In recent years, Pride Month has become more than just a half-assed and disregarded moniker for June, as queer individuals use the month to celebrate, honor, and revel in the beauty that is queer joy. Ignoring the disastrous attempts at corporate allyship (i.e., Target’s visually offensive Pride collection), art flourishes during June as artists align with an inherently built-in, gathered community. 

Queer anthems, though, are not limited to electropop and aim to be the next Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” One indie musician in particular takes this to heart, as Austin-based alt rocker e.lissa faden gives Pride Month a grungy hello with the release of her newest single, “Just Might.” 

A synthy and seductive single, “Just Might” is an alt-pop hit that will have listeners dancing to the track’s sultry bass line. With its vocal layers adding that sprinkle of shimmer to the grunge, it’s a seamless blend of multiple genres—sitting perfectly in that nostalgia-core era of the late 90s and early 2000s—that makes it its own homage to the blend of identities celebrated during Pride Month.

Of the single’s inspiration, faden said, “I wrote this song to celebrate my queer identity. It’s important to highlight that queerness is a spectrum, and no matter where you lie in the Kinsey Scale, you should revel in it.”

And revel in it, she does. The track’s chorus demonstrates faden’s confidence not only in her sexuality but in herself when she croons, “If you wanna have me / You just might.” The queerness itself is not overstated, but is easy to find when you look at the song’s bridge: “She’s inspiration / A revelation / She lit up what I didn’t see / She got me.” Its subtleness is both a perfect normalizing of queer love songs and an unyielding “fuck you” to homophobes, which is a tasty cocktail for any LGBTQ+ track. As “Just Might” gradually builds its musicality, it teases an explosive climax, something that I wish faden would’ve explored more on this track within the last iteration of the chorus.

Nevertheless, this single—despite being the third released from faden’s debut EP, Daisy Chain—already stands out from her discography with its boasting of infectious synths. While her other singles are almost more ballad-like, “Just Might” is an easy shoo-in to any queer club’s music rotation and a perfect addition to any queer pride playlist. 

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Image taken by Ima Leupp, courtesy of e.lissa faden