Trailblazing Trans Musician: Shawna Virago

Shawna Virago, a trailblazing musician that has embraced her identity since the early nineties, is releasing her album Blood in Her Dreams May 31.

Country can be a genre that is primarily dominated by heteronormative ideas, and, at times, can express conservative or traditional values. Navigating these spaces as a queer person may be challenging, but for singer Shawna Virago it is a calling for her as an artist. Her early start in the nineties made her one of the first nationally touring transgender women, and she continues her journey as an artist still to this day.

Her bio describes Virago’s narrative as “one of courage and creativity, of facing a world often hostile to trans identities with unwavering strength and an unyielding commitment to her craft. Her music, while deeply personal, speaks to broader themes of resistance, empowerment, and the ongoing fight for visibility and rights within the trans community. Her songs call on listeners to engage deeply, to recognize the humanity in each other, and to appreciate the beauty of living authentically.”

Blood In Her Dreams shares raw, unfiltered stories about ignorance and exclusion. For Virago, this new album is a milestone in her journey as a musician and storyteller.

She is “a pioneer in the pre-millennial punk scene, and is celebrated for her firebrand fusion of punk and country and her striking lyrics”, With her newest album, Virago brings a unique perspective to the world of country music. The genre can be primarily dominated by a conservative perspective—commonly known for beer, trucks, and hot women. However, with Virago and other LGBTQ artists sharing their voices, more and more queer country musicians have slowly gained more popularity in recent years.

Virago’s first LP released from Blood In Her Dreams, “The Barman’s Daughter“, brings a folk-punk tone while using the keys of country music’s storytelling as a grounding force.

48 Hills has said the album “may be grounded in story-driven outlaw country (Guy Clark), folk (Bob Dylan), and cowpunk (Exene Cervenka) but it seismically shifts the narrative from the perspective of the familiar outlaw—the cowboy evading justice—to the viewpoint of a trans person whose very existence continues to be criminalized in the US. (In 2024 alone, 17 states have passed a record number of anti-trans bills.)”

You can find more information about Shawna Virago on her website, Spotify, and Instagram.

Featured image by Lindsay Gauthier, courtesy of Rachel Hurley.