Tag: out musicians

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Out Music: Tyler Glenn “Midnight”

Tyler Glenn, frontman for multi-platinum band Neon Trees, premiered the music video for the new track, “Midnight” this week.

GOD
I COULD NEVER BE LIKE YOU
I CANT CHANGE
I CANT CHANGE
AND I DONT WANT TO
IVE BEEN ON THE RUN
SO IM NOT COMING SUNDAY ITS ALRIGHT
I’LL PROBABLY TALK TO YOU AT MIDNIGHT

Raised as a Mormon, Glenn came out as gay in a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone and remained steadfast in his faith until last fall, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) announced a new policy identifying those in a same-sex marriage as apostates and prohibiting their children from being blessed or baptized. The announcement threw Glenn into a tailspin. A tailspin which wrought his new album, Excommunication.

The critics rave:

Billboard: “I don’t think there’s ever been an album like this.”

Rage: “It’s like listening to the seven stages of the grieving process: Shock/disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression and acceptance/hope. It’s all there, inviting us to take what we need from it and move forward, just as he did.”

The Salt Lake City Tribune: “Glenn doesn’t just want to throw spiritual struggles in your face — he wants you to dance, too, and the soul-baring lyrics are matched with plenty of stomping ’80s-retro synths and beats that Neon Trees fans will find familiar. Ultimately, the dance floor is the church Glenn thinks everyone should belong to.”

Excommunication is available now on all digital download outlets.

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Out Music: Tyler Glenn EXCOMMUNICATION

Tyler Glenn

Tyler Glenn, lead vocalist for Neon Trees, drops his debut solo album EXCOMMUNICATION today.

Via press release:

Known for such multi-platinum hits as “Animal” and “Everybody Talks,” the band has released three albums including 2014’s Pop Psychology (Island Records), which debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200, at No. 1 on the iTunes Alternative Album Chart and within the Top 5 of the Overall iTunes Album Chart.

The New York Times, which welcomed Glenn for this recent Popcast, noted that the “fiery solo album questions almost everything Tyler Glenn used to believe in.”

Raised as a Mormon, Glenn came out as gay in a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone and remained steadfast in his faith until last fall, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) announced a new policy identifying those in a same-sex marriage as apostates and prohibiting their children from being blessed or baptized. The announcement threw Glenn – and many others – into a tailspin.

“I don’t think there’s ever been an album like this,” marveled Billboard. Rage observed, “It’s like listening to the seven stages of the grieving process: Shock/disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression and acceptance/hope. It’s all there, inviting us to take what we need from it and move forward, just as he did.” The Salt Lake City Tribune said, “Glenn doesn’t just want to throw spiritual struggles in your face — he wants you to dance, too, and the soul-baring lyrics are matched with plenty of stomping ’80s-retro synths and beats that Neon Trees fans will find familiar. Ultimately, the dance floor is the church Glenn thinks everyone should belong to.”

Billboard praised the video for lead single “Shameless” as “provocative.” The clip, which, can be viewed HERE, was directed by Mike Harris, who also helmed the controversial video for “Trash.” Rolling Stone premiered the “Trash” video, observing, “his solo debut is as political as it is personal” and praising Glenn’s performance in the video as “incendiary.”

Speaking at length to The Advocate, Glenn described the cathartic experience of writing and creating the new album. “I feel like I’m unwiring so much guilt and shame. I think back on my 20s, and I was always feeling bad for who I was. So being shameless is important for me. I feel like the God that I came to know through religion was a loving creator that wanted me to come back to him. And now I don’t even know if it’s a ‘him.’ I don’t know what it is. And I don’t want to feel bad for existing any more.”

Check out the music video for lead single “Shameless” below.

EXCOMMUNICATION is available on all digital download sites including iTunes.

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Radio Show: Out Musician NIKO Premieres Debut Single “2 HEARTS”

Out artist NIKO premiered his new single, “2 Hearts,” last night on my BlogTalkRadio show, sharing his creative process and how his international background influenced his artistic perspective.

