Can music express queer subjectivity beyond the limits of language? This question has been debated for decades among academics, activists, artists, and fans. Music is an art form that can convey emotions and experiences without using linguistic structures like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and conjunctions.
It also draws from language to create rhyme schemes, lyrics, melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. Does music transcend language limitations when dealing with topics such as gender and sexual orientation?
One way to answer this question is to examine how songs have historically addressed queerness through musical codes and themes. Many LGBTQ+ musicians have used music as a platform to explore their identities and desires while subverting heterosexual norms and expectations.
The iconic disco song "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" by Sylvester was a celebration of Black gay identity in the early 1970s, while "Dancing Queen" by ABBA became a beloved anthem for drag queens and other queer communities.
Another approach is to analyze how specific musical elements convey queer themes. In pop music, for instance, the use of high vocal ranges or feminine sounding voices may evoke gender nonconformity. The repetition of certain words or phrases may also suggest desire, eroticism, or intimacy. Similarly, lyrics that emphasize individuality, autonomy, or rebellion against societal expectations can reflect queer subjectivity.
Studies have shown that music can trigger emotional responses, including arousal and pleasure, even if the listener does not understand the lyrics. This suggests that music's power lies in its ability to tap into universal feelings and experiences rather than literal meanings.
It is also true that some listeners interpret lyrics differently based on their own cultural contexts, beliefs, and values. Thus, music's potential to express queerness depends on who listens and interprets it.
While music has great potential to express queer subjectivity beyond language barriers, it cannot do so without engaging with linguistic structures and traditions. It must balance between universality and specificity, accessibility and complexity, and conformity and rebellion. By exploring these tensions, we can better appreciate the role of music in shaping and challenging social norms around sexuality and identity.
Can music express queer subjectivity beyond the limits of language?
Music can express queerness as a way of resisting heteronormative normativity and embracing alternative modes of gender expression. By subverting traditional genres, lyrics, and styles of performance, queer musicians create unique musical experiences that challenge listeners' assumptions about sexuality and gender identity. Additionally, music can be used to explore nonbinary identities and relationships, creating new forms of representation for audiences who might not have access to such narratives otherwise.