Tag: out musicians

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News Round-Up: April 26, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Paleontologist Francesc Gascó (above) redefines the old saying, “Walk tall and carry a big… hammer?” Ok, I’m not complaining… 🙂

• Out Olympic bronze medalist Adam Rippon not only attended the TIME 100 Gala in New York City as one of the news magazine’s “100 Most Influential of 2018” but he got to sniff country music star Keith Urban along the way.

• Hottie Simon Dunn trolled anti-LGBT Australian rugby player Israel Follau for saying gays will go to hell by kissing his bf after his own rugby match and then retweeting the pic to Follau. Follau has doubled-down in his hateful comments saying he’d rather end his career than take back what he said.

• Diver Tom Daley, married to Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black, says girls can still turn his head.

• A NYC subway rider found DWTS and ANTM champ Nyle DiMarco so hot she took creeper pics of him. She didn’t know he did the same 🙂

• Parker Matthews dropped his new music video for “Hit and Run” recently. In writing about the video, Pop Dust gushed, “Matthews’ confidence in his sexuality glows onscreen.”

I interviewed the talented popster back in February. You can catch my chat with him here and check out the video below.

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Out Music: Calum Scott “What I Miss Most”

U.K. singer and songwriter Calum Scott releases his new track, “What I Miss Most” today.

The track is from the breakout British artist’s debut album, Only Human, due out March 9.

According to press materials, the song unfolds as a triumphant homage to Calum’s hometown of Kingston upon Hull, located in Northern England.

Lyrically, the song dismisses the trappings of “steel and stones,” and the earthbound vessels of “skin and bone.” Instead, Scott’s memories are planted in adventures “under the sun, up on the waves, under three climbs” that took him away.

Sonically, the track takes full advantage of Scott’s obvious gifts trading off bare, sparse moments of exposed emotion to surging like an incoming tide as if to wash the scene clean.

The lead single for the album, “You Are The Reason,” has already surpassed 100 million streams worldwide while views of the official video topped 20 million in the first two weeks and are fast approaching 60 million.

Recorded with a dream team of producers whose resumes include projects with Adele, Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, Only Human showcases Calum’s soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics.

Many of the tracks showcase Scott’s delicate approach to unrequited longing like the aching piano ballad, “Hotel Room.”

Or the deeply personal “Only You” celebrates a friend who helped the him during times when he was bullied and isolated from other kids during childhood.

“To me, Only Human means being okay with how you feel,” says Scott. “My hope is that these songs encourage people to embrace who they are, so that there’s a little less fear in the world and a lot more love.”

Watch Calum perform “What I Miss Most” below and check out more from the upcoming album Only Human by clicking here.

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Out Music: Chase Sansing “Begins With You”

Chase Sansing

Rising young country artist Chase Sansing has released the music video to accompany his single “Begins with You.” 

The Mississippi native shot the video at various locations throughout Nashville and incorporates footage from gay pride festivals in Louisville, Chicago, Murfreesboro and Nashville.

“I wrote this song two and a half years ago after coming out,” mentions Sansing. “After coming out, I felt like I could finally sing the songs I really wanted to sing. I grew up struggling with balancing being a country singer and also being gay because I knew the two didn’t mix that well.”

Sansing follows in the footsteps of fellow out country singers Patrick Masse, Drake Jensen, Chely Wright, Billy Gilman and Ty Herndon, who each faced their own challenges as they chose to pursue their musical passions while living their authentic lives.

Over the years I’ve interviewed several out musicians who have all mentioned the struggles of coping with the country music industry which not been as accepting of LGBT as the rest of the music world.

Sansing, now 24, wrote “Begins with You” a few days after coming out, and recorded it at Prime Cut Studio in Nashville. “I began traveling to pride festivals to interview and film people who struggled just like me. It took me two years to finish the project because I wanted to do it right.”

Not only do the shots of folks celebrating pride resonate, Sansing includes terrific scenes of giraffe shot as the Nashville Zoo. Who doesn’t love giraffe???

“This song is basically my new start to being the singer I’ve always wanted to be because country music is about singing the truth and if I’m not singing the truth and what I’m truly feeling then I’m not singing country music.

“I wrote this song specifically to reach out to kids that are like me and are growing up in a small town thinking they are different and that there’s something wrong with them and that it’s a bad thing. I hope this song shows them that it’s not and they are perfect the way they are.”

Sansing offers an additional word of encouragement: “The most important thing I’d say about this song is that I hope it reaches a kid who feels like I did when I was keeping my secret from everyone. I hope it tells them that it’s okay.”

For more info, head over to ChaseSansingMusic.com.

And check out the music video for “Begins With You” below.

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Fischerspooner’s New Music Video “Butterscotch Goddam” From New Album SIR

Queer pop duo Fischerspooner releases their first album in nearly a decade, Sir, today via Ultra Records.

