Hyperpop is on the Rise, and Trans Women are the Stars of the Scene
Written By: Isabella Broome
Date: August 6th, 2026
Photo credit: Ludovic Delot / PexelsOne of the most exciting, promising music genres right now is hyperpop. Hyperpop came around in the 2010s as a reactive genre, all thanks to A. G. Cook, his label PC Music, and a generation of musicians being raised with the Internet. It’s a fusion of EDM, electronic, and pop music, and it’s fundamentally experimental in its sound. With artists like Slayyyter and Charli XCX reaching mainstream fan bases, a lot of people are getting into hyperpop for the first time. But in order to truly understand the genre, listeners need to start where it all began: from the talented work of trans women. Whether people know it or not, trans women are the pioneers of the hyperpop genre, making it critical that anyone diving into that scene becomes familiar with their names.
SOPHIE
SOPHIE is one of the most influential artists to have ever graced the music scene. She is truly your favorite artist’s favorite artist. Sophie got her start in 2013 with “BIPP,” and she subsequently released breakout singles that culminated in her eight-track debut project PRODUCT (2015). Her first Grammy-nominated studio album, OIL OF EVERY PEARL’S UN-INSIDES, was released in 2018, and it was instantly recognizable as ahead of its time. Outside of her own releases, Sophie is the mastermind behind many other hyperpop projects. She worked closely with artists Charli XCX and A. G. Cook, producing for Vince Staples and Madonna as well.
Sophie’s death in 2021 hit hard. After passing at 34 years old due to a freak accident, artists and fans alike grieved online, with A. G. Cook publishing a touching memorial of the artist. Sophie, to this day, is revered as a visionary, someone who pushed the boundaries of pop music and molded it into the hyperpop microgenre that exists today. Sophie left behind a short yet stunning discography, decades of inspiration for aspiring musicians, and a legacy of being the founding woman of hyperpop and what it is today.
SOPHIE is a must-listen for anyone, regardless of an interest in the hyperpop genre. Listen to “Ponyboy,” “It’s Okay To Cry,” “Immaterial,” “Faceshopping,” and “VYZEE.”
Laura Les of 100 gecs
Nobody ruled 2020 “Alt TikTok” quite like 100 gecs. Band members Laura Les and Dylan Brady released their first project, 100 gecs, in 2016, but it was the release of their debut album, 1000 gecs, in 2019 that blew them into the spotlight. Tracks like “money machine” and “stupid horse” gained traction on TikTok thanks to Alt TikTok, a subculture on the media-sharing app that formed during the peak of COVID lockdowns. Alt TikTok was meant to juxtapose “Straight TikTok,” and it became a safe space for LGBTQ individuals to express themselves to the fullest extent. Alt TikTok prided itself on how thoroughly it diverted from the heteronormative trends and aesthetics that dominated the app, but it was especially important to queer individuals who felt like there was finally a space for them. Simultaneously, queer artists like 100 gecs were being spotlighted, bringing attention to their work.
Les and Brady released their second album, 10,000 gecs, in 2023 to incredible reception. They’ve been praised as the “patron saints of hyperpop,” noted for their importance not only to the hyperpop scene but also to queer individuals. Les and Brady have paved the way for other queer hyperpop acts, such as underscores and Jane Remover.
Check out “Dumbest Girl Alive,” “Billy Knows Jamie,” “Doritos and Fritos,” “Hollywood Baby,” and “hand crushed by a mallet.”
Kim Petras
Kim Petras was bound to make history from the day she was born. Even before the start of her career, she was already making headlines as the youngest person to undergo gender reassignment, having started hormone therapy when she was 12 and completing her transition by the time she was 16—two years earlier than Germany, her home country, would normally allow. She was signed to a record label in her teens as well, releasing her first EP One Piece of Tape in 2011. Her debut single, “I Don’t Want It at All,” was released in 2017, and she put out a number of singles, mixtapes, and EPs before the release of her debut album Feed The Beast in 2023. Her most recent album, Detour (2026), was received with high praise, some claiming it to be her true artistic debut.
In 2023, Kim Petras became the first openly trans woman to win a Grammy with her and Sam Smith’s duo “Unholy,” which won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In her acceptance speech, she thanked all the transgender legends who came before her who “kicked these doors open” for her. She named SOPHIE especially, thanking her for all her support and inspiration.
Petras’ music is fun, flirty, and bratty, and her discography is full of club bangers. Be sure to check out “brrr,” “Brutalist,” “If You Think About Me…” “Freak It,” and “Need for Speed.”
Other prominent trans women in the hyperpop scene are Arca, Fraxiom of Food House, Jane Remover, and Black Dresses. Hyperpop as a genre bends the rules of music similar to how queer expression of gender bends the heteronormative rules of gender. It’s no surprise trans individuals find a home in it. Hyperpop is loud, risky, and unashamed to be what it is, and we’re lucky it lives in the hands of such talented artists.
Written by: Isabella Broome
About the author description: Isabella (she/they) is an editorial staff member at NB
Tags: Hyperpop, Trans women, LGBTQ+
Check out our social media for more resources:
Additional Reading
Sources
https://agcook.com/msmsmsm/
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/100-gecs-10000-gecs/
https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/kim-petras-detour/
https://www.google.com/search?q=first+trans+woman+to+win+a+grammy&sca_esv=44d7f0e7266e9015&amc=1&aep=48&prmd=ivns&sxsrf=APpeQnvQEE92vmJqu8yAWKFLd8OvNLbeFw%3A1785793450689&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwja3JSCt4WWAxWbJ0QIHZTBMEEQ0pQJegQIBhAF#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:3c136e3f-0ce0-4baf-9e85-d6259601d908_105af92b,vid:XLtLobtbo20,st:0
Leave a comment