valentine's gay

These queer music videos will give you all the feels this Valentine’s Day

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It’s Valentine’s Day. And though there is much to possibly indulge in, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate love in all its forms than by partaking in one of queer people’s favorite pastimes: watching music videos! 😍😍😍

From tender portrayals of gay love to empowering messages of LGBTQ+ equality, these music videos promise to stir up all your queer feels. Whether you’re spending the day with a partner, celebrating self-love, or curating a list of music videos to watch for your next gay pre-game, these captivating visuals are sure to leave a lasting impression.

“Kiss the Boy” by Keiynan Lonsdale

Music videos with the “home-movie” style always feel special, but Keiynan Lonsdale’s video for “Kiss The Boy” really tugs at the heartstrings. The clip is a sweet, tender, and joy-filled display of couples of all genders and sexualities kissing each other. It’s an intimate display of love across many different capacities and showcases how there should be no reason for anyone to hide whom they give their love to.

“Symphony” by Clean Bandit (feat. Zara Larsson)

Clean Bandit’s 2017 hit “Symphony” was massive, but its music video carries even more emotional weight. The video portrays a tragic tale of a conductor who loses his boyfriend in a bicycle crash, intertwined with poignant moments from their shared past together and the conductor’s process of composing a symphony in his memory. This climaxes with the conductor leading an orchestra featuring Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson, finding solace as his deceased boyfriend watches proudly from beyond. Not only is this love story powerful, but the depiction of a Black gay couple in a mainstream music video was a profound and welcomed moment of visibility.

“Blue Neighborhood Trilogy” by Troye Sivan

Troye is well known for centering queerness in his work, but before there were “Rush” and “One Of Your Girls,” there was the Blue Neighborhood Trilogy. Consisting of the songs “Wild,” “Fools,” and “Talk Me Down,” from Troye’s debut album, Blue Neighborhood, these three evocative music videos together form a narrative of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. The trilogy portrays the struggles of a gay relationship in an Australian coastal town, tackling themes of societal rejection, internalized homophobia, and the profound impact of lost love, culminating in a poignant exploration of grief and acceptance. Filled with the music’s dream pop sensibilities and nostalgic undertones, Sivan delivers a powerful portrayal of the complexities of growing up gay and the importance of acceptance and support within the LGBTQ+ community.

“In Your Love” by Tyler Childers

Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Tyler Childers broke new ground and took allyship to a new level with the heartfelt music video for his song “In Your Love”, one of the first country music videos to feature a gay storyline. The video touchingly portrays the romance between two gay coal miners in 1950s Appalachia. Directed by Bryan Schlam and starring Colton Haynes and James Scully, the cinematic video, penned by renowned Kentucky author and poet laureate Silas House, beautifully captures a journey of love, resilience, and acceptance amidst the challenges of queer rural life. House and Childers aimed to bring representation and inclusivity to country music by presenting a moving story to an often abrasive audience with both authenticity and compassion and after watching this video, we find they did just that. Just make sure you have some tissues handy for this one.

“Girls Like Girls” by Hayley Kiyoko

Nobody does sapphic storytelling quite like Hayley Kiyoko, and her 2015 music video for “Girls Like Girls” proves just that. The video follows the emotional journey of two girls as they grapple with their feelings for each other while facing societal pressures and one partner’s involvement in a heterosexual relationship. From tender moments of friendship to a gripping climax, the video captures the complexities of coming-of-age as young queer people. With its compelling plot and dreamlike visuals, “Girls Like Girls” showcases the resilience and strength found in discovering queer love.

“What’s It Gonna Be?” by Shura

In what feels like the plot of a queer 80s teen film, singer-songwriter Shura takes us on a heartwarming journey of gay infatuation. Heavily inspired by John Hughes films, it depicts Shura and her twin brother as they navigate the complexities of high school crushes. Filled with endearing moments of longing and innocent scheming, the video cleverly subverts archetypal characters and ultimately celebrates queer love, as both siblings find their way to the right person in the end.

“Take Me To Church” by Hozier

Though most of us can recognize this song due to its immense popularity in 2013, not many know of its accompanying music video with an LGBTQ+ plot. Hozier’s music video for “Take Me To Church” serves as a powerful commentary on discrimination against sexuality, particularly inspired by the repression faced by the gay community in Russia. The video’s story centers on an intimate romantic relationship between two men, juxtaposed with scenes of violence perpetrated by religious intolerance. Through its stark black-and-white cinematography and blending of themes of love, religion, and persecution, Hozier creates a poignant visual urging viewers to confront and challenge societal injustices.

“THAT’S WHAT I WANT” by Lil Nas X

Who serves unapologetic queer love better than Lil Nas X? In the video for his 2021 single “THAT’S WHAT I WANT”, Nas crashes onto a football field at the fictional Montero University from the sky, with his teammates donned in all pink uniforms, leading to a knee injury. When taken to the locker room, he locks eyes with another player, leading to a steamy sex scene in the showers. The level of camp only rises in this video, as we find the couple recreating an iconic scene from Brokeback Mountain and later Nas walking down the aisle in a wedding gown with Billy Porter as the priest. It’s a drama-filled rollercoaster of in-your-face queerness, and when this dropped, it was glorious to see this level of LGBTQ+ expression become widely accepted in the mainstream.

“All The Lovers” by Kylie Minogue

Though not as strong in plot as other music videos may be on this list, Kylie Minogue’s music video for her 2010 single “All The Lovers” makes up for it in its evocative imagery of love and sexual freedom. The video features a plethora of different couples (gay, straight, and beyond) coming together as one in the streets of a city in an all-encompassing embrace that becomes a celebratory image that is pure and free from societal standards or judgment. The soft lighting, Kylie’s beckoning voice, and limitless undertones is imagery that would make any queer person feel a sense of freedom.

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