Following its long-awaited vinyl release, Ethel Cain’s debut album Preacher’s Daughter has entered the top ten of the US Billboard 200, making her the first trans artist to achieve this feat. 

The critically acclaimed album failed to chart when it was initially released back in 2022, but has since grown in popularity. Spiking in sales after to the recent vinyl pressing, Preacher’s Daughter sold an equivalent of 39,000 units between April 4 and April 10, marking Cain’s most successful week to date. 

The record for the highest charting album by a trans artist was previously held by German singer-songwriter Kim Petras, whose 2022 debut album Feed the Beast peaked at number 52 in the States. Petras remains the first trans artist to achieve a number one single in the US with 2022 single “Unholy featuring Sam Smith”, which also saw her become the first trans artist to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group the following year.

This victory for trans artists is not least significant considering the ongoing backsliding on LGBTQ+ rights under US President Donald Trump, who has seen trans people’s genders forcibly changed on passports and official state documents. It is in this context that Cain previously announced that her upcoming international tour will be partnering with LGBTQ+ charity The Ally Coalition, with $1 from every ticket sale being donated to organisations committed to serving the trans community.  

The tour is set to follow the release of Cain’s second album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You, in August of this year. The project is reported to continue the elaborate storyline set out in Preacher’s Daughter, featuring a reference to Cain’s fictional first boyfriend, Willoughby Tucker.