In the 20th century, queer people had the phrase “are you a friend of Dorothy?” But in 2022, there’s the saying “do you listen to girl in red?” 

If you’re young, queer, or on Tiktok, you might have noticed a growing community of artists and listeners over the past few years under the banner of “sapphic pop,” a term recently coined referring to music by and/or for sapphics (a.k.a. women or femme folks attracted to other femme folks). Journalist Emma Madden defines the folk-inspired sound as having a “soft tactile approach” that’s “more sensual than it is sexual.” This umbrella folds in everyone from indie pop veterans Tegan & Sara to nonbinary artists like King Princess; even artists like Hozier and Sufjan Stevens are, improbably, considered sapphic pop, with their music having the same sonic qualities of other songs dedicated to feminine yearning.

From articles popping up in multiple news outlets to the majority of Taylor Swift’s openers for this upcoming tour (looking at MUNA, girl in red, and Phoebe Bridgers, specifically), the terminology of “sapphic pop” has come to define a scene almost out of nowhere.

This week on Switched On Pop, we explore exactly what sapphic pop is, where it came from, and how artists feel about it – even asking Tegan & Sara and King Princess directly. You can listen wherever you get podcasts.

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Songs discussed: 

Clairo – Sofia
King Princess – Talia
girl in red – i wanna be your girlfriend
Hozier – Cherry Wine (live)
Alex G – Sarah
The Velvet Underground – I Found A Reason
Sufjan Stevens – To Be Alone With You
Cris Williamson – Shine On Straight Arrow
Jaylib, Madlib, J Dilla – The Red
Taylor Swift – betty
Brittany Howard – Georgia
MUNA, Phoebe Bridgers – Silk Chiffon
Tegan & Sara – Call It Off
Tegan & Sara – Smoking Weed Alone
King Princess – 1950
King Princess – I Hate Myself, I Want To Party
King Princess – Pussy is God
Kate Bush – Why Should I Love You?
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