As electronic/synth pop continues it’s rise in popularity around the world, NIKO lands in the sweet spot with “2 HEARTS.” A smooth romantic vibe coupled with a dash of Pet Shop Boys gives the track strong legs to stand on, while sexy electronic textures and a percolating beat lends an urgency to the introspective lyrics.

“We are born with two eyes, two ears, two arms / But I’m wondering why with just one heart / Although I feel the beat, I know it’s incomplete / But looking in your eyes it can synchronize.”

You can listen to NIKO’s “2 HEARTS” on Soundcloud here.

Fusing a European sensibility with an international background, NIKO is an openly gay pop artist who brings a sensual take to Synth Pop, striving for a textural experience through clarity of sound and intensity of voice. From intimacy to escapism, fame to club culture, NIKO showcases a multifaceted persona through his own writing and production as he navigates through different thematics, inspirations and emotions.

Growing up in Milan, NIKO was naturally drawn to the city’s fashion and nightlife scene, where his earliest musical endeavors began as creative collaborations with underground DJs as a songwriter and vocalist. During a stint in London and Manchester where he co-wrote and recorded tracks with Joe Cross, producer of Hurts, he nurtured his passion for music production and decided to launch his career as a solo artist. He later set his sights on New York, which he credits for broadening his cultural perspective, inspiring greater depth in music diversity and where his debut single “2 HEARTS” was recorded.

NIKO describes the new single thusly: “2 HEARTS is a reflection on the human need to connect with ‘another half’. It’s about the moment when you let go of your fears and open yourself to love, embracing your emotions and “synchronizing” to another person’s heartbeat.”

“2 HEARTS” is available on iTunes/Apple Music & Spotify

Follow NIKO on social media here:
– Twitter
– Instagram
– Facebook

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Out Music: Well-Strung “21 Guns + Pachelbel’s Canon”

Today, Well-Strung released the music video accompanying their brand new single “21 Guns + Pachelbel’s Canon.”

Intertwining Green Day’s hit song “21 Guns” with Pachelbel’s Canon in D, the music video is meant to shine a light on the epidemic on gun violence in this nation.

With so many tragedies like Orlando and Aurora, Well-Strung wanted to convey a meaningful message through music and story that inspires hope and change, especially with the election this year and the opportunity for that change to make way.

“We came up with the idea to juxtapose 21 Guns with Canon because the Green Day song is somber but poignant and lyrical” said Cellist Daniel Shevlin. “And we thought it would be interesting to pair that with a classical piece that is typically associated with joy and happiness like at weddings” violinist Edmund Bagnell added.

The song is currently available on iTunes here.

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Out Music: Tyler Glenn “Gates”

Tyler Glenn, out frontman for multi-platinum band Neon Trees, shares the new track “Gates,” from his upcoming solo debut, EXCOMMUNICATION which is out on Oct 21st via Island Records.

The album boldly details a journey that’s deeply personal yet universal and issues a stirring call to find and fearlessly embrace one’s place in the world.

Glenn is the lead vocalist/keyboardist for Neon Trees. Known for such multi-platinum hits as “Animal” and “Everybody Talks,” the band has released three albums including 2014’s Pop Psychology (Island Records), which debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200.

Raised as a Mormon, Glenn came out as gay in a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone and remained steadfast in his faith until last fall, when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) announced a new policy identifying those in a same-sex marriage as apostates and prohibiting their children from being blessed or baptized. The announcement threw Glenn – and many others – into a tailspin.

“This album is a break up record,” says Tyler Glenn. “It’s been liberating to find a greater sense of purpose, but it’s not been without its sadness. I wanted this album to feel the way it feels to have a crisis of faith. The highs, the lows, the dark and the light – with the end result being a paradigm shift. I feel liberated and more creative than ever. I thank God for that, whoever she is.”

You can also view Glenn’s new video for Shameless here.

Available on iTunes here. Available on Amazon here.

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Out Music: Brandon Stansell “Slow Down”

Check out “Slow Down,” the new single from out singer/songwriter Brandon Stansell.

According to his official website, the song is the epicenter of his “California Country” sound with the raw emotion of those first moments in a budding relationship.

