Hazel Meyer of Those Who Dream: 5 Trans and Non-Binary Artists Who Soundtracked My Self-Discovery Journey

Hiiii my name is Hazel, I play the drums and am one-half of Australian emo-pop-rock duo Those Who Dream! We’ve had a pretty crazy few years touring with Mayday Parade, Real Friends and Short Stack; all culminating in December of 2022 when I came out as a trans woman the day before taking the stage at our first-ever Good Things Festival (with BMTH, Sleeping With Sirens, and more of my idols).

Going from having no problem seeing myself represented in music (thinking I was a straight male) to struggling to find lineups with more than a few women or LGBTQ+ artists, there was a lot of whiplash. I became acutely aware of this lack of representation and couldn’t help but think if I’d grown up seeing more women and LGBTQ+ people on stage, how much earlier my realisation could have come. It’s wild because early on in Those Who Dream’s career, we realised we’d found ourselves with a largely LGBTQ+ audience, and I remember their bravery to live loud and proud always inspiring me. Though I could never understand why I resonated so much with their experiences, at the time I didn't know where I fit within that community; “maybe I’m just a really big ally,” I would think to myself.

Now, having lived publicly as my true self for almost 2 years, I’ve had the privilege of being embraced and supported by the women of the Australian music scene. There’s been so many conversations and even just small comments from my peers at gigs that have truly made my day and eased any fears I had about not being ‘welcome’ in that space. It’s also been the most wholesome and beautiful thing to meet other trans women in the scene; having people who ‘get it’ to lean on for support has been incredibly helpful.

To celebrate the release of Those Who Dream’s first EP since my transition, Therapy Machine, I wanted to introduce you to five trans and non-binary artists who’ve helped soundtrack my journey of self-discovery, ranging from alt-rock to hyperpop and a whole lot in between.

SOPHIE

I discovered SOPHIE’s music in 2019 and was so fascinated by what I heard that I just had to go on a deep dive. As a fan of infectious pop melodies and weird sounds, I fell in love with songs like 'Immaterial', 'Faceshopping' and her Charli XCX collaboration 'Vroom Vroom'. But my fascination grew deeper upon hearing more intimate cuts like 'It’s Okay To Cry' and 'Is It Cold In The Water?'

The way I interpreted the lyrics to the latter was basically “is it scary being out as trans?”, which brought me a lot of comfort as I discovered my identity in 2022. She ended up being a really inspiring figure in my transition and I was heartbroken to hear of her untimely passing in 2021.

Underscores

Yet another artist I found during my transition and really connected with her music before even realising what we had in common. It’s just so heartwarming to see a trans girl my age finding success; especially making unconventional, genre-blending music. My introduction to her music was 'Spoiled Little Brat', which gave me real 2000s MySpace vibes, reminding me of artists like Breathe Carolina, Forever The Sickest Kids and Tegan and Sara that I grew up listening to.

Cry Club

I first heard Cry Club online around 2019 and was really inspired to see another Australian duo making alt-rock mixed with synths and pop melodies. We were meant to play a show in Perth together that year which I was really excited about, but it didn’t end up happening. After a few years of chatting on socials, we finally had the privilege of playing Transgenre Festival with them in December last year; an incredible initiative created by the lovely Ellie Robinson and Tim Blunt. The band were ridiculously kind and talented and I can’t wait for another opportunity to see them.

Jane Remover

I actually only checked out this artist recently after hearing her name pop up for years, and wow am I glad I did! This kind of music really speaks to my heart, the slow build from sombre to big shoegaze-y cathartic release with really emotive vocal delivery makes me feel like I’m in a coming-of-age movie. Definitely in high rotation on my night time playlist.

Dopamine

I found these guys on TikTok after their song 'She Loves' was gaining traction and really admired how open the singer Levi was about his experience as a trans man. It’s crazy how despite being in the same community, a lot of trans women don’t know a whole lot about the experience of trans men, and vice-versa. Aside from being inspired by his great social media presence with the band, their music is awesome (FFO: Black Veil Brides, Palaye Royale) and I’m excited to hear more from them!

*note, this is Scotland-based band Dopamine, not the Australian band by the same name

Words by Hazel Meyer @hazelruem

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Stream Therapy Machine EP here

Those Who Dream - Therapy Machine EP tracklisting

1. Enigma
2. Therapy Machine
3. Face The Truth
4. Mannequin
5. IT SURROUNDS