How a Drag Queen Became Christian Music's Top Musician

Last week, the drag performer/contemporary Christian musician Flamy Grant took the No. 1 position on iTunes' Christian music charts in the top songs and top albums categories.

Perhaps at least part of Grant's rapid rise up the charts came as a response to a tweet from Christian musician and former GOP congressional candidate Sean Feucht, who wrote that "these are truly the last days" when addressing Grant's collaborative single with singer Derek Webb, "Good Day."

Feucht's message was met with a backlash on social media by people who indicated they would offer their full support to Grant. By the end of the week, Grant's debut album, Bible Belt Baby, which was originally released in October 2022, was iTunes' top Christian album.

"I love that what started as a degrading tweet from a conservative worship leader has turned into a way for queer people to see themselves represented in Christian music," Grant told Newsweek.

In his Twitter message, Feucht mistakenly referred to Webb as a former worship leader. Webb has never served in such a role, though he was once a longtime member of the popular Christian band Caedmon's Call. Grant, however, was a worship leader for 22 years and told Paste magazine recently that she was leading worship up until last year.

"The evangelical faith I was raised in is, sadly, founded entirely on fear and buried in shame," Grant told Newsweek. "I believe in the expansive power of love to cast out fear."

Newsweek reached out to Feucht via email for comment.

On Twitter, Grant has addressed her love of Christian music, noting it was the only genre she was allowed to listen to while growing up. She also expressed her appreciation for her fans catapulting "Good Day" up the Christian song charts while also pushing Bible Belt Baby to the No. 1 spot, where it is still sitting.

For his part, Webb has promoted Grant on his social media accounts and called for his fans to continue to spread Grant's music and message.

"This story is just getting started," he tweeted Sunday. "Let's keep the support for @FlamyGrant STRONG, friends."

Grant indicated to Newsweek that she doesn't believe all the recent attention she's received is solely due to Feucht.

"I think one of the reasons my song resonated with people is because people are tired of all the religious gatekeeping, and 'Good Day' is an anthem of inclusion," she said.

She continued: "I'm so grateful to everyone who is sharing my music, and I hope it does a small part to drown out the message of exclusion and disgust for queer people that has come to be a defining marker of conservative American Christianity."