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Pride Month is coming to a close, but there’s still plenty of joy to be had. Until June is over, HollywoodLife will celebrate with The Sound Of Pride, where celebs and stars of the LBGTQ+ community pick songs for the ultimate 2023 Pride Month playlist. It’s the perfect soundtrack to keep Pride going all year long (while researching how to protect LGBTQ+ rights and/or reading about the history of Pride Month. Today, Adam Ulanicki, a rising music star (who found his tribe on TikTok), joins in.
A lot can happen within 365 days. “This year, I feel like I got way more clarity compared to last year’s Pride,” Adam Ulanicki says to HollywoodLife. “I know myself much better than last year. I had to face situations that taught me how to stand up for myself.” Adam, a 21-year-old German trans artist, has experienced a surge of fame thanks to his viral mash-ups, covers, and cello performances on TikTok (where he boasts more than 280k followers and 3.5 million Likes.)
The confidence Adam has developed in his journey is reflected in his music. This year, he’s put out a handful of singles, including “Some Say,” “Airplanes,” and the recently released “Say My Name.” For The Sound Of Pride, Adam picked Nea’s “Some Say” as one of the additions to HL’s Pride Month playlist, saying that the song made him “feel understood, because I know, one day, I will be proud of myself for never giving up on becoming the person I look up to.”
Coincidentally, Adam also gave love to one of those people he looks up to, picking Titans star Chella Man as the person he’d like to see get some flowers this Pride season. Chella — a transgender, genderqueer actor, YouTuber, and LGBTQ+ activist – helped Adam feel “seen and accepted when I was having a hard [accepting] myself,” he tells HollywoodLife. “He also encouraged me to finally speak my [truth].”
As Pride Month comes to a close, it’s going out on a high note. See what Adam picked for The Sound of Pride.
Nea, “Some Say”
“This song really hits me. Finding that self-love and self-acceptance is still a long journey for me. The lyrics make me feel understood because I know, one day, I will be proud of myself for never giving up on becoming the person I look up to.”
Kehlani
“I love her music, and I really enjoy her vibe!”
Editor’s Note: Adam didn’t select a single Kehlani track, so we’ll add “Everybody Business.”
Hozier, “Take Me to Church”
“This song really speaks to me as it talks about the discrimination against people of different sexual orientations. Love is one of the most beautiful things in the world, and It shouldn’t matter which sexual orientation or gender you have.”
How does Pride 2023 feel different than last year?
“This year, I feel like I got way more clarity compared to last year’s Pride. I know myself much better than last year. I had to face situations that taught me how to stand up for myself. Being able to do that made me really proud of myself. I have a clearer vision of who I am and who I want to become.”
Pride is a time to celebrate unsung heroes. Is there anyone you’d like to see get the spotlight this year?
“Chella Man. Before my coming out as Transgender, he was the one that made me feel safe and understood. He made me feel seen and accepted when I was having a hard time to accept myself. He also encouraged me to finally speak my through.”
Do you have a memory of Pride Months past that you’d like to share? Or a similar moment of Pride when you felt triumph and/or acceptance?
“So far, I haven’t been able to collect enough memories of Pride Months past. But I have this beautiful feeling of acceptance and love when I’m around my team that I met last year in Berlin. It, therefore, feels like a triumph when we’re making music together.
“Also, all these kind and supportive messages that I get from my followers give me that beautiful feeling of pride and acceptance.”
What do you have planned for June (and the rest of 2023?)
“I’m planning on going to Berlin to write more songs! Also, I want to work on myself and improve my mindset into becoming more positive. As I said before, accepting and loving myself is a long journey, but I’m sure that I’ll get there one day. I’m also planning to finish some books that I’m currently reading, which really help my mindset to change into something more positive.”
Do you have a Pride 2023 message to share?
“I once asked my supporters to write me a quote that inspires them. I think this one fits perfectly: “I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not” — Kurt Cobain.”
Keep reading HollywoodLife throughout June for more entries in The Sound of Pride and additional Pride Month coverage. And remember — fix your heart or die!