10 LGBTQIA+ artists you need to add to your Pride playlist

Alaska 5000

You may know Alaska — known as Alaska Thunderf–k or Alaska 5000 — as a contestant from RuPaul’s Drag Race season five, or as the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season two. Alaska is easily one of the most successful queens to come out of the series, after spinning her success into multiple albums, reality TV appearances, and other side projects, including her own drag pageant and her girl group the AAA Girls, with fellow Drag Race alums Courtney Act and Willam.

Alaska released her first studio album in 2015, Anus, which featured the singles “Your Makeup Is Terrible,” “Nails,” and “Hieeee,” all of which have become her trademarks. If you ever hear someone say “if you’re not wearing nails, you’re not doing drag” or let out an exaggerated “hiiiiiiiie!” it’s probably because of her. She usually infuses comedy into her songs and goes between singing and talking, like your typical drag tracks.

Her second album, Poundcake, was inspired by the puppet she made on season five and featured the songs “Puppet” and “Come To Brazil,” which is clearly a reference to the dedicated fans in Brazil who tell every celebrity to, well, come to Brazil every single chance they get. Alaska’s songs may be funny, but the production is usually top-notch and Alaska knows how to get people’s attention.

She released Vagina at the end of May and one of the songs is an obvious front-runner for the Pride playlist this year because it’s appropriately titled “Pride.” She discusses the Stonewall Riots (and mostly pokes fun at Derrick Barry’s misinformed facts about the landmark event) and repeats “Cracking fans, throwing shade!” because that’s exactly what you’ll find us all doing during Pride season!