Icona Pop’s Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community
This Pride Month, Billboard asked artists to write a series of love letters to their LGBTQ fans, highlighting what the community means to them, as people and as artists. Below, Icona Pop‘s Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt thank the community that “transformed both us and the world.”
To Our Dearest LGBTQ+ Community,
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Words cannot express the depth of admiration and love we have for each and every one of you. As artists, we are constantly inspired by your resilience, your strength, and your unyielding spirit. To say that you have transformed both us and the world would be an understatement. Through your courage and authenticity, you have shattered boundaries, challenged norms, and brought forth a wave of acceptance and understanding. You have taught us that love knows no gender, no limitations, and no bounds. You have reminded us all of the power of embracing our true selves.
When we first started to make music and DJ together, we used to run club nights in Stockholm. That’s how we first became close to the LGBTQ+ community. We were lucky because the Sweden that we grew up in had a long tradition of being (comparably) open and inclusive to alternative lifestyles and expressions of love. This was the foundation of Icona Pop.
When we moved to London a couple of years later, we were absolutely blown away by how much larger and more expressive the LGBTQ+ community was there. After spending many long nights at clubs, like Heaven and The Push, we were inspired even further which became the basis for our future sound and musical expression.
When we eventually moved to New York, we had our first real encounter with the American LGBTQ+ community through collaborating with House of Xtravaganza for the music video to our single “All Night.” Meeting with that incredible community literally changed our world and perspective as we learned and were inspired through their lives and art. To be inducted as special members in House of Xtravaganza has been one of our most precious achievements and memories and we will never forget being invited as guest judges at our first ballroom battle (our hearts and prayers go out to the community and family of Derrick Huggins Xtravaganza).
We are honored to be close to and championed by a community that is so brave and fights so hard everyday for their rights and at the same time, finds room in their hearts to be so loving and giving.
Now, being mothers, we hope that our kids will be accepted as they are when they grow up, and we know that their ability to do so, stands firmly on the shoulders of the LGBTQ+ community’s collective fight for freedom and all of our right to love whomever we choose.
Love,
Aino and Caroline
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