-all. We're not saying with Twist that you have to be an ambassador, and have a rainbow flag stapled to your head. It's as much a part of your identity and artistry as you want it to be. It's just a non-issue. It then becomes really about the music. We are interested in artists who are commercial who happen to be gay. We believe they can achieve commercial success, but just happen to be gay or lesbian.
WCT: At this point, do you think people are seeing the marketing potential of LGBT musicians, TV shows, etc.?
Farber: I think hopefully people are finally realizing it doesn't have to be a special case. I would hope that once Twist artists experience mainstream success, it paves the way where it becomes less of an issue.
I think we're starting to see it, but there hasn't been an artist yet in the United States who is openly gay or lesbian who has experienced huge commercial success, with that being known all along. Whether that is Elton John, Melissa Etheridge or Michael Stipe—they had established commercial success, and then they officially came out. In other countries, like Europe and Australia, there are artists who are superstars with being out at the onset of their careers. I believe America is ready. There is no reason it should be an issue, and we are here to prove that it is really about the music and the artistry. We treat your identity as a plus to be celebrated.
WCT: Where do you vision Twist heading in the future?
Farber: This is really just the beginning. We think we want to have our artists experience success and have the brand become known as a place for great music by artists that happen to be gay. Ultimately, there is no reason Twist can't transcend 'gay' and just be a home for artists that want to share that open, inclusive individuality that a gay artist has.
WCT: Maybe artists who aren't necessarily gay, but appeal to a gay audience?
Farber: Sure, that is indeed a step in the evolution of the brand. But right now, we are interested in all the gay talent out there that can experience mainstream success. They can sign to any major label they can. They should sign to any major label. Bands like The Gossip and Kirsten Price are no less worthy of label deals and huge, mainstream commercial success. People ask, 'Well, they can't they sign to any major label?' They can and should!
WCT: Considering there are so many wonderful, emerging out artists, how did you choose who to put on Revolutions?
Farber: When the label was announced last year, we received hundreds and hundreds of submissions. There's a combination of people who submitted to us and us reaching out our tentacles to people out there who hadn't heard of us. The idea was to come up with a group of artists and songs that show the diversity of what LGBT artists can do. A lot of people, when they hear it's a gay compilation, think, 'Oh, it's going to be a gay dance party CD or just lesbian folk rock!' It's about the music. These are just great songs, and sure, there is a sensibility that runs through it, but it crosses genres and they are just great artists who happen to be gay. Each one is a unique artist.
