LGBTQ news and entertainment
German-born pop star Kim Petras sat down with ABC News to chat on how her identity as a trans woman has shaped her music but doesn’t define her.
The 26-year-old talks about her idols (Kylie, Cher, Madonna, Gwen), selling out concerts and growing up in gay bars with her ‘gay homies.’
Really great profile. Watch below.
And while we’re here, check out Kim’s latest single, “Another One,” from her upcoming album, Clarity.
|
| Photo credit: Shannon Bray |
Having come out with his earlier release, “Can’t Fight It,” the follow-up single from Rayvon Owen, “Volume,” revealed the artist in full-on authentic mode.
Owen says the process of writing “Volume” was healing for him as it became an anthem of self-encouragement and reminded him “to stay true to who I was.”
Owen told OUT at the time:
“Like most everyone, I have experienced many highs and lows this past year.
“While I feel I have come a long way, I still sometimes fall short and don’t always believe in myself in the way I should. Coming out and accepting myself for who I am was one of the most liberating and life-changing experiences for me. While my confidence has grown, I am still human and am still learning to love the person I am — flaws and all — more and more every day.”
Growing up in the conservative South, the top-four American Idol finalist found it difficult to do just that when the time came to come out.
“I was so afraid, being from the South and being black and coming from a more conservative area and growing up in an environment that is not very conducive to being gay or even questioning your sexuality,” says Owen.
Nevertheless, the outpouring of support from his fans was overwhelming – “I would get a message from someone who would say this helped me come out to my parents, or saved me from taking my life. And it’s just like- ok, this is worth it.”
In addition to making beautiful music, Owen also spends time working with LGBT organisations like The Trevor Project, Human Rights Campaign and POINT Foundation.
With his silky smooth, effortless vocals paired with a penchant for raw emotion, he’s definitely someone to keep your eye (and ear) on. I’m sent new music every day and “Volume” is one of the first in a long time I hit repeat several times on first listen.
Check out “Volume” below, and you can find more of Rayvon’s music on SoundCloud.
|
| Boy George protege, Jamie Hannah |
Since 2017, Jamie Hannah has been working with Benny D, an award winning producer who has worked with artists including Stormzy and Kylie Minogue, to produce his debut E.P which will be released this year.
Brought into the project by Benny D, Boy George has been consistently impressed with Jamie Hannah’s voice, even going as far as saying that he’s never heard a voice like his.
The first single, “Sound of My Youth,” showcases his unforgettably smooth tone as the lyrics share the story of a past relationship that you just can’t seem to forget about, and the memories that continue to haunt you.
Jamie Hannah’s pure and emotive voice perfectly encapsulates the nostalgia and melancholy of the song while the lyrics document the singer’s feelings of ‘drowning’ and loss in a truly emotional way.
Hannah’s classical training at the Royal College of Music is self-evident on the track demonstrating real complexity and sophistication.
The track begins simply with a collection of dreamy, laidback synths before it’s quickly kicked up a notch by the addition of a weighty and pulsating drum beat and Hannah’s commanding vocals.
The track recently hit Top 5 on Music Week’s Commercial Pop chart.
Check it out below, and find more about Hannah on his Instagram here.
|
| Eli Lieb (L) and bf Tyler (image via Instagram) |
Randy Report favorite Eli Lieb is happy in love, and he’s sharing the receipts in his new music video, “I Want It All.” The bouncy, buoyant summer bop is a paean to his year-old relationship with boyfriend, James Tyler Malone.
You got me in love Like a kid in a candy store running round I want it all And it’s never it’s never it’s never it’s never enough I want it all want it all And I waited I waited I waited I waited for your love And it’s never it’s never it’s never it’s never enough I want it all want it all
The music video utilizes video Lieb shot while he joined Malone on a cruise ship where the bf worked as a dancer. Rather than do the long-distance thing, Lieb packed up and joined Malone for months on the ship traveling to Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico. Lieb told Billboard that he wanted the song to be a upbeat tribute to the “very unconventional” beginning of his relationship, as well as a positive snapshot of queer love. “During Pride Month, I wanted to put something out that showed a real-life relationship blossoming, rather than just a scripted one,” he says. “I’m hoping the viewers will really be able to get a sense of that excitement and celebration of finding newfound love, in a real and palpable way.” Check out the music video below. The song is available now on all digital download sites.
