Coffee is a great way to kickstart the day but it just doesn’t cut it for me. Music is breakfast, coffee, my morning run, my coping mechanism for life. You’ll know I don’t have my life in order when I tell you I don’t have my Bedroom Disco playlist of the month in order. Wanna know what’s up? Ask me what’s on my playlist! And what’s in my playlist now are seven of these morning anthems that make me feel like a badass disco queen. Whether I’m waking up like a good girl in my peejays after my nine hours of sleep or in yesterday night’s heels and LBD, I am always ready for dance music in the morning.
“I don’t feel like dancing” by Scissor Sisters
Wake up in the morning with a head like ‘What ya done?’
I’m a dedicated super-hipster jazz-on-vinyls loving moody blues person sipping my tea with my pinky out until you put on the Scissor Sisters–and then I’m begging for my LIT. The Sisters have one of the best origin stories: they practically formed on a teacup ride in Disneyland. Subsequently, they shot to fame through their fabulously transgressive, power-packed performances in the New York gay nightlife scene. A band doesn’t get gayer than that–it would seem. But they HATE it when peeps call them a gay band. (“If the whole thing is defined by something as boring as, like, who you fuck, then the train’s not gonna roll very far.”) I LOVE THEM. Must-have long drive playlist. Unless you’re driving with boring people.
“LGBT” by Cupcakke
Fuck out my way when you see me
It’s impossible for me to have a bad day when this is on my morning jam. It makes me feel invincible. I didn’t find this song because I’m a superfan of Cupcakke (She’s a bit too hardcore for me but if you wanna try her other highly provocative, controversial, what-she’s-just-20?!?!??!-year-old music is worth checking out)–I found it entirely by chance (OK, my Youtube recommendations) and the beat is so sick. What I love about her–she was 19 when she made this, btw–is how she’s inhabited her sexuality so fearlessly. And that comes through in this track.
“Born This Way” by Glee
I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby I was born this way
Personally, Glee made a bunch of pop songs way more listenable for me and this version of the song fills me with, well, GLEE! To top that I find it beneficial at parties to KNOW WHAT MOVES TO DO! This was a queer anthem back when it was just released, and will forever remain evergreen…..okay haha I just listened to it like three times while typing this. Dance, dance away to glory but don’t choke up the words at the minor rap bit in the middle when you’re doing the air split okay, she won’t be impressed.
“NERVO” feat. Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears & Nile Rodgers The Other Boys
So tell me, why don’t you love me like the other boys do?
Why can’t you call me up, why isn’t it you?
I personally find any kind of dancing playlist incomplete without Kylie Minogue and it genuinely concerns me that I’ve never heard a single Kylie Minogue song at a club in Mumbai, ever. I want to know if it is a public music choice issue that needs addressing, or if it is my own bad luck–if it is, please educate me. I really need more Minogue in my life and I’m so glad that cancer didn’t get her. (Also if you like Scissor Sisters AND Kylie Minogue, I keep vicariously reliving this Glastonbury 2010 performance I attended in my dreams. Cue lots of really interesting sex noises.)
“K.O” by Pabllo Vittar
Brazilian tongue twisters
This 22 year old Brazilian, gender-fluid pop superstar is Major Lazer’s–and Instagram’s– favourite drag queen. He’s surpassed RuPaul and Adore Delano in the followers counter and has like, millions and millions of views on YouTube. He just might be the most famous drag queen in the world right now, and listening to anything by Vittar makes me want to get my hair done and my samba on. Because when I look at glam like that, my unwashed PJs aesthetic feels unpermissible.
ALSO, while we’re at it, I’d like to recommend a sassier alternative to Lean On, which is Lean On, just by Vittar AND IN PORTUGUESE, and just funnier in every way.
“I was made for loving you” by Kiss
I was made for lovin’ you baby
You were made for lovin’ me
And I can’t get enough of you baby
Can you get enough of me
Lots of non-homosexual people kept asking Paul Stanely over the years if he was gay. And he was very sweet in explaining to them in a nice way that their question was slightly dumb and no. He isn’t, I guess, but that’s not important. KISS is just a band that’s absolutely comfortable with itself the way everyone was in the seventies (and with not one lightning bolt S but TWO in your band logo, you have to be) and I find it super fun. I record myself dancing to this in my bell-bottomed jeans for my loved one.
