MNDR & Scissor Sisters Collaborate On New Song/Dance SWERLK

June 16, 2017• byMichael Strangeways

MNDR and Scissor Sisters released a “How to SWERLK” video to teach fans the steps behind perfecting the newly coined dance term – PRESS HERE to watch via OUT.com. The dance was choreographed by Brad Landers who also choreographed the beloved Scissor Sisters anthem “Let’s Have a Kiki.”

This video accompanies the recent release of their charity single “SWERLK” – PRESS HERE to listen. Proceeds from the single will go to Contigo Fund, which emerged from the Pulse mass shooting and offers financial support to organizations working to heal, educate and empower LGBTQ and Latinx individuals, immigrants and people of color, as well as those working to end all forms of bigotry in Central Florida – PRESS HERE (www.swerlk.com) to donate any amount and receive a free download of “SWERLK.” The single and video are released during LGBTQ Pride Month and around the one year mark of the Pulse shooting. “SWERLK” is a song, it’s a dance, it’s a way of life. SWERLK celebrates individuality, diversity, freedom, and fierceness. How do you “SWERLK”? SWERLK encourages people to learn the dance, make it their own, make it SWERLKY, upload and share it with the world.

Praise for SWERLK:

“The unofficial LGTBQ song of summer.” – Mic.com

“The new Gay Pride anthem we have been wanting, needing and waiting for has arrived!!!!” – Perez Hilton

“Scissor Sisters and MNDR are reclaiming the queer dance floor in memory of last year’s tragic breach of Orlando’s LGBTQ safe space, Pulse Nightclub.” – OUT.com

“The track is an EDM anthem for the ages, packing dance-worthy beats and catchy lyrics into an infectious 5-minute jam. You’ll definitely want it on your Summer 2017 playlist.” – New Now Next

“SWERLK is here! We know what we’ll be listening to all pride month!” – GLAAD

Last Friday, June 9th, MNDR and Scissor Sisters released a charity single called “SWERLK.” Proceeds from the single will go to Contigo Fund, which emerged from the Pulse mass shooting and offers financial support to organizations working to heal, educate and empower LGBTQ and Latinx individuals, immigrants and people of color, as well as those working to end all forms of bigotry in Central Florida – PRESS HERE (www.swerlk.com) to donate any amount and receive a free download of “SWERLK.” The single is released during LGBTQ Pride Month and days before June 12, the one year mark of the Pulse shooting.

What is “SWERLK”? It’s a song, it’s a dance, it’s a way of life. SWERLK celebrates individuality, diversity, freedom, and fierceness. How do you “SWERLK”? SWERLK encourages people to learn the dance, make it their own, make it SWERLKY, upload and share it with the world. PRESS HERE to listen via Huffington Post Queer Voices. PRESS HERE to watch the “SWERLK” lyric video via Billboard.

Alongside Billboard, GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy organization, has posted “SWERLK” today. Watch this space for an instructional video that teaches everyone how to SWERLK later in Pride month on GLAAD’S Facebook page.

The Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando, FL wasn’t just an attack on the Latinx and LGBTQ communities, but on one of its sacred spaces: the dance floor. MNDR, an American singer, songwriter, and record producer and Scissor Sisters, a household name everywhere from America to the UK, have incredible fans in the LGBTQ community. They have united for this one-off collaboration, and are SWERLKING not only to ensure violence against the gay community is still part of the national dialog, but also to take back the dance floor.

“Glad to support such a great cause. Through music hopefully we can help to bring people together and provide support for the LGBT Latinx community in Orlando, ” said
Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters.

“The community that brought Scissor Sisters and MNDR to life experienced an incredible loss that we can’t allow to be forgotten. SWERLK is our way to honour the people and culture that allowed us to escape and be ourselves,” adds Babydaddy of Scissor Sisters.

“SWERLK is about celebrating life, dancing, individuality, differences, fierceness, and sometimes SWERLK is even a shoulder to cry on. The SWERLK is not only a dance floor anthem, but it is a way of life, a mindset, and a show of solidarity,” says MNDR. “The SWERLK doesn’t stop SWERLKING even in the midst of senseless violence. To SWERLK is to live to the fullest. So keep on SWERLKING and stay SWERLKY! SWERLK!”

Rich Ferraro of GLAAD said, “Music has the power to uplift and unite people and the Scissor Sisters and MNDR have always done that for the LGBTQ community. SWERLK is a perfect rallying cry to live your life authentically and proudly.”

“Contigo Fund is committed to honoring the lives of those who were taken from us at Pulse -nearly all of which were both LGBTQ and Latinx – by making sure their identities, lived experiences, families, and communities are never forgotten,” says Program Director Marco Antonio Quiroga. “Through our grantmaking which is fueling recovery efforts and as one community working together, we are creating a sanctuary where all are safe, welcomed and affirmed. Contigo Fund is proud to stand strong with Pulse-affected communities in Orlando in their long journey of healing and empowerment. Support for this work continues to be critical.”

(Scissor Sisters)

(MNDR)

SWERLK SOCIALS:

SCISSOR SISTERS:

Scissor Sisters’ four albums sold six million copies worldwide, making them a household name everywhere from America, Japan and Australia to the UK, which they call their “spiritual home”. They have collaborated with artists as varied as Santigold, 2 Bears, Elton John and Kylie Minogue, and their global success, eclectic dance-pop-rock sound and wild New York club style can be said to have paved the way for many others. Their self-titled debut from 2004 set the platinum standard, becoming the biggest-selling album of the year in the UK. The follow-up, Ta-Dah, was another chart-topper in the UK and their first US Billboard Top 20 chart entry. It included I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’, a number 1 single in nearly a dozen countries from Argentina to Australia. Their third album, Night Work went Top 20 in the US and reached number two in the UK, a virtual club concept record bolstered by excellent dancefloor smashes. The fourth album, Magic Hour was full of eclectic delights and featured, among others, the phenomenon “Let’s Have A Kiki.” It became the fourth great Scissor Sisters album

MNDR:

MNDR rose to prominence after being featured on Mark Ronson & The Business Intl’s 2010 single “Bang Bang Bang,” which peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart and was followed in 2012 by MNDR’s critically acclaimed debut album “Feed Me Diamonds” (Ultra). Since then MNDR has been touring, writing and releasing new music as MNDR and for others (Miike Snow, Charli XCX, Jai Wolf etc.) In 2016 MNDR contributed writing and a feature performance on Flume’s Grammy winning album “Skin”. MNDR has signed to Mom + Pop Records and is currently working on new MNDR music.

CONTIGO FUND:

For additional information on the CONTIGO Fund and to contribute to our efforts, reach out to Program Director Marco Antonio Quiroga at MQuiroga@Our-Fund.org and visit www.our-fund.org/contigo/. Contigo Fund, an initiative of Our Fund Foundation, launched in response to the tragedy that occurred on Latin Night at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando targeting LGBTQ people of color. “Contigo” means “with you” in Spanish. For all those affected by the Pulse tragedy -whether physically present at the club or otherwise- we want them to know: Estamos Contigo – We’re With You.

Contigo Fund offers financial support to organizations working to heal, educate and empower Pulse-affected communities – LGBTQ and Latinx individuals, immigrants, and people of color – as well as those working to end all forms of bigotry in Orlando. Contigo Fund seeks to build bridges across Central Florida’s diverse communities and to raise awareness of homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, racism, and other forms of bigotry that divide our communities rather than bring them together.

GLAAD:

GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit http://www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Author: Michael Strangeways

As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.