The theme of this year's Out100 was "Bolder, Brighter!" And at the gala Friday celebrating this year's most impactful LGBTQ+ changemakers, one might also add "louder" to that phrasing, as music played a memorable role in one of the season's queerest events.
There's some of a tradition at play here. Last year's Out100 theme, "Together, Unlimited," was a nod to the lyrics of "Defying Gravity" and 2024's Icon of the Year, Cynthia Erivo, who belted out those Wicked high notes at the conclusion of her speech. (She followed Broadway legend Sheryl Lee Ralph, who also used song in her remarks in her stage moment.)
This year, Sia took the stage to introduce Kathy Griffin as Advocate of the Year. And it was her repurposing of her feminist hit "Unstoppable" that produced one of the most memorable moments of the evening. "She's unstoppable today," the pop star sang in acknowledgement of how Griffin survived a brutal cancellation after a very political 2017 photo shoot.
Sia gives a musical introduction to Advocate of the Year Kathy Griffin@devinberko
It was largely Griffin's queer fanbase that stuck by her and helped her arrive in this moment of "uncancellation." She thanked them on the red carpet for their support, and on the stage, she urged the community to "become as politically engaged as you can."
Activation struck a chord through the night. In another standout musical performance Friday, Out100 honoree Mark Sonnenblick took to the piano to play "Golden," the chart-topper from Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters. The song's lyrics speak to the power of solidarity in the face of obstacles: "It's our moment / You know together we're glowin' / Gonna be, gonna be golden." This is why the track has connected so deeply not just with mainstream audiences, but the LGBTQ+ community, which has embraced it as a new gay anthem. At the Out100, Sonnenblick invited husbands Sam Tsui and Casey Breves onstage to sing "Golden," further bringing its queer resonance to the cultural forefront.
Husbands Casey Breves and Sam Tsui perform "Golden" with Mark Sonnenblick@devinberko
Music is a key tool for messaging, and that queer people are "holding space" for inspirational lyrics should come as no surprise, particularly in a year when the LGBTQ+ community, after enduring renewed political attacks, could use some uplifting. In her pre-taped acceptance speech, 2025 Icon of the Year Niecy Nash-Betts underlined the need for LGBTQ+ visibility "in a time like this." She thanked “each and every one of you for showing up, for living, and for loving out loud."
In her own speech, Out100 honoree, musician and All-American star Bre-Z, also emphasized the importance of representation. "When I got into this industry, I didn't see anything that looked like me. I remember seeing a girl named Felicia Pearson, also known as Snoop, in The Wire," she said onstage. "I'd seen it and thought, 'Damn, a masculine-presenting Black woman, Hollywood ain't gonna allow this for too long, but we're going to enjoy it while it's here.' But either way, here I am."
Bre-Z at the Out100@devinberko
"Here I am" was a mantra for the evening. The red carpet kicked off with the unfurling of a giant transgender Pride flag by Pattie Gonia, who had transformed it into the train of a dress, along with SJ Joslin, a park ranger and Out100 Readers' Choice winner who had been fired for flying it at Yosemite National Park.
Frankie Grande at the Out100@devinberko
The step-and-repeat kept up this lively mix of celebrity and activism, with stars like Anna Camp, Parvati Shallow, and Frankie Grande walking alongside Vivian Wilson (Elon Musk's transgender daughter), who reminded of the gift of in-person queer gatherings while later serving looks by a Lexus parked in the event venue, Nya West in Los Angeles. Guests throughout the venue sipped on drinks from Hornitos Tequila, Heineken, and AIX Rosé and enjoyed fries and nuggets courtesy of McDonald's.
Miles Heizer, an Out100 honoree and the current cover star of The Advocate for his role as a gay Marine on Boots, joked how he was on the list for playing "a bald teenager on TV this year," before taking a serious turn.
Miles Heizer speaks at the Out100@devinberko
“We're in a very strange time right now, and it really is more important than ever that we uplift each other and celebrate our achievements because it really wasn't that long ago that being here tonight would have been incredibly dangerous, and it really is because of the LGBTQ community that came before us that fought for a world where we could all be here tonight celebrating safely,” he said.
Heizer also nodded to the power of collective action. "When the critics told us that All's Fair was unwatchable, we gathered together,” he joked in a nod to Nash-Betts's popular-but-panned Hulu series. “And we made that a hit. So together, we truly can do anything.”
VIvian Wilson poses near a Lexus at the Out100@devinberko
And in a year when diversity budgets were slashed, Miss Bouvéé, an Out100 honoree and star of Hulu's Big Easy Queens with Suzie Toot, took to the mic to thank the event sponsors who support queer media and made the Out100 possible: Lexus, McDonald’s, P&G, Hornitos Tequila, Heineken, AIX Rosé, Deutsche Bank, Visit West Hollywood, and ABC-owned television stations, which, along with Hulu, will broadcast the Out100 TV special starting December 20 so that folks around the country can join in the LGBTQ+ celebration.
And that visibility? That's music to our ears.
McDonald's hors d'oeuvres at the Out100@devinberko
The Out100 is presented by Lexus.
