Tag: out musicians

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Out Music: NIKO Drops Modern, Sexy “Light My Fire”

Out singer/songwriter NIKO shares his latest single, an intriguing take on the iconic “Light My Fire.”
NIKO drops new take on the classic hit, “Light My Fire)

Out singer/songwriter NIKO shares his latest single, an intriguing take on the iconic hit, “Light My Fire.” Originally released by The Doors in 1967, José Feliciano found his own groove with the tune in 1968. “‘Light My Fire‘ is one of my all-time favorite songs,” says NIKO about the classic song. “I wanted to reinterpret it in a modern way, but still be true to the romantic essence of the song, that talks about a deep connection between two people.” Melding a synth-pop sensibility with rich acoustic elements, NIKO brings his muscular vocal powers to bear as the track builds to climax. Billboard Pride contributor Jon ALi raves about the track comparing NIKO’s vocals (“a romantic and sensual vocal delivery”) to a young George Michael. I last featured the Milan-born artist back in October when he released “The One,” which also explored the intensity and exhilaration of sexual attraction. Fusing a European sensibility with a contemporary sound, the handsome Italian brings a sensual touch to pop music as he delves into both universal and personal themes. Based in New York City, NIKO is prepping for the release of his debut EP in 2019. Hit play below or check him out on Spotify here.

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Out Music: Kim Petras & Cheat Codes “Feeling Of Falling”

Kim Petras and Cheat Codes (image via Instagram)

Out singer/songwriter Kim Petras teams with electronic DJ trio Cheat Codes on her latest single, “Feeling of Falling.”

Totally danceable, the bop’s lyrics explore the fear of falling in love after a difficult breakup.

“‘Feeling of Falling’ is a song about ending up brokenhearted and trying to stay away from love to protect yourself,” Petras shared with PAPER. “I’m the biggest emo, so I really connected to this song. Cheat Codes are amazing, and I’ve had the best time collaborating on this one.”

And Cheat Codes recently told Billboard, “The feeling of falling in love is great but it’s hard not to think about or compare it to past experiences of heartbreak. It puts you in a really vulnerable place. It can be the best thing but also the worst.”

I like.

Take a listen below.

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News Round-Up: November 28, 2018

• Cher showed up at her own Broadway show – The Cher Show – last night, and the crowd lost its mind. • Openly gay super-producer Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story, Pose, GLEE, Assassination of Gianna Versace) is getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. • This far-right pundit says women become lesbians because they’re too ugly to love. By that logic, he must be a screaming queen. • Judy Sheindlin, more famous as TV’s Judge Judy, made an astounding $147 million last year before taxes making Sheindlin the world’s highest-paid television host. The lion share of that was for selling the rights to her 5,200-episode library, as well as future episodes of the show, to CBS for an estimated $100 million. • A man was brutally beaten, robbed & humiliated during an Instagram hook-up. • A gay Virginia firefighter got married in 2014 and suddenly became the ridicule of not only fellow firefighters but his superiors. He was eventually filed for early retirement after being told he would be fired if he didn’t resign. He’s now suing for lost wages and benefits. • Check out Upsahl’s new music video, “The Other Team,” about unrequited feelings and crushing on people that don’t like you back. The lyrics focus on those folks who are swinging for somebody else’s ‘other team,’ so there’s lots of missed connections between characters throughout the video. Definitely has some ‘Breakfast Club’ vibes, so it really takes you back to high school and the whirlwind of emotions that go with it

 

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Music Video: Christopher Sorensen “Afterglow”

The new music video from Christopher Sorensen, “Afterglow,” explores the dynamic between an 18-year-old teen and an older man who connect through a gay dating app. The video chronicles the first meeting of the pair at the older man’s home, complete with cocktails and a swim in his pool. Things do go the way of romance and there are follow-up encounters.

But when one night goes late, there are fireworks at home after what looks like a missed curfew. As his parents argue, the young man erupts in anger and goes looking for his older paramour, only to find a surprise. Sorensen’s reps told Towleroad that the storyline is “very personal to Christopher.” “His goal is to create a safe space for young gay men to talk about any experience where they have felt taken advantage of,” the statement continued. “Afterglow” is the first time Sorensen has included his own LGBT identity in his music. His 2015 music video, “Balloon,” addressed bullying. Any readers have a similar experience with dating apps? Let us know in the comments. Watch the video below.

