OUTLOUD is a queer boy band formed in NYC that just released their debut single “What’s Not Clicking.” Comprised of four members, the boys are focused on creating music that is bold yet cheeky while also breaking down barriers in the music industry.
WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO GET INTO MUSIC?
Our friendship & the bond that we have has always been at the heart of our music. We lived together in London while studying there for a bit in college and quickly became best friends. During that time, we realized our mutual passion for music and the individual talents that each of us possesses could be put to good use in forming a boy band. As far as inspiration from other artists, groups like Village People & Queen have always been huge role models for us. And we can’t forget Little Mix, whose music was inescapable in the gay club scene in London. The energy they brought to a crowd is something we aspire to provide with our music.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE OF MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE? HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHILOSOPHY AND STYLE AS AN ARTIST?
Our style of music and performance is most easily described as GayPop, with a nod to the legendary disco scene of past generations. Our philosophy as artists is to just remain as authentically queer as possible. We are out and loud about who we are and will remain so throughout our musical career.
Forming this group coincided with the fact that when we were growing up, all we wanted to see was a gay boy band and proper queer representation in music. There’s a spot in the industry that has yet to be filled, and we hope we can do our part to open up doors for others.
WHAT DRIVES YOU TO CREATE, AND HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS FOR YOURSELF IN MUSIC?
Our drive to create comes from the thrilling opportunity that we could build an environment for queer people to be unapologetically themselves. We hope that with our growth we can design platforms for other queer artists to be heard and appreciated.
Success to us is all of the love we have received. Nothing compares to the messages from people all over the world telling us how much our music means to them, and even just hearing those words from our friends and family. We make music in hopes that people will feel something, so it’s truly heartwarming to hear from queer fans how much the group means to them.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, AND DO YOU WISH YOU HAD DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY?
We are still relatively new to the industry and so far we’ve been going with the flow and just watching our music grow! There is nothing we would change at the moment because we are huge believers that everything happens for a reason.
HAVE YOU EVER WRITTEN A SONG THAT NO ONE ELSE BELIEVED IN? HOW DID YOU DEAL WITH THAT?
I think that our whole EP is a great representation of music that people might not believe in. We want to cover topics about queer love, sex, and self-expression. Although that might scare some people, it also provides the representation that was lacking from our upbringing. Knowing this kind of fuels our energy to be more raw and honest.
HOW CAN INDIVIDUALS HELP THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY SUCCEED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, OR WHAT CAN THE INDUSTRY DO TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LGBTQIA+ INDIVIDUALS?
It’s really important that LGBTQIA+ individuals just support each other and their art! If you see another person in the community and you love their work, share it with your friends and tell them how much you love it! In order to create a more inclusive environment in this industry, it begins with love and in this industry, we all share the same passion for the arts.
We do believe that the industry could do better supporting trans people of color and it starts with the industry showing genuine care. There are so many talented artists out there like Shea Diamond and Peppermint whom we don’t hear out enough!
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR UP-AND-COMING LGBTQIA+ ARTISTS?
Individuality is your greatest asset.
WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU? ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS OR PLANS FOR 2021?
Our debut single What’s Not Clicking is available on all streaming services and we are dropping our new song, Convenient, on June 25th! Our EP is fully recorded so more music will be coming soon.
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