June 30, 2020
The Coronavirus pandemic has changed everything, and that includes how we’re all celebrating Pride in 2020.
My Pride Anthems: Jaida Essence Hall
With huge public gatherings out of the question, we’re asking a range of LGBTQ celebrities and allies for their personal Pride anthems, to help us all get into the Pride spirit from lockdown.
It seems fitting that as our My Pride Anthems series comes to an end, we look to the future of the LGBTQ community, by hearing from the newly-crowned winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Jaida Essence Hall.As she talks us through her song choices, Jaida reveals why meeting RuPaul truly was destiny, after the drag legend formed an important part of her childhood, and why George Michael is one of her biggest icons...Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out 
“This is a Pride anthem that so many people know and love so much. And it connects with everybody, especially if they have a coming out story.
“For me, the song doesn’t necessarily represent coming out of the closet, because I don’t know if I have a coming out story, I think I one day just said to my parents ‘this is my boyfriend’, and that was that. So to me, it’s not just about coming out in that way, but coming out of your shell, coming out as whoever you are, not having to be ashamed of who you are, ashamed of who you love, or any of that stuff.
“It’s just about being completely free, making a declaration and saying ‘I’ve decided that I’m going to accept myself for who I am, and love myself always’.Kesha – Die Young 
“When I go to Pride, I love to dance and have a really good time, and this is one of my favourite songs to perform. I used to listen to this song all the time, and when I would hear it, it would just make me feel empowered.
“It’s one of those songs where the vibe and the energy is so strong, and when Kesha is singing the words, it’s almost like a declaration. Like, when I auditioned for the show, it was so weird, one thing I said in my video was ‘if you pick me I’m going to win’. And it wasn’t even a cocky thing, it was just that ‘I know I’m going to work as hard as I can to win’, and that’s like when I hear Die Young. The way she sings the lyrics to that song is so confident and sure, and it just makes me feel confident.
“And the song is a lot about seizing the moment, too. Almost like, we need to have a great time, we need to enjoy ourselves and enjoy what we have going on right now, because literally, we could die tomorrow. So what we got right now, just enjoy it and live it up.” Aretha Franklin – A Deeper Love 
“This is just a song about falling in love with who you are as a person, which I love a lot. It’s one of my personal favourite Pride anthems. And I love Aretha Franklin.”Lady Gaga – Born This Way 
“This is a really, really good Pride anthem. I’m one of those people that when I first hear a song I immediately just want to know the thought process that went into creating it, and the behind-the-scenes story, and everything like that. But when you hear Born This Way, you don’t really have to think about that, because the message of the song is so direct and in your face.
“The minute you hear it, you know exactly what Gaga is talking about and what the message of the song is supposed to be. It’s beautiful.”RuPaul – Supermodel (You Better Work) 
“It’s so weird to think about it now – how revolutionary this was when we were little – but I know for a fact that when I was young, this was one of the first songs I ever heard by a person that I knew was queer. And I didn’t even really know much about queerness, but that song was so major that people in neighbourhoods that would never normally listen to that kind of music or probably wouldn’t even associate with queer people, you would hear the song.  It broke through any kind of barrier that tried to hold it back or anything like that.
“When I listen to it now, I still think about how important the song is, but also at the same time, this is a song that gives me life. And it’s so weird that the first queer artist that I heard and noticed growing up, years later, to compete on his show and then win… everything happens for a reason, and the stars had to align.”George Michael – Freedom ’90 
“Again, this song is about liberation and everybody being free to be who they are. The word is right there, ‘freedom’, and it’s about being free to be who you are, being free to love who you are and to celebrate who you are. And then, also just being free to love and celebrate other people as well.
“And of course, I also love George Michael. Growing up there was a lot of music that we didn’t particularly listen to in our household, so some of the great people, I had to appreciate later in life. Right now, I think about what George Michael means, and the impact he had not only on myself but some of the people who grew up listening to his music. I mean, he is just an icon, in every sense of the word.”
Jaida Essence Hall will be touring the UK and Ireland in February 2021. For ticket information, click here.We’ve been adding each celebrity’s song choices to our bumper My Pride Anthems playlist each day. Take a listen below:READ MORE: Drag Race's Crystal Methyd Talks Us Through Her Weird And Wonderful Pride Anthems Courtney Act Reveals The Pride Anthems That Have Her 'Dancing Around Her Flat In Her Undies' Billy Porter Shares The Pride Anthems That Were An 'Antidote To The Terror' Of The AIDS Crisis
Related Stories
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Millie Bobby Brown & Jake Bongiovi Celebrate “Three Years of Bliss” Ahead of Wedding
March 24, 2024
C4Ehegcq1-A
Kate Middleton & Prince William "Enormously Touched" by Public Support
March 24, 2024
s8fig-RCjFc
Gisele Bündchen Denies Cheating on Ex-Husband Tom Brady
March 23, 2024
_SpRMagA8BM
Eminem, 50 Cent & Snoop Dogg Present Dr. Dre with a Star on the Walk of Fame
March 19, 2024
4bNLs1hxVp8
Opening Remarks for the Variety Summit October 20th, 2023 Jay Penske
March 18, 2024
c6Z707iLq8E
'Everybody Was S----ing Their Pants': Nick Thune Jokes About Being Born in the '70s and Fatherhood
March 16, 2024
mm7Baf6o2d8
Gunna Says Tour Will Up Creativity in Rap, Endorses Flo Milli | TMZ
March 22, 2024
QfMU24fw-Qo
Reporter Taylor Lorenz Says Palace Botched Kate Cancer News Rollout | TMZ Live
March 22, 2024
o43ZucdiyEo
Riley Strain's Body Found After Going Missing in Nashville 2 Weeks Ago | TMZ NOW
March 22, 2024
1m1zM-4_Cs8
Kyle Richards hasn’t spoken to co-star Dorit Kemsley, denies sending her a ‘manipulative’ text
March 24, 2024
LqLZzDP1hm4
Jordan Emanuel on her connection to 'RHOSLC' star Meredith Marks, advice from Amanda Batula
March 24, 2024
5NPAwlOov1Y
Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary apologizes after slamming ‘fickle’ Meghan Markle in scathing interview
March 24, 2024
JWG9kitALZk
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SK Brann W - Barcelona W
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Hacken W - PSG W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SL Benfica W - Lyon W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Ajax W - Chelsea W
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Brighton - Manchester City
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.