by Nikola Marković - April 2025
The last decade was marked by historical moments for the trans community in the music industry. Anohni became the first openly trans performer nominated for Best Original Song Oscar, while Kim Petras was the first openly trans woman to win a major category Grammy Award. Trans musicians including but not limited to singers are finally getting the flowers they deserve. They are not only conquering the charts but also turning looks on the red carpets and their live performances. In this article, we will tackle the personal styles of ten major trans musicians across genres of pop, electronic, classical, experimental, ambient, punk-rock, folk, disco, house, and techno.
Sophie
Although releasing only one studio album, the Grammy-nominated "Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides" (2018), Sophie left a remarkable legacy. Before her unexpected death at 34, Scottish-born trans singer and producer was instrumental not only in the hyper-pop movement but also in how pop music was made in the last few years. The posthumous, self-titled project came out this year, as well as Charlie XCX’s beautiful and haunting tribute song, "So I." Earlier in 2023, Kim Petras thanked Sophie for having paved the way when accepting a Grammy for "Unholy."
Sophie’s music featured crunchy, glitchy production, strange noises, bubbles, metal scratching, and rubber stretching, while Sophie’s fashion followed this aesthetic, mixing chrome, lamé, glitter, shiny textures, and innovative silhouettes. With signature fire-red hair and strong, glossy lips in shades from red to fuchsia, Sophie’s style embodied the essence of hyper-pop. In her live performances, Sophie’s outfits were often playful high-fashion ensembles with eye-catching accessories that challenged traditional gender norms. For example, in a live performance of "Faceshopping" in Brooklyn, she was spotted wearing Maison Margiela’s Spring 2018 runway look with a bright pink swimcap. She seamlessly blended avant-garde aesthetics with bold, striking post-internet visuals, reflecting her boundary-pushing creativity.Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Next, we wanted to pay homage to a trans pioneer, who might not be so well-known for the newer generations. Namely, a Canadian singer and songwriter, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, was a hidden gem until having a late-career renaissance. His album "Keyboard Fantasies," initially released in 1986, was recorded using an Atari computer, a synth, and a drum machine. The album proved to be way ahead of its time. Remastered and reissued in 2017, the album has had renewed acclaim and was named the public vote winner of the Polaris Heritage Prize in 2020. Now 81, Beverly-Glenn is finally recognized for both his pioneering spiritual ambient electronic music and as one of the first openly trans musicians.
Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s style is tame and eclectic, mixing subdued yet serene patterns and warm textiles that celebrate cultural heritage. His outfits are often layered and combine loose-fitting garments such as denim jackets and flannel shirts, sometimes adding a shawl, tie, or hat. Much like his visionary music, there is something so whimsical, radiant, and unpretentious about Glenn Copeland’s style, something imbued with a sense of spirituality and optimism.
Kim Petras
The year 2023 was Kim Petras’ year! Not only did she release two albums with massive commercial success, "Feed the Beast" and a revised version of "Problématique," but she became the first openly trans artist to win a major-category Grammy for "Unholy." Before moving to Los Angeles and releasing music as an independent artist, Petras gained international media coverage by appearing on a German television show and a documentary discussing her gender transition. Back then, between ages 13 and 14, she was pushing to get permission for early gender-affirming surgery in Germany before the minimum age of 18. From the get-go, it is evident that Petras is bold, and so is her fashion.
"All she wants is Gucci and Chanel, all she wants is everything they sell," sings Kim in "All She Wants," while in "I Don’t Want It at All," she declares: "I want all my clothes designer." Fast forward to 2024, Petras gets to design Ed Hardy’s collections, mixing her hardcore ’Slut Pop’ aesthetics with Ed Hardy’s signature pieces like trucker caps. Her looks are versatile, playful, youthful, and edgy yet sophisticated, blending elements of high fashion with streetwear. The result is a daring and glamorous aesthetic that dazzles in vibrant colors and form-fitting silhouettes but never without a pinch of camp and self-irony.
