Pride month is officially upon us, which means Billboard's annual tradition of publishing letters penned by music's biggest stars for the LGBTQ+ community is also in full swing. Artists like Ariana Grande and Lauren Jauregui have taken part in the tradition in the past, and TikTok-viral musician Ashnikko is the latest to write a heartfelt message to the queer community. She took to Instagram to share the message with fans. "something i wrote for @billboard 💙happy pride, cuties," Ashnikko, who is openly bisexual and goes by she/they pronouns, wrote in her caption. Other queer performers like "Becky's So Hot" singer Fletcher and drag queen Aquaria showed their support by commenting on the post. "stunning words 💓," Fletcher wrote.
The "Slumber Party" singer opened up about her upbringing in the "Bible Belt" of the South and the "notoriously homophobic" Baltic state of Latvia.
"Being queer in those environments is one of the greatest heartbreaks of my life. It will stay with me forever. I have sanded over the rough edges of it, made it hurt less, but the weight of it still sits in my chest, a smooth marble," Ashnikko wrote before revealing how she found solace in the chosen family she's fostered over the years. The "Stupid" singer went on to thank the queer community for impacting her life and, subsequently, her career.
"The impact the queer community has had on my life is something I will never have big enough words to say thank you for. Honestly, I'm really struggling to write this, because there’s so much to say and I don’t know how to say it," she said. "To the queer kids from places like where I’m from, if you’re feeling the vice grip of what people expect you to be, if you’re feeling the sharp sting of other people’s insecurities projected onto you in the form of fear, please know this; family is something you build, a garden you water. If there’s anything we’re good at it, it’s building community."
Her letter comes at a time when harmful legislation has targeted the lives of queer and trans folks in the United States, and she expanded upon the topic as it has discouraged trans and queer people from all walks of life.
"The world attacks us because they are scared of the questions our existence makes them ask themselves. The freedom to be yourself can crumble one’s foundations of carefully crafted personality sandcastles," Ashnikko continued, reassuring fans that she has hope for the future of the queer community. "There is a future of forehead kisses, family meals, picnics in the sun, board game nights, holding hands in public, french toast for breakfast, feeling held in every sense of the word, a safe place in this world. I feel so hopeful for you, for us."
Read Ashnikko's full letter to the LGBTQ+ community at Billboard.
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn't draping her cheeks in blush, you can probably find her live-tweeting awards shows or making SwiftToks.