(h/t Towleroad)

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Out Music: Ria Mae Feat. Frank Kadillac “Hold Me”

Queer artist Ria Mae recently released the video for her single, “Hold Me,” featuring Frank Kadillac.
Ria Mae debuts new music video “Hold Me”

Queer artist Ria Mae recently released the video for her single, “Hold Me,” featuring Frank Kadillac.

The music video follows Mae and Kadillac as they wander the evening streets of a colorful city.

The lyrics underscore the irony that while social media has fooled us into thinking we are more connected, the truth is we are becoming quite the opposite.

“People [will say things online] they’d never say in person,” Mae recently told OUT. “If you’re in the same room as someone, those words are not even gonna come out.”

Navigating their way through the complicated, often-deafening social landscape of adulthood, they wistfully remember back the pure, simpler ease of childhood.

I’ve been blinded by headlights
Wanna move, wanna move but I’m paralyzed
Heaven help us I’m helpless
I’m just tryna keep my head up high
I remember in the 10th grade
We used to hit snooze and lie and we weren’t even trying
These days the sirens they cut through the silence
Can we turn down the violence?

“The song started as a conversation between Frank, myself and Lowell,” says Mae of the evolution of the song. “We were sharing how lately we felt unsure of how to engage online and remain positive in the current social climate.”

“We were talking about how easy life used to feel when we were young and how anxious a lot of our peers seem to be right now,” she added. “I wanted the visuals to represent a deep long for peace from this deafening social landscape.”

Ria was nominated for “Pop Album of the Year” at the 2018 JUNO awards for her last EP.

In 2016, Ria also earned a JUNO nomination for “Single of the Year” for her platinum-selling hit “Clothes Off” that has over 13-million streams worldwide.

Check out “Hold Me” below.

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Out Music: Joey Suarez “Dancing By Myself”

Joey Suarez hits Top 5 in UK Club Chart

EDM/Pop musician Joey Suarez recently hit #5 on the UK Upfront Club Chart with a remix of his club favorite, “Dancing By Myself.”

The song, remixed by chart-topping UK-based HausUnited, puts him in the same chart neighborhood as superstars Calvin Harris and Sam Smith.

Suarez says the song is about “the feeling of being alone at a club, content with the idea that you are now alone.”

“The song grows and changes a lot like our emotions do when we are heart broken,” he explains. “With that said, I hope this song finds those who feel alone and are trying to dance away their troubles.”

The young musician has never worried about dancing to his own beat and being who he is.

A survivor of sexual abuse by his grandfather at a young age, Suarez spent years diving into his music as he hid that secret.

“Music is responsible for saving my life,” shared the handsome artist in an interview with I’m From Driftwood.

As music and performing became more and more important in his life, he decided he was done with exiling a part of himself.

Most musicians choose to hide their sexuality at the beginning of their career for fear of rejection, but Suarez consciously decided to flaunt it.

“I was about 14 when I decided secrets weren’t worth it,” he says. “From then on, I vowed never to lie and never to hide who I was from anyone and most of all myself.”


Fans might be surprised to learn the artist who is now climbing the EDM/dance charts spent over 10+ years studying classical vocal training. But the strict, regimented approach to classical music wasn’t going to work for an artist who needed to fully express himself.

Suarez says he was “so sick of getting criticized in choirs for being ‘too loud’ or ‘not blending’” that he shifted his focus to other kinds of music and artist outlets.

“Suddenly, all the constrictions and criticisms went out the window and I could freely explore my inner urges and talents,” he says.

His first two singles, “High in the Sky” and “Love Me Back” have garnered nearly 130,000 streams collectively on Spotify. A feat not easy for an independent LGBT musician.

He is currently in the studio writing and recording more songs for an upcoming project.

Check out Suarez’s “Dancing By Myself” then head over to his official website here for more info.

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Out Music: NIKO “The One”

Milan-born artist NIKO releases his latest track “The One”

Handsome out artist NIKO drops his latest single, a romantic mid-tempo synth-pop track titled, “The One.”