Entirely produced by REM’s lead singer Michael Stipe, the artists say the project presents “a resistant narrative with an overtly queer and celebratory body of work in response to the current atmosphere in America.”

Reviewing the new album, OUT gushes:

The end result is not only the most compelling full-length the group has committed to tape, but a record with overwhelming immediacy. Sir courses with the excitement of a first foray into cruising and spins tales of lust lost and found under the spell of the dance floor, told through songs made precisely for said dance floor. It is a true rarity—even in today’s crowded musical landscape—to find an album that so wholeheartedly celebrates the complexities of the gay male experience—in particular, sex—from one extreme to the other.

In addition to the new album, Fischerspooner releases the gorgeous and evocative music video today for “Butterscotch Goddam,” which was directed by Carlo Van de Roer.

Watch the video below and check out the new album here.

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Podcast: Bermuda Repeals Marriage Equality; Out US Olympians Celebrate Opening Ceremonies; Sir Ian McKellen Remarks On Kevin Spacey’s Late-Life Coming Out

In this week’s podcast:

• Bermuda becomes the first country in the world to repeal marriage equality

• The 2018 Winter Olympics open as the U.S. celebrates our first two out male athletes to compete at a Winter Games

• Sir Ian McKellen finds Kevin Spacey late-life coming out “distasteful”

• Plus, out singers Matt Zarley & Jeb Havens cover Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband”

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Music Video: Matt Zarley & Jeb Havens “Dear Future Husband”

Check out the sassy new music video from out singers Matt Zarley & Jeb Havens (both favorites here on The Randy Report) as they share their take on Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband.” Dig the awesome arrangement and tight harmonies. Totally fun. The duo recently debuted their new show “Works of Heart” in Puerto Vallarta and Los Angeles and plan to tour later this year. p.s. Jeb will be singing “now and forever husband” as he married his longtime bf, Steven, yesterday in Los Angeles. Congratulations to happy couple!

 

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Podcast: Parker Matthews Releases His New Single, “Hit And Run”

On today’s episode of The Randy Report podcast I’m chatting with Parker Matthews who releases his new single, “Hit and Run” today.

A little background on Parker:

He was touched by the power of music at a very early age when he saw Whitney Houston sing “I Will Always Love You” on the 1994 Grammy Awards. #GoodTaste

From focusing on creativity and music in school to staying up nights writing songs, he knew music would be a driving force in his life.

He also found solace in his music as his younger years were impacted by bullying and depression. Instead of letting the bullies win, he pulled himself up and became the artist he is today. He also uses those dark times as an inspiration to advocate for LGBTQ youth by supporting The National Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

With musical inspirations that include Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, Adele, Jennifer Hudson and Jessie J, Parker says his music is about the message of human connection.

And speaking of connections, he was one of Music Connection Magazine’s 2017’S Hot 100 Live Unsigned Artists & Bands.

Let’s first take a listen to his new single, “Hit and Run” and then chat with Parker Matthews.

“Hit and Run” is now available on iTunes and all digital download sites.

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Tease: Matt Zarley Covers “I Don’t Want To Love Somebody Else”

Award-winning out singer/songwriter Matt Zarley teases his upcoming cover of the hit song, “I Don’t Want To Love Somebody Else,” by A Great Big World.

I’m a fan of the original, but Zarley’s vocals are so warm and spot-on here.

I like.

Click the center of the image below to play.

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Out Music: Calum Scott “You Are The Reason”

Out singer Calum Scott, of Britain’s Got Talent fame, just shared the official music video for his single “You Are The Reason” and it’s definitely reason to swoon.

The romantic ballad begins quiet and intimate, but artfully builds to a soaring anthem of love.

The video highlights sensitive expressions of love of all kinds – straight, gay, romantic, parental…

It’s a worthy follow-up to Scott’s gorgeous cover of Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own.”

“You Are The Reason” will be included on Scott’s upcoming debut album, Only Human.

Watch the video below.

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Podcast: The Best Of LGBT Film, Music, TV & Pop Culture In 2017

This podcast is a big one as I celebrate the best 2017 had to offer regarding:

Best LGBT films:
• Call Me By Your Name
• God’s Own Country
• Beach Rats
• Dream Boat
• Tom of Finland
• BPM
• In A Heartbeat
• No Place Like Home

Best music from out artists:
• Wrabel – “The Village”
• Halsey – “Strangers”
• Eli Lieb – “Next To You”
• JoLivi – “Love Who You Wanna Love”
• Rayvon Owen – “Volume”
• Trey Pearson – “Love Is Love”
• Billy Porter – “Edelweiss”

• Best in LGBT Pop Culture – including the return of “Will & Grace,” “Star Trek’s” first same-sex kiss, the Disney Channel’s first gay storyline, RuPaul’s second Emmy win and the historic win at the Academy Awards by “Moonlight”

Plus – good news LGBT headlines in the U.S. and around the world

This is a fun show to look back and feel good about the best 2017 had to offer the LGBT community.

Hit play.