“Slow Down” was produced by Nashville-based producer, writer, and guitarist Erik Halbig. Stansell met Erik a few years ago through friend, Ty Herndon, who is featured on the track.

While his casual country sound is appealing, there is more that meets the eye with this crooner of Nashville roots. He is navigating the path of an openly-gay Country Artist. Brandon, while not the first to chart these waters, is one of few people in the industry willing to lay everything out for the listener and the result is an honest, beautiful musical experience.

I’ve previously written about Brandon’s music video “Dear John” here.

Brandon’s new EP is currently available on iTunes here.

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Music Video: Years & Years “Meteorite”

According to reports, Years & Years front man Olly Alexander wears 86,000 Swarovski crystals in the new music video for “Meteorite,” the band’s first new material in a year.

Designed by Lara Jensen, Alexander glitters in his high-end haute couture as he plays to the 360 camera work among dancers.

Speaking to NME, Alexander shared that the crystal costume was a salute to pop goddesses Britney Spears and Beyoncé. “It’s an honour to follow in the footsteps of some of my heroes and be decked out in tens of thousands of dazzling crystals!”

Btw – check out how Olly artfully handled a Twitter troll who asked, “Is it a requirement for gay men to be effeminate and dress like women?”

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Out Music: Alex Newell “Collect My Love”

Pair a charismatic singer and a pop-y dance track with a new campaign to encourage gay men to talk about HIV and you have a winning formula to help curb the spread of HIV.

Alex Newell, out singer/actor of GLEE fame, teamed up with The Knocks for his new single “Collect My Love.”

Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working with Newell to utilize the song and music video to get out the word that gay men should “Start talking. Stop HIV.”

From the CDC:

Start Talking. Stop HIV., a new phase of CDC’s Act Against AIDS initiative, seeks to reduce new HIV infections among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men* by encouraging open discussion about a range of HIV prevention strategies and related sexual health issues between sex partners. Effective partner communication about HIV can reduce HIV transmission by supporting HIV testing, HIV status disclosure, condom use, and the use of medicines to prevent and treat HIV.

The video follows several gay couples, and along the way we see that they all have different ways of stopping the spread of HIV, whether through condom use, PrEP or testing for HIV via home test kits.

Click here for more info.

There’s also a “behind the scenes” video featuring Newell chatting on different options to help prevent HIV.

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Out Music: Halsey “Ghost”

I’ve known openly bisexual Halsey’s music for some time but realized today I’ve never shared any on The Randy Report.

Her electronic indie pop reminds me of a darker, more rebellious Ellie Goudling; think Pink – but on a thoughtful, electro-pop landscape.

I figure her music video for “Ghost” (over 29 million views) is a good place to start.

Shannon Keating at Buzzfeed recently wrote about out women in music, and included Halsey in the piece:

Her music video for “Ghost”, released in June 2015, is set in a dreamy but alienating Japan, its aesthetics lifted right out of Lost in Translation. Halsey, in a short blue wig, rolls around on a bed with a woman played by model Courtney McCullough, who wears the same wig in pink. They’re captured in their underwear, in slo-mo, sometimes kissing but mostly just touching each other’s bare expanses of skin.

The woman Halsey’s paired with, played by McCullough, doesn’t quite stand alone as her own person — she functions more as Halsey’s racebent mirror. The neon-lit, futuristic Tokyo setting seems distant, touristic, even otherworldly.

You can check out her song “Castle,” from the film The Hunstman: Winter’s War here.

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Radio Show: This Week In LGBT News

Colton Haynes honored with HRC’s “Visibility Award”

Hit play below to listen in as I run down several of the week’s top LGBT news stories including:

• Terrorist threats in Florida’s gay mecca Wilton Manors

• A Las Vegas man threatened to kill gays and lesbians for Jesus

• The star of Logo’s new “Finding Prince Charming” is catching heat for his past as a male escort

• TV stars Conrad Ricamora (“How To Get Away With Murder”) and Colton Haynes (“Arrow”) were both honored with the Human Rights Campaign’s “Visibilty Awards”

• America’s Got Talent alum Jonathan Allen releases his new single, “Amen”