11 September 2025
By James Mullan
The North Shore has never really had dedicated spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community. But a vibrant new initiative, the Loud and Proud Choir, is changing that—offering a much-needed sense of belonging and vocal freedom to the local queer and trans community.
Founded just six weeks ago by North Shore local Olivier Rahme, the choir has quickly blossomed into a space for people seeking connection and expression outside of traditional LGBTQIA+ hotspots such as Darlinghurst or Newtown.
“I was born and raised here, and I haven’t seen much for the queer community, so it was important to create that,” Rahme says. “I was going to do it in Darlinghurst, I was going to then do it in Newtown, and I was like, hold on. They have enough. We have nothing. It’s time. It’s 2025. It is time to create something in the North Shore.”
Rahme, a performer who studied at the Australian Institute of Music and toured with Opera Australia, found his calling in vocal and performance coaching, particularly for minority groups. He recognised the need for a safe space where individuals could find their voice—both literally and figuratively. “Performance was an outlet for me for sure,” Rahme says. That idea now fuels his passion for the choir, which is open to all levels and, importantly, requires no audition.
The inspiration came from a successful six-week LGBTQIA+ workshop Rahme had previously run. “I didn’t realise how successful it would be and how much they needed it,” he says. That realisation spurred him to create something more long-term and accessible on the North Shore.
The response was bigger than expected, with 30 people turning up for the first session. Many members expressed gratitude for finding a community where they could be themselves. “A lot of the people were around this area and they were like, I’d never meet queer people in this area. How are you here? And I’ve never met you, so that was great,” Rahme recalls.
One member said: “We needed this so much here. This is the joy of my week. I look forward to it every week, and it’s such a safe space, and I don’t have to be self-conscious or uncomfortable. It’s just like you let everything down at the door. It’s great.”
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Beyond fostering community, the Loud and Proud Choir is also dedicated to fundraising. Proceeds from end-of-term concerts, like the upcoming event on September 28 at the Crows Nest Community Centre, go directly to queer and trans organisations. Their current beneficiary is Twenty10, which supports queer and trans homeless youth.
For anyone hesitant about joining, Rahme says: “It’s about community. It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about sounding incredible. It’s not about having so much experience. It’s literally about meeting people.” He adds: “It’s a bit of fun. Your Tuesday night… You don’t have to go in public and stuff like that. There might be people there who maybe just don’t really want to be identified or just want to come… even people who are in the closet, it’s still safe for you to be here.”
The choir is more than just singing—it’s a positive and thriving community, creating a safe place where everyone can feel loud and proud.
For more information and find out how you can get involved with the choir here: https://olivierssingingstudio.com.au/loudandproudchoir/