“Let the Queen Be” – Song by Molly McGinn, Kate Musselwhite Tobey and Quilla.

CREDITS

Molly McGinn: electric guitar, vocals.

Kate Tobey: violin, vocals.

Quilla (Anna Luisa Daigneault): vocals, Boss RC-505 Loop Station, Roland TR-8 Rhythm Performer (drum machine).

Chris Micca: bass.

Recorded and mixed by Jeremy Chereskin (Hole In The Wall Studio)

Special thanks to Abbey Spoon and Josh King at The Flat Iron for letting us use their space to record this video.

And thanks to Cliff Greeson for showing up in a pinch to help shoot video.

BIO

Queen Bees is a musical collaboration between three North Carolina-based musicians: award-winning musician and journalist Molly McGinn, renowned electronic music producer and songwriter Quilla, and esteemed musician and creative producer Kate Musselwhite Tobey. They use an uplifting blend of traditional acoustic instruments, modern electronic components and the folk tradition of storytelling to drive unity in social justice causes. Their first track, “Ravens and the Wrens” (Ritual Fire Records, 2021) was inspired by the personal experiences of trans author Sam Peterson. Past collaborations between Molly McGinn and Quilla include “Wild and Kind” (2016) — a musical prayer written to raise awareness about plans to build a canal in Nicaragua, which would devastate the local agricultural economy in its path. Collaborations between Quilla and Kate Tobey include “Old Souls” (2020) and forthcoming tracks “Bloodlines” and “You Belong Here” that explore ancestry and migration. ABOUT THIS SONG We see music as our responsibility to serve our community. The songs we produce dance to a social change rhythm. In spring 2023 the drag Queen community was under attack—again. Our new anthem, “Let the Queen Be” was born as a response. So when we set out to let our queens know “we’re with them,” we picked an unlikely folk music genre: disco. If drag has a granddaddy, it’s disco. Disco’s leaders, like Donna Summer, sang about sexual empowerment. Disco clubs were a safe haven for the gay community at the time. The lyrics give nods to Donna Summer, southern Drag Queen icon Julia Sugarbaker from Designing Women, and “High Heel Neil,” a prominent cross-dressing Tennessee Republican. The music’s emphasis on beat, meticulous stringed arrangements, harmony and bright rhythm guitar made it a perfect musical match for this trio. And if we win, we’ll build a diverse community choir that includes drag artists and others to perform at the festival.