Back in March, Lieb wished Malone a happy birthday writing, in part, “I waited so many years for you and now that we finally found each other, I am so grateful we never have to go without.” So, sweet. https://www.instagram.com/p/BvrY1w6JKoq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link And in November, the boys got matching tattoos to celebrate their relationship. I have to say, it’s nice to report some happiness in the world. https://www.instagram.com/p/BqVdq7NBskE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In 2015, Adam Lambert described his music video for “Ghost Town” as ‘Coachella gone goth.’
Directed by Hype Williams, the visuals are stark in tone and content, but high on style and vocal intensity.
“I really wanted to first communicate the lyrics directly to the viewer, but then I also wanted to kind of highlight a scene of people,” Lambert told Entertainment Tonight.
“A lot of the people that we hired for the video are friends of mine. It was really fun on set. It was kind of a party, which made it a very relaxed shoot – I’ve never shot a video like that before, that felt like a house party.”
Lambert was recently asked by Variety how things had changed in the music industry since his run on American Idol ten years ago introduced him to an international audience, and whether he still experiences homophobia in the music industry.
It’s a totally different landscape. There is much more visibility so it doesn’t feel like a foreign or scary concept. When I first came on the scene almost everybody that I encountered in the music business was very supportive of me personally, but they were all a bit nervous about how it could work publicly. Now it’s been proven that there is a market and an audience. It’s allowing a lot more diversity to be pushed through.
It’s gotten better but I can’t make a blanket statement that it doesn’t happen anymore. There are always going to be shades of homophobia — sometimes internalized homophobia that I’ve encountered from other gay people in the industry. They might feel that [I am] ‘too gay.’
|
| Freddie Mercury |
After four decades, a previously unreleased version of the song “Time,” recorded by Freddie Mercury for the concept album of the stage musical of the same name, has been released by songwriter & producer Dave Clark.
According to USA Today, Clark had asked the Queen frontman to record the track for a concept album for the sci-fi rock musical.
Due to the success of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s pre-production albums for Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, the practice of asking popular recording artists to cover songs from an upcoming stage musical became a popular marketing tool for new shows.
The concept album for Time featured big name artists of the day including Mercury, Julian Lennon, Murray Head, Dionne Warwick, Leo Sayer, and Ashford & Simpson.
I actually saw the musical in London’s West End in 1987.
As I recall the story was about a rock star (originally UK pop star Cliff Richard, later replaced by David Cassidy) and his band mates being transported across the universe where they had to defend planet Earth from destruction before a galactic tribunal featuring a projected floating head (a recorded Laurence Olivier).
Relying greatly on massive sets and special effects, the show ran for two years.
Mercury’s recording of “Time” featured bombastic orchestrations and what sounds like a choir of backup singers. But before the session with Mercury was done, Clark asked the rock star to record a bare-bones, piano accompaniment version of the song.
Clark tells USA Today that hearing Mercury sing the stripped-down version in London’s Abbey Road studios gave him “goosebumps.”
“It (became) a mega-production, which I was happy with and Freddie loved,” says Clark. “But I didn’t think about what we had originally done until a decade or so later, when I thought, ‘I’ve never felt that sort of goosebumps feeling that I got on that original run-through at Abbey Road with just Freddie and piano.'”
After finding the original recording in the spring of 2018, Clark asked the original session pianist, Mike Moran, to record an updated piano accompaniment to pair with the song.
The music video above was created using video footage shot at London’s Dominion Theatre in 1986.
The acoustic version is a compelling showcase for Mercury’s iconic vocals. And lyrics like “Time waits for no one” seem to resonate even more when considering Mercury’s early passing in 1991.