Wendy Carlos
Half a century before Kim would win a Grammy in the major category, Wendy Carlos was the first transgender recipient of a Grammy Award in the Classical category. In fact, for her album Switched-On Bach (1968), a reinvention of Johann Sebastian Bach’s pieces, Carlos received three awards. The album had enormous commercial success and was one of the first classical albums to go platinum and sell half a million copies. This opened many doors for Carlos, including venturing into experimental and ambient music, as well as composing the scores for two Stanley Kubrick films, "A Clockwork Orange" (1971) and "The Shining" (1980), and Disney’s "Tron" (1982).
In addition to her musical prowess, Carlos is recognized for her advocacy for gender identity and expression as she transitioned publicly in the 1970s. Her style is evocative of her approach to music: innovative yet classical, casual yet sophisticated and elegant. She was often photographed wearing silk blouses, tartan skirts, and sleek, tailored ensembles with subtle makeup. Carlos's take on fashion can, at times, seem simplistic; however, her attention to detail is undisputably apparent in her style, as well as in her groundbreaking music.
Anohni
Before making history as the first trans person to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, Anohni was known as a powerhouse singer of the band Anohni and the Johnsons (FKA Antony and the Johnsons). The most critically and commercially successful projects include "I Am a Bird Now" (2005) and "Hopelessness" (2016), the former earning the Mercury Music Prize and the latter a Brit Award. Anohni often celebrates other trans icons, both in her music and visuals. For example, the cover of "My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross" (2023) features the pioneering trans activist Marsha P. Johnson, Anohni's muse for the album. The video for "It Must Change" stars the Black trans activist and model Munroe Bergdorf, and " Why Am I Alive Now?" is directed by another trans superstar – Hunter Schafer.
Anohni’s style is captivating and enigmatic, a mix of Robert Smith’s timid goth and Marina Abramović’s monastic glamour (who is, in fact, Anohni’s friend and collaborator). Anohni usually sports heavy black eyeliner and dark or bleach-blond hair over parts of her face. She often gravitates towards minimal yet dramatic or avant-garde silhouettes, intricate textures, and achromatic palettes with dark, moody hues, floor-length kaftans, hoods, and veils. Whether adorned in ethereal dresses or bold, structured pieces, she embodies a sense of otherworldly elegance and raw emotion, femininity and strength.
Arca
Initially known for her remixes and production work for artists such as Frank Ocean, Björk, FKA twigs, Kanye West, and Kelela, Arca grew into one of the decade's most ground-breaking musicians. A Venezuelan who identifies as non-binary and a trans woman is deconstructing ways of making music. She is embracing a unique multiplicity of experimental synths, industrial abrasion, pulsing transcendental beats, and liberating bass lines, exploring themes of gender and sexuality. Arca’s Kick album series (2020-2021), a collection of five albums, retroactively chronicles her transition.
Arca’s pronounced engagement in fashion includes runway appearances at Hood By Air, Jean Paul Gaultier, and a viral bag-snatching on the Mugler’s 2023 show. In her performance outfits, she blends fetish with sensual, ethereal, otherworldly, raw, and edgy, frequently incorporating avant-garde elements such as body modifications, cutting-edge makeup, and accessories. Arca dismantles the established binaries through her fashion by embracing discrepancies, glitches, and in-betweenness. She sees transition holistically, not as a correction but as an expression, as something that we all continuously go through in life. By celebrating vulnerability and transformation in her style, Arca continues to build post-gender worlds that vibrantly embody her music.
Ryan Cassata
Known and awarded for his activism, Ryan Cassata’s music, spanning seven LPs and six EPs, is characterized by equally politically engaged storytelling. The L.A.-based musician uses the lenses of alternative folk/rock to talk about important issues around transness, such as gender dysphoria, bullying, transition, top surgery, etc. He was one of the youngest trans activists at 15 to be interviewed by Larry King on international television; at the time, trans voices were seldom heard in the media.
Ryan has also ventured into modeling work with notable brands like Nike, Lids, Bonobos, Lull, and Lyft and became the face of TomboyX's Trans Pride Underwear line. His style blends elements of edgy punk rock, classic Americana, and skater-boy aesthetics. He often rocks leather jackets, oversized flannels, custom-made graphic tees and sleeveless tank tops that reveal prominent old-school tattoos. These are paired with dropped-waist ripped jeans, combat boots or colorful sneakers and signature glasses. Cassata's fashion fearlessly fuses artistry with activism, using fashion as a platform to challenge norms and celebrate diversity.
