Rufus Wainwright
"My Baby Just Cares for Me" by Nina Simone
"It's a great love song. Plus, it mentions Liberace."
Jonny Pierce (The Drums)
"All Is Full of Love" by Bjork
"When I moved to New York City, I began the process of loving myself, and ultimately being able to properly love others. When I look at the Pride movements going on now, I see how easy it is to tap into that love, but it all begins with loving yourself. I relate this song to that, and it's very fitting that the music video features two robots with the same Bjork face kissing each other."
Perfume Genius
"Flower" by Liz Phair
"I heard it when I was 12. I knew I was gay, but I'd never had sex. I was only starting to think about sex, and it was a source of deep shame for me. Then to hear her talking about it -- to hear her sing "dick" and talk about sex acts with no apologies, no shame -- was really powerful. She was in control."
Beth Ditto
"Young Hearts Run Free" by Candi Staton
"Come on. Candi Staton? It's so good. It's a true jam."
John Cameron Mitchell
"All the Time" by Barry Manilow
"It's a somewhat bitter celebration of love that is so compartmentalized and hidden that it passed like ships in the night (another great Barry song!). It resonated hard for me growing up closeted in Kansas."
Jonathan Groff
"I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross
"I was going through a big Diana Ross phase last summer, listening to this song over and over. The more I listen to it, the more I love it."