In this 1986 interview, Clark and Mercury discuss the evolution of the recording:
Chippendales ‘take a Tebow’
Asked by @AprilDRyan whether he has reconsidered his rash demand for the death penalty for the five teens who had since been exonerated of all charges in the 1989 Central Park jogger case, President Trump sided with Linda Fairstein and fellow denialists. pic.twitter.com/tXYGsRGeWU— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) June 18, 2019
• A new study by Pew Research shows bisexual adults are less likely to come out to important people in their lives than gays or lesbians. • In the middle of Pride month, the U.S. Senate confirmed another anti-LGBTI Trump judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, to a lifetime appointment to the federal bench in the Northern District of Texas with a 52-46 vote. • In a 243-183 vote, the Democratic-controlled House passed an amendment to the $1 trillion Defense spending bill that prohibits Donald Trump’s transgender military ban from being funded. • Check out the new music video from Lucy & La Mer, “Blue Dress,” about discovering one’s bisexuality and the “lightbulb” crush that begins bisexual exploration. I liked the quirky, folky, fun aesthetic. “I wrote the song right after a first date — last year, actually — just reflecting on that initial lightbulb experience about being curious and attracted to another gender than you thought you were,” Lucy told Billboard. “I wanted it to be something that was positive and energetic, not so serious or tortured or anything like that.”
In November of 2016, hunky country singer Ty Herndon released his album House on Fire marking his first album release since coming out as a gay man in 2014. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Herndon said, “This album was a new education for me for my future, investing in my life as a songwriter and a producer and getting outside of my comfort zone. And lord knows I got outside of my comfort zone when I came out, but I came outside of my comfort zone to move into a life of pure authenticity. That was most important to me.” The “What Mattered Most” singer’s first music video from the new album was the musical romp, “That Kind of Night.” Check it out below.
Back in 2016, out singer/songwriter took a look at the Dusty Springfield classic, “Son of a Preacher Man,” as part of his ‘Music Videos That Tell Our Stories’ series.
As we celebrate Pride Month, it’s interesting to see how out artists find our stories in classic songs.
In exploring the tune, Tom found a new, deeply personal context for the 1968 hit.
Tom explains:
“Ultimately, we wanted to show two boys falling in love. We worked hard to show young love authentically, as innocent and pure as it truly is. When two gay kids fall in love, it’s often unknown by the participants themselves. They are in love, they know they want to be around each other, and they know they are attracted to each other, but they don’t know how to put a label on it. All the messaging tells the kids that homosexuality is wrong, and is something to be hated, so they don’t perceive that label to apply to themselves. That’s what happens in this story.
“These two boys fall in love and they don’t really know it until they kiss. That moment of realization also happens to be the preacher’s moment of realization. His suspicions are confirmed, his son is gay, and the fallout is swift.
“We show the turmoil that families have as a result of this judgmental Christian messaging and how it goes beyond the church, following them home and into all aspects of their life. Coming to the realization of who you are and who you love in the context of that hate speech can be so demoralizing, to the point that you could consider taking your own life.”
|
| (Petr Hollesch) |
Some news items you might have missed:
• My family came from then-Czechoslovakia, but clearly I didn’t swim in the same gene pool as Czech InstaHunk Petr Hollesch (above). #dang #eyes #body
• Tales of the City author Armistead Maupin shares with The Guardian that being gay “liberated” him from “all sorts of shit,” and “sped up the process of wisdom.” He also reveals he is estranged from his Trump-supporting brother.
• Researchers at the University of New Mexico are testing a vaccine they believe could prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
• Ecuador’s high court has legalized same-sex marriage for the South American country.
#URGENTE ▶ La Corte Constitucional aprobó el matrimonio igualitario en Ecuador pic.twitter.com/wlm7OxN5y6
— Diario Expreso (@Expresoec) June 12, 2019
• Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) slammed the Trump administration’s ban on transgender military service members at a Department of Defense Pride event today calling the policy “heartless as it is dangerous.”
• Christian hate preachers are planning an anti-LGBTQ conference in Orlando, Florida, during the city’s Pride celebration.
• Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris says she would pursue obstruction of justice charges against Donald Trump if she were elected.
• Sultry out singer/songwriter Gia Woods dropped her latest single, “Feel It,” recently and even as I type this I’m bouncing in my chair.
Sexy, seductive vocals slink over an irresistible electro-pop mid-tempo groove. “You can dance to it, but it’s not aggressive.,” says Woods. “It’s sensual and fun — just like the beginning of a heavy crush.”