Sabrina Carpenter Shouts Out Queer Community’s Impact on Entertainment: ‘I Don’t Think Pop Music Would Exist If it Wasn’t for the Queer Community’

Marc Jacobs is asking Sabrina Carpenter the right kinds of questions.

While conducting an interview with the singer for the April 7 issue of Perfect, the fashion mogul asked Carpenter how she would describe the importance of having a queer audience as a pop star in today’s day and age.

“I don’t think pop music would exist if it wasn’t for the queer community,” Carpenter begins her thoughtful response. “I don’t think some of our greatest pop stars would exist if it wasn’t for the queer community.”

Carpenter goes on to shout out the LGBTQ+ people in her life: “I feel so deeply connected. I mean, some of my greatest friends and collaborators and artists that I know are a part of the queer community or are just so celebratory of it.”

The Coachella headliner then speaks on how having the community with her has affected her work, saying that she doesn’t think going on tour would be as fun without them.

“I feel so connected and grateful to be able to have them be a part of my journey, to be a part of the world,” Carpenter concludes. Jacobs, an out gay man, agrees with Carpenter’s stance, saying, “Life is much more [colorful] and fun with [the queer community],” and, “It’s important sometimes to say it. Especially now.”

Carpenter has long been incredibly vocal in her support of the LGBTQ+ community. In partnership with non-profit PLUS1, the singer raised over $1 million for mental health initiatives, LGBTQ+ rights and animal welfare last year. In doing so, The Sabrina Carpenter Fund became the nonprofit’s fastest-growing artist fund to date.

Carpenter has also platformed LGBTQ+ artists in her work. Last August she enlisted openly queer Academy Award-winning actor Colman Domingo for her “Tears” music video. The video was inspired by the queer cult classic film The Rocky Horror Picture Show and featured Domingo playing Carpenter’s drag mother. When she debuted the track onstage at the VMAs the following month, Carpenter performed alongside drag artists and trans dancers who held up signs that read, “Protect Trans Rights,” “Support Local Drag” and “Dolls! Dolls! Dolls!”

Carpenter is set to headline Coachella on Friday (April 8). While we don’t know what surprises she might have planned for “her most ambitious show ever,” perhaps she’ll invite some drag artists from her past performances to the stage with her again.

This article was first published by Billboard U.S.