GAY BREAKOUT ARTIST: LUCAS AB

ESCA might sound like a posh restaurant or a fashion label but it’s the single by out New York pop wannabe Lucas AB. He released the song about “queer pain” because “it was my way of dealing with the aftermath of an astonishingly difficult relationship with a boy”. The moody, haunting ballad comes with a video featuring trans model Avie Acosta and directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte, who made 2016’s gay-themed drama As You Are. The good news is Lucas now has a boyfriend called Austin, a well-paid day job in advertising and is working on his debut album (with a new EP Maybe to fill in the gap out any second). He’s good buddies with gay muso, Shamir, and Jonny Pierce, drummer from queer rock band The Drums. Lucas says it’s important for him to be surrounded by queer performers and creators. We get you.