Fusing a European sensibility with a contemporary sound, NIKO brings a sensual touch to pop music as he explores both universal and personal themes, inspirations and emotions.

NIKO describes the new track as “a romantic, upbeat song inspired by the first moments with someone you’re attracted to.”

Written and recorded on a hot summer afternoon in Los Angeles, NIKO says the song touches on “the frustration of modern dating, and the exhilarating feeling of sexual attraction when meeting someone new.”

Born and raised in Milan, NIKO was naturally drawn to the city’s fashion and nightlife scene at an early age, where his earliest musical endeavors began as creative collaborations with underground DJs as a songwriter and vocalist.

During a stint in London and Manchester, he co-wrote and recorded tracks with several producers, nurtured his passion for music production, and decided to launch his career as a solo artist.

Now based in New York City, NIKO is prepping for the release of his debut EP in 2019.

I previously featured the sexy Italian on The Randy Report when he released his track “2 Hearts.”

“The One“ is currently available on Spotify here. Hit the play button below.

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Country Hunk Ty Herndon Covers Whitney Classic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”

After spending the past few months criss-crossing the country performing at various Pride events, out country music artist Ty Herndon recently hit the recording studio with DJ Little Steve to cut four songs for his dance floor fans.

“I have truly had the time of my life playing Pride festivals across America,” says the hunky country singer. “But, as much as the fans love country music, I noticed that I needed to bump up the party factor a bit.”

Herndon plans on releasing one track each week for the next four weeks beginning with his cover of the Whitney Houston classic, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”

In addition to “Dance,” Herndon recorded to new versions of his own songs (“Living in a Moment,” “That Kind of Night”) as well as the Marc Cohn hit, “Walking in Memphis,” which became a big hit for Cher.

Herndon debuted the dance remixes this past summer at Market Days in Chicago.

It is interesting to note that Herndon says he was inspired by his Pride performances to record the remixes, but in listening to his cover of “Dance,” the openly gay artist omits the lyric “I need a man who’ll take a chance, On a love that burns hot enough to last.”

Instead, he chose to repeat an earlier gender-neutral lyric. Hmm…

Since coming out in 2014, the “What Mattered Most” singer has been a loud and proud advocate for the LGBT community partnering with several organizations, most notably GLAAD.

His annual Cancer for Love and Acceptance fundraiser for GLAAD features out musicians as well as LGBT allies. This year’s concert, hosted by Herndon and out CMT host Cody Alan, featured performances by Ty, country music icons Tanya Tucker and Vince Gill as well as out UK sensation Calum Scott and Michael Ray.

Check out Ty’s cover of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” below.

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News Round-Up: October 17, 2018

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof
Léo Stronda

Some news items you might have missed:

• Rapper and bodybuilder Léo Stronda, 26-years-old from Brazil (above), is my new InstaHunk find! #woof

• Arkansas (of all places) is issuing gender-neutral IDs to non-binary citizens

• Lawmakers in Thailand are working on legislation that would give same-sex couples legal recognition via civil unions. Passage of the new law would make Thailand the first country in Asia to recognize gay/lesbian relationships.

• Jennifer Saunders of Absolutely Fabulous fame hints at an AbFab reunion saying she “might be writing a little something.”

• A new report from Essex University seems to say that if your ring finger is longer than your index finger, it could indicate you’re gay. Not sure I believe that…

• Non-binary singer/songwriter Grayson has released their new single, “Brother.” The track is a personal anthem about needing to break free from both internal and external pressures.

“‘Brother’ is about the sometimes chaotic relationship with yourself, and everyone else,” says Grayson.

Grayson is new to me, so let’s check out “Brother.”

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New Music: Jess Glynne “Thursday”

Randy Report favorite Jess Glynne recently dropped her latest single, “Thursday.”

I’ve been following the 28-year-old UK singer for years now going back to her 2014 collaboration with Clean Bandit “Rather Be,” and she never fails to hit it outta the park.

I’ve found Glynne to be consistently on her game, and she has a voice like no one else.

A few years ago, the singer came out as sexually-fluid you might say, but at the time made a point to say that while she had dated a woman before, she’s not into labels.

My kinda artist.

Listen to “Thursday” below. Glynne’s new album Always In Between is out now.