Honey Dijon
Having played at Berghain, Coachella, and Art Basel, given lectures at MoMA PS1 and King’s College London, and worked with Grace Jones, Beyonce, and Madonna, Honey Dijon is one of the most accomplished DJs of today. Sliding smoothly between all genres, the Berlin-based electronic musician often draws on her experiences as a black trans woman in the dance music scene. She has also been a fierce advocate for trans rights.
Her work behind the DJ decks brought her into fashion, yielding collaborations with Kim Jones (Louis Vuitton), Nicolas Ghesquière, Riccardo Tisci, and Rick Owens. Inspired by icons such as Grace Jones and Sade, Honey Dijon’s style is an eclectic fusion of high fashion and street culture. Her wardrobe often features innovative silhouettes and statement pieces in striking colors that playfully blend tailored pieces with flowing garments adorned with eye-catching accessories. With an air of effortless cool, Dijon’s looks reflect her confidence and creativity as a DJ, encapsulating the spirit of club culture, including celebrating freedom, individuality, and self-expression over conventional norms.
Rahim Redcar
Formerly known as Christine and the Queens, Rahim Redcar’s intimate vocals, stellar songwriting, and gift for theatrics and dancing managed to pivot him from the French-speaking niche to the music industry’s mainstream. Born and raised in Nantes, Redcar released five LPs and eleven EPs, describing his music as "freakpop." Before he came out as a trans man and switched to using he/him pronouns, he was already for years playing with masculine tropes and pansexuality. He reported having a "tumultuous" journey with gender as well as with the expectations of transness.
Redcar’s fashion embodies a striking blend of glamour and trash, camp, and personal narrative, often experimenting with fluid silhouettes juxtaposed with aggressive lines in tailoring. The garments look as if they have come from the late '70s and early '80s, like tuxedos, suit jackets with exaggerated shoulders, cinched waist, and skin-tight bottoms with unique chunky accessories and statement hats. His clothing features rich textures and luxury fabrics like velvet and silk, often adorned with intricate embroidery or unexpected prints. Rahim’s play with vibrant colors and prints is unapologetic yet meticulous, walking the fine line between high art and kitsch and subverting the traditional gender norms on their head.
Laura Jane Grace
Devoted to anarchistic ideals, Laura Jane Grace has an entirely different take on trans experience. Known as the frontperson of the American punk-rock band Against Me!, Grace was one of the first punk-rock musicians to come out as trans in 2012 publicly. Since transitioning, she released her debut solo album, "Stay Alive" (2020), and sophomore, "Hole in My Head" (2024), in which she openly explores the joys and struggles of being trans, confronting issues like dysphoria, depression, and societal expectations. Grace’s lyrics explore personal narratives, sometimes deeply disturbing or moving, but pain transforms into empowerment and resilience, confusion into a potent creative drive.
Like her musical ethos, Grace's style is raw and relatable, evolving with her gender journey, and is all about contrast. On the one hand, she embraces a more rebellious spirit of punk-rock aesthetics characterized by fitted band tees, distressed denim, leather jackets, and accessories like studded belts and chunky boots. On the other hand, she is not afraid to express vulnerability and emotion, more frequently incorporating traditional elements of femininity through flowing blouses and dresses.
Conclusion
These ten trailblazing trans icons are proving that they are not only brilliant musicians but also reshaping the fashion landscape. Their legacy attests to the music industry’s significant transition. With joined forces, music and fashion can continue to be the catalysts of radical change in the future, and in the words of Kim Petras’ song, "The future starts now!" If you want to know more about trans representation in fashion, check out our feature on trans actors and our article on top non binary and transgender models.
Nikola Marković (they) is a gender-fluid artist, researcher, and writer based between Serbia, Austria, and the UK, currently doing their PhD in fashion. Their research-driven writing and artistic practice aim at disrupting the binarities/hierarchies of gender, class, ability, subject-object dualism, and further decentralising fashion studies.