Five Queer Talents Coming to Tallahassee in 2025 (So Far…)
Five Queer Talents Coming to Tallahassee in 2025 (So Far…)
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Tallahassee's LGBTQ+ community has been privileged to welcome to the city several remarkable queer artists over the years. Just last year, Melissa Etheridge, rocked the Adderley Amphitheater at Cascades Park to kick off Pride week, and Jacksonville's own Trinity K. Bonet, graced local stages with her charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent! With such a diverse array of expressions, Tallahassee's 2025 queer arts scene is set to inspire and entertain, continuing the city's tradition of embracing and celebrating LGBTQ+ artistry.
From a runner up on the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars to an accomplished New York Times bestselling author, here are five must-see queer talents making their way to the Capital City this year (don’t worry, there’s still time to book Doechii):
1. Dreamer Isioma: Club Down Under/Union Productions by FSU Student Union 2/20/25
Dreamer Isioma is a Nigerian-American singer-songwriter known for their genre-blending music and bold self-expression. Delivering sounds of R&B/Soul, Alternative/Indie and a mix of Pop, their ability to be as playful in style as they are on the stage is what sets Isioma apart from others. They grew up in a Christian household, and spent their childhood between Lagos, London, and Chicago. Despite a brief attempt to pursue athletics in high school, a wrist injury kept them focused on their passion for music, drawing inspiration from artists like Chief Keef and Paramore. Isioma’s unique fashion sense, blending masculine and feminine styles, has been featured in Vogue.
They came out as queer at 12 and later as nonbinary, a journey of self-discovery that culminated in masculinizing chest surgery in 2021, which they celebrated publicly. Isioma's vibrant artistry and fearless authenticity continue to break boundaries and inspire their growing fanbase. Club Downunder/Union Productions (CDU) provides captivating, inclusive, and enriching entertainment events for Florida State University. The club empowers students to coordinate their own events, fostering a community where everyone is celebrated and heard. All events are student-run from inception to completion.
Dreamer Isioma will be performing at Club Down Under (75 N. Woodward Ave., Tallahassee, FL) on Thursday, February 20, 2025 with local R&B sensation, Dallas Aleea. Doors open at 7pm and the show begins at 8pm, this is one you won’t want to miss!
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2. Thelma and the Sleaze: The Bark 2/21/25
If you just missed The Bark’s show last Thursday, The Neon Moon Tour: A Queer Country Showcase, featuring Cooper! and Wiley Gaby, you won’t want to miss Thelma and the Sleaze on Friday. This all-female, independent, queer southern rock band from Nashville is known for their electrifying live shows.
Last week’s Florida-born queer artist Wiley Gaby had an interview with Orlando Weekly, shortly after his show in Tallahassee. Considering “queer youth in Florida are going through so many things," he believes in living and creating art by example for his community. “You can be queer and do something different,” says Gaby. “You can be queer and be a country musician.”
For Thelma and the Sleaze, being country and queer is the essence of their music. You can catch them at The Bark (507All Saints St., Tallahassee, FL) on February 21, 2025 on their return to Tallahassee in support of their latest album "Ain’tCountry" with locals Thunder and the Snake and The Dirt Eaters! Doors 8 | Show 8:30 Tickets
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3. Kandy Muse: Tallahassee Pridefest 3/1/2025
Tallahassee Pridefest is set to dazzle the city with a gag-worthy headline performance from drag superstar and icon Kandy Muse on March 1, 2025. Known for her bold personality and unforgettable stage presence, Kandy Muse rose to fame as a two-time finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 and All Stars 8.
This year’s theme, Rise Up, honors the resilience, perseverance, and fiery rebirth of the LGBTQ+ community—a community galvanized into a force of strength and resistance in the face of recent years’ challenges. Celebrating resilience, joy, and community, makes Kandy Muse the perfect headliner to embody the spirit of the event. With her signature attitude and high-energy performances, Kandy is sure to bring a show that fans won’t forget.
