Medusa

Medusa is a musician painting grey areas bright red. Based in New York, the revenge-pop artist transforms stories of queer joy, fear, and agony into visceral pop music “by any means necessary.” Their signature production style — described by Soundriv as “a breakthrough collection of LGBTQ hymns,” and by Bucketlist as “the most inventive [expletive] music we’ve heard in a long time” — features sounds like cheerleading chants and wolf howls as often as distorted basslines. The artist mixes genres like EDM, post-hardcore, synth pop, and hip-hop, underlining each sonic landscape with a formidable edge.

Though Medusa began releasing music in secret, their private vengeance fantasy has now amassed more than 10 million streams. They credit many of their musical strengths, like pattern-building and somatic-emotional crossover, to being on the spectrum. With SXSW, NYC Pride, and two Wavy Awards under their belt, Medusa is using their growing platform to advocate for equity and celebrate neurodiversity as a member of RAMPD.

But the hallmark of their budding career is the relationship they maintain with their young queer audience, who see their own experiences echoed in both Medusa’s music and the artist’s cheeky online personality. Like the infamous Gorgon, Medusa finds strength in what others call divergence or monstrosity. They hope to empower fellow outcasts and queer people around the world.