Very few people know who or what “Dinah” originally was but THE DINAH is something near and dear to the heart of thousands of queer women who have attended the party/festival in Palm Springs over the last 30+ years. Like everything else, Covid shut it down for the last two years but party producer Mariah Hanson is back in business to produce the 31st Anniversary of the event this coming September 21st through the 25th at the iconic Palm Springs resort hotel, The Margaritaville.
The name “Dinah” is big in Palm Springs. It not only refers to this beloved party but also to the huge women’s golf tournament that was a central fixture in the national Lesbian event circuit bringing thousands of women to Palm Springs every year…it was the Lesbian version of the infamous “White Party” for gay men! Sadly, the golf tournament is moving to Houston in 2023 and will no longer have any branding with Dinah.
AND, of course, Dinah refers to its original namesake, beloved singer Dinah Shore a huge star in the 1940s and 1950s and also known for her fun afternoon talk show in the 1970s. Dinah was a big golfer and Palm Springs resident and the tournament was named after her. (Dinah wasn’t apparently a lesbian…she married twice and had two kids AND had a long relationship with Burt Reynolds…but, she loved her golf!)
The 2022 Dinah Party has alrady announced its line-up: Fletcher, Haviah Mighty, Cassidy King, IV4, Zolita, IV Jay, Siena Liggins and 80s superstar, Taylor Dayne.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets go to: www.Thedinah.com
More on this year’s Dinah:
Taking center stage Saturday night is one of the most electrifying queer artists to burst onto the scene, FLETCHER. Her critically acclaimed debut EP you ruined new york city for me, featured her breakthrough hit “Undrunk,” a track that scored the #1 spot on Spotify’s Viral Chart and emerged as the fastest-rising song at pop radio from a new artist in the past five years. Released in September 2020, FLETCHER’s EP THE S(EX) TAPES hit No. 1 on iTunes across all genres drew praise from outlets like Teen Vogue, SPIN, PAPER, GQ, and more, with the EP’s gold-certified lead single “Bitter” fast approaching 200 million global streams. FLETCHER continued her triumphant run with recent singles “girls girls girls” — a bold reimagining of Katy Perry’s iconic “I Kissed a Girl” (released with Perry’s early stamp of approval) — and “Cherry” featuring trailblazing pop star Hayley Kiyoko. Her new single “Her Body Is Bible” is out now and FLETCHER will release her debut album Girl Of My Dreams on September 16th on Capitol Records. She was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist and landed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2022. FLETCHER’s music has amassed over one billion streams worldwide.
Headlining Friday night is 80s pop icon Taylor Dayne who is exclusively bringing her full band to put on a rare and unique show for Dinah goers. The groundbreaking debut single “Tell It to My Heart” turned her into an overnight star in 1987. She followed the smash hit with 17 Top 20 singles including Number Ones “Love Will Lead You Back” “Prove Your Love” and “I’ll always Love You.”
Taylor has sold over 75 million albums and singles worldwide, earned three GRAMMY nominations, an American Music Award, multiple New York Music Awards, received New York Music Hall of Fame honors and ranked as the Number 18 Female Dance artist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.
Poised to follow the footsteps of Lady Gaga, Bebe Rexha, Iggy Azalea and Lizzo (to name a few) is Haviah Mighty who co-headlines Friday night’s Black and White Ball. The burgeoning artist earned break-out success with her album, 13th Floor, making her the first hip-hop artist and the first Black woman to win the Polaris Music Prize, celebrating the “Best Canadian Album of the Year”. She just grabbed a 2022 Juno award and is now on her way to take the US by storm.
Of course, it wouldn’t be The Dinah without the always next level epic Pool Parties.The weekend pool parties will be highlighted with exclusive live performances by four exciting emerging queer artists Zolita, IV4, Cassidy King, and Siena Liggins who are making themselves visible members of the LGBTQ community that younger people can look up to.
Queer pop sensation Zolita is known for pairing her multi-dimensional songwriting with beautiful, self-directed music videos, earning her multiple viral successes that include singles “Explosion,” “Holy” and last September’s hit “Somebody I F*cked Once.” The first in a trilogy of songs, “Somebody I F*cked Once” was followed by the 2022 pop bangers “Single in September” and “I F*cking Love You.” Now, with more than 90 million views across her videos and a recent performance on the main stage of LA Pride, Zolita has become a powerful voice in the LGBTQ+ community, sharing stories that showcase joyful queer love with themes that span generations.
IV4 was discovered in 2018 after posting her first song, “Because of Me,” produced by Smash David and SkipOnDaBeat, on social media and earning tens of thousands of views. Get Rich & Cry Trying is IV4’s latest project since signing to Warner Records. The St. Louis-born, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter previously released the hit singles “Work 2 Hard,” and “Swimming” featuring Trippie Redd. We certainly do not see her star fading anytime soon.
Singer-songwriter Cassidy King has successfully built up her reputation as a solo artist with her singles “professional Smiler” and “Wasted”. In her latest EP, Concrete Walls, the Chardon, Ohio native continues to shape her passionately charged resonance delivering a moment of reckoning that only comes with deep self-reflection.
Siena Liggins went from a behind-the-scenes songwriter to one of Billboard’s Top Ten new LGBTQ artists of the year. Ms. Out Tonight, the singer’s debut album serves as a seminar on representing queer sexuality in music. On sexed-up anthems like “Dirty Girl” feat. Yung Baby Tate, “No Valet,” “Girlfriend” and more, Liggins leaves no room for interpretation; she’s going to write songs about her authentic experience as a queer woman.
“These are the galvanizing queer voices to watch long after The Dinah is a wrap. They are part of a new generation of queer young artists who are determined to change the long-held stereotypes of this industry” says Mariah Hanson. IV Jay makes her Dinah debut on Friday, September 23 at the Girl Spot Pool Party. At just 18 years old, R&B singer/songwriter, IV Jay just released her EP IV solidifying her place as an artist to watch. “I’m proud to have put together such incredible line up of marquee talent and community icons,” comments Hanson. “We can’t get enough of these exhilarating female artists, and neither will you!”
The Dinah takes place September 23–25, 2022 at The Margaritaville in Palm Springs, CA.
Overflow Hotel is The Doubletree.