Choirs are on the rise in Berlin. From gospel to queer pop, groups now cater to almost every identity, aesthetic and subculture. But few have struck quite the same chord as D-Dur Dykes* – now officially the largest choir in Europe for female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender (FLINTA*) singers.
The 200-strong collective has become one of the city’s most sought-after ensembles. Led by indie-pop artist and vocal coach Theresa Zanon, the choir made its debut in December 2024 at REFO Moabit. With a summer of shows ahead, and a waiting list of 570 people, we sat down with Zanon to talk queer anthems, community power and the joy of being loud together.
Lesbian visibility was always lacking, and with this music, we can get more attention and sing about things we can relate to.
How did the choir start?
I’m already a singing coach and in another choir, and back then, my best friend also wanted to join, but it was far away in Brandenburg. Then we were thinking about how it would be if we could sing with other FLINTA* [people] in a safe space, where we only have to sing lesbian pop.
We started off by just sharing the idea in community groups, and then I started a Telegram channel and all of sudden, 80 people were in, which meant we then had to find a new rehearsal space. After that we went super viral and people were queuing up to join. We’ve had to set a limit now because our rehearsal space can only hold 200 people. Our waiting list has about 450 people on it.
That must make you one of Berlin’s biggest choirs, right?
We know we’re the biggest [FLINTA* choir] in Europe, because there’s an association for queer choirs in Europe, called LEGATO. We’re connected with the other queer choirs in Berlin, so on Instagram we have these recommendations for people. But what attracts people to our choir is that we’re not professionalising or commercialising it.
We want it to be a community, where people come together and sing and are not competing with others. It’s important for me for it to be inclusive for those at all levels. Who cares if you’re good or not? For instance, we organised a flea market to raise money for a choir member’s mastectomy. That’s a power we can use as a choir. We can use our voices to do something and give something back to the community.
Why do you think choirs are becoming more popular in Berlin?
I think there’s something about singing which is very personal. It’s empowering to use your voice, and spirituality in a way. It’s about listening and having space to be loud and express yourself. FLINTA* [people] especially don’t express themselves enough, and choirs are all about safety, where you can participate as a whole.
People are drawn to it because it’s not only about singing together, but it’s about having a space where you can be yourself and feel represented and celebrated in your identity. We exclusively sing lesbian and queer pop. We sing songs by Chappell Roan, Fletcher, girl in red, Troye Sivan and some songs by myself of course.
Right now, we’re in the middle of a lesbian renaissance. This genre is so important for us to get more focus and to inspire young people. Lesbian visibility was always lacking, and with this music, we can get more attention and sing about things we relate to. And it’s also fun! I also want to focus more and find more songs from trans and POC artists, because they also need more visibility.
Managing such a big choir must be challenging. Can you tell me about the hurdles you face?
The first thing people always ask me is, ‘Is it hard to get silence and communicate with everyone?’ Well, no, because everyone who’s there is really grateful, and they’re disciplined. We also plan more activities where we can connect with each other.
Then of course there are logistical issues when it comes to travelling to shows and even playing on stages. One of the things we use is Quouch, a queer couch-surfing service. But the size of the stages is a real problem. Most stages can’t fit more than 40 people. The cool thing about a choir is that you can do different levels on the stage, but you still have to have capacities for that.
Because we’re in a lesbian renaissance right now, FLINTA* spaces have been booming – opening up a lot of opportunities. But, this is new. It shows how we need people to take the initiative. The challenge is not to find people who want to do things, but to find room and time and money to fulfill these needs. There have been cuts in the cultural sector, which is making this harder. If the city would create more community spaces to bring people together, it would make a big difference.
Where can people catch your upcoming performances?
We’re performing on the main stage at CSD this year – our biggest gig to date. We’ll also be at the Queeres Parkfest Friedrichshain on August 9, and we’re going to a choir festival in Heidelberg in October. There are also talks for other events as well.
Looking to the future, what can you share with us about your goals, plans and aspirations?
When we started, we focused on feminine voice groups, but for the last quarter we added tenors for those with low voices, or for those who’ve had voice drops under testosterone. I think that’s really important for us to work on.
I also had the opportunity to help lead another FLINTA* group, Queen Bees & The Beat. I arranged a big sapphic pop melody for them and helped with their rehearsals. One video of ours went viral recently, I Wish I Was Gay, and the leader of a queer, feminist choir in Strasbourg reached out and asked if they could use the arrangement!
There’s a world out there waiting for us to explore, where choirs are connected and have different concerts together. In Berlin, we have so many trans and queer choirs, I definitely want to be able to share the stage with them. In December we have Schöne Bescherung, which is a concert featuring the city’s lesbian, gay, and queer music ensembles, which should be great.
- Follow D-Dur Dykes* on Instagram.