After over 15 wonderful years at Kleman Plaza, Tallahassee Pride’s annual festival of LGBTQ+ visibility and celebration is moving to the stunning Cascades Park. Pride in the Park—a new chapter in the Pridefest journey was announced in December of 2024.
The cooler March weather and expanded space for vendors and attendees, will make Cascades Park a vibrant new home for the festival. Pride in the Park 2025 promises to be even more exciting with Kandy Muse sweetening the festivities.
The event takes place on Saturday, March 1, 2025, and is open to all who wish to celebrate diversity, inclusion, and self-expression. From live performances to local vendors and community resources, this year will be bigger and better than ever! There will be something for everyone to enjoy, just don’t skip out on the MUSEment of Kandy Muse!
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4. Kristen Arnett: Word of [South] Festival 4/5/2025-4/6/2025
Kristen Arnett is a queer Floridian author known for her sharp, funny, and deeply heartfelt explorations of family, identity, and queerness. She is the author of With Teeth (2021), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction, and the New York Times bestselling debut novel Mostly Dead Things (2019), which was also a Lambda Literary Award finalist and shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Her highly anticipated next novel, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, about a lesbian birthday party clown, will be released in March 2025, followed by an untitled short story collection. Arnett’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Vogue, The Cut, and more. A Shearing Fellow at the Black Mountain Institute and a Florida State University MLIS graduate, she brings her sharp wit and distinct voice to her popular Substack, Dad Lessons. She lives in Orlando, Florida.
Arnett is participating in the Word of [South] Festival this year, at Cascades Park, a free festival of music and literature known for it’s mu-aushups (musicians and authors appearing together). To read more about Kristen’s work, click here. To learn more about Word of [South] Festival, click here.
Read what the critics are saying about Kristen’s works:
“A gripping read…Unabashedly queer, probing and unafraid…Exceedingly engaging.” –USA Today
“Sublimely weird, fluently paced, brazenly funny and gayer still, and it richly deserves to find readers.” –New York Times
“Mostly Dead Things is very Florida, very gay, and very good... a rock-solid family novel, brightened by its eccentric milieu.” — Entertainment Weekly
5. Slothrust: 926 Bar & Grill 4/12/2025
Get ready, Tallahassee! Slothrust is hitting the stage at 926 Bar for a postponed show, due to the LA wildfires. This time, they’re performing their iconic album Of Course You Do front to back—a rare treat for longtime fans! Fronted by the magnetic Leah Wellbaum, Slothrust brings their signature blend of gritty riffs, raw emotion, and fearless experimentation. Known for their mind-bending covers and genre-blurring style, the group draws from their jazz and blues roots. From sludgy rock breakdowns to unexpected cover surprises, Slothrust’s live shows are unforgettable, and this night promises to be no different.
"We want all of our shows to be safe spaces and to be inclusive," says singer Leah Wellbaum, "we want to interact with the world in a positive way." (OUT Magazine). In an article with GoPride, Wellbaum stated, “Everyone should do what they can to try to live authentically within themselves and be unafraid of their truth.”
Opening for the night is Weakend Friends, another queer-led rock trio hailing from Boston. They recently appeared on a list of “10 incredible Queer artists you probably should have on your playlist” by theindiescene. (Check out the full list here, you won’t regret it, it’s giving BRAT!) Speaking on their newest single, Awkward, lead singer Sonia Sturino said, “As someone who identifies as queer, I think it’s important to also share the happier, more joyful experiences…it’s not always dread, doom and gloom, and Awkward is a testament to that!”
Don’t miss out—catch Slothrust at 926 Bar & Grill! Saturday, April 12th, 2025 | 926 W Tharpe St Tallahassee, Fl. Doors open @ 7:30pm, show @ 8:30pm $18.50 advance, $22 day of show
$2 under 21 fee at the door all ages. Tickets
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For additional information and more events in and around Tallahassee in safe spaces that promote research, resources, education, health & wellness, arts & entertainment, and more, view our carefully curated LGBTQ+ Community Calender!
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