The Legacy That Never Faded — and the New Face of Queer Rock
Before Rock & Roll became a stadium spectacle, it was an act of rebellion — a cry from the margins. It was Little Richard screaming into a segregated America with eyeliner and pompadour; Sister Rosetta Tharpe striking her guitar strings like thunder, inventing rock before the world was ready to admit it. It was queerness disguised as charisma, resistance camouflaged as rhythm.
For decades, the industry polished that raw energy into something safer, whiter, straighter. But every few years, someone turns the tables and brings the glitter back. Tony & The Kiki are part of that sacred lineage — carrying the spirit of those who dared before them, and turning it up to eleven.
Their sound is both retro and revolutionary: intergalactic glam rock meets psychedelic freedom. Their lyrics, bilingual and unapologetic, speak the language of a generation that refuses to ask for permission to exist. In “Light It Up,” Tony calls:
“Calling all my indigos / living in the shadows / time to make a sound.” It’s both an invitation and a spell — to show up, to take space, to dance under the sequined moon without fear.
And yet, beyond the flamboyance and electric guitars, there’s a deeper message pulsing through their music: queer culture has always been the engine of creativity. Every shimmer of style, every sound that dares to break the mold, comes from people who’ve had to invent their own light to survive in the dark.
Max Vernon, the band’s producer, put it simply: “Rock and Roll was invented by queer people of color… we just forgot to give them credit.” Tony & The Kiki are here to remind us — not just with words, but with every scream, every note, every high heel striking the stage like a drumbeat of pride.
Because our art was never about fitting in. It’s about lighting it up.
When our people shine, when we make noise, when we fill the room with color and courage, the world changes its frequency.
Access to learn more: tonyandthekiki.com
And that is what Our People. Our Pride. stands for — a love letter to the creators, the dreamers, the rebels, and the healers who keep showing us that queerness isn’t a trend, it’s a form of truth.
So let the heels strike the floor, let the glitter fall where it may — and let’s keep lighting it up, together.
