Welcome to R^3

Get to Know Us!

    Queerness, music, and religion... how are they related!? Here at R^3, that is exactly what we analyze. We are aware that many people throughout history have believed that Queerness and religion are like oil and water, and do not mix well, but we here do not believe that that is the case. We believe there is a much deeper history of interaction between the two, and that, through the concepts of reworking, reclaiming, and reframing, religion has been able to take on a multitude of forms for many different people and lifestyles.

    We also know that music holds power. It can bring people together and form community. It's a way for people to process thoughts and feelings; it can even be used as a form of resistance, allowing people to flourish. That is why here at R^3, we feel there is great importance in our music review website that examines the use of religious motifs and symbolism in contemporary Queer music artists' work.

REWORK, RECLAIM, REFRAME

    That is our motto here. All of our reviews are graded on a rework, reclaim, or reframe basis, depending on which pillar the artist emulates the most overall. You may be asking, what constitutes a review of each pillar?

Rework

    When an artist takes something like a traditional practice and molds it to create something new and reflective of them and their life experiences. Melissa Wilcox says, “Reworking practices means making traditional practices directly relevant to and reflective of one’s own life as a transgender and/or queer person.”

Reclaim

    To take something that at one time was not meant for a certain group or was meant to be derogatory, harmful, or oppressive, and make it something that unsettles norms. Wilcox says that reclaiming is used to “unsettle and put out of order existing norms and assumptions.”

Reframe 

    To change the frame in which you view something, thus changing the meaning behind the story. This can be used to add aspects to make them more inclusive or help individuals feel comfortable. Wilcox mentions that sometimes people view reframing as “the height of blasphemy”. While others see it as “a creative exploration of alternative” sacred stories. 

    We are an unbiased review database exploring the religious motifs in songs enjoyed by our founder throughout her lifetime. The songs we chose are not the only ones in each artist's discography that contain religious motifs, so we recommend checking out some of each artist's work!