Jo Lee Talks The Wavy Awards, Independent Artists and Finding Joy With ‘The Size Queen Project’

September 2, 2026 6

As the 6th Annual Wavy Awards prepare to take over Brooklyn this Saturday, September 5, Pride 365 Radio caught up with singer, songwriter and producer Jo Lee, one of the artists at the heart of The Wavys’ mission to support independent and underrepresented creators.

Jo Lee is participating in The Wavys’ inaugural Wavy Ambassador Program, an initiative designed to give independent artists access to resources, visibility and community support without requiring them to surrender the creative control that can come with traditional music-industry structures.

During the conversation with Pride 365’s Houston, Jo Lee explained why the program immediately resonated.

“It’s a really cool opportunity that Rebecca thought of.”

At its core, Jo Lee says the Ambassador Program is about creating a more equitable platform for artists to share their work publicly while also giving them a way to raise money for their creative projects.

For Jo Lee, that project is The Size Queen Project, a debut EP currently in production.

Building A Different Kind of Music Industry

One of the things that makes The Wavys different is its focus on artists who can face additional barriers in an industry that has historically not always made room for them.

The Wavys is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on celebrating diversity and amplifying historically underrepresented voices in music, including LGBTQ+, BIPOC, women, non-binary artists and artists with disabilities.

Jo Lee believes that kind of support can have an immediate and meaningful impact.

Rather than fundraising disappearing into a large organization, Jo Lee says supporters can see their contributions directly helping an artist create something new.

“That $5 goes a lot further and you can see the immediate impact of that,” Jo Lee explained during our interview.

That community-driven approach has already helped Jo Lee get into the studio. The Wavys reported in April that Jo Lee had raised $1,000 and begun recording at Carriage City Studios in Rahway, New Jersey, without a traditional record-label deal or giving up master rights or creative control.

‘The Size Queen Project’ Is About Reclaiming Joy

While the title The Size Queen Project might immediately get a laugh, Jo Lee says there is something much deeper behind the music.

The project explores their relationship with sexuality, desire and identity — and the process of separating those things from shame.

Jo Lee grew up in an evangelical household and described the experience of eventually coming out as queer, then as non-binary, and having to reconsider long-held ideas surrounding sex, desire and identity.

“There’s a lot to unpack,” Jo Lee said.

The Size Queen Project is their way of doing that unpacking through music — but not through sadness or shame.

Instead, Jo Lee wants the project to be fun, uplifting, sexy and joyful.

The music draws inspiration from artists including Prince, Beyoncé and Janelle Monáe, with Jo Lee describing the project as having a disco-futurist and funky sensibility.

The goal is music that makes people want to dance, have fun and maybe even make out with somebody.

And underneath all of that is a simple question: Do you really know what you want and are you going after it?

That idea is at the heart of the song “Size Queen,” which takes a tongue-in-cheek look at a familiar conversation among queer friends.

As Jo Lee explained, sometimes everything in someone’s life may seem to be going well, yet they still feel unsatisfied.

“Maybe you’re just a size queen.”

But beneath the humor is a larger message about understanding what you actually want and having the confidence to pursue it.

Why The Wavys Matter

Jo Lee also spoke about what makes attending The Wavy Awards so special.

The event isn’t simply about handing out trophies. It’s an opportunity for independent artists, creators and music fans to come together and discover people they might not otherwise encounter through the traditional music industry.

The Wavys’ stated mission is to create opportunities for emerging artists who are often filtered out by conventional industry gatekeeping.

For Jo Lee, that diversity of talent is part of the magic.

“Every time I go to the Wavy Awards, I experience something that I wasn’t expecting,” they said. “It is such a breath of fresh air.”

Jo Lee also highlighted the support The Wavys receives from New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, noting the involvement of Shira Gant and the office’s continued presence at Wavy community events.

The Wavys describes the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment as an ongoing supporter of the organization and its mission.

Get Ready To Get Wavy

The 6th Annual Wavy Awards take place Saturday, September 5, 2026, in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The ceremony celebrates emerging and independent artists across categories including Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, New Artist of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Production of the Year, Live Performance, EP of the Year and Album of the Year.

And for Jo Lee, the event represents much more than an awards ceremony.

It is a celebration of what can happen when artists are given a platform, a community and the freedom to create on their own terms.

As for The Size Queen Project, Jo Lee is still putting the finishing touches on the music. The recording sessions at Carriage City Studios are complete, and the project is now moving through the editing phase.

And when it is finally ready, Pride 365 Radio will definitely be listening.

Listen to the full conversation with Jo Lee on Pride 365 Radio and follow along as The Size Queen Project comes to life.