Gay Music: In the Key of Q

Summer Special 4: Rebellion, Recognition, and Representation

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0100

For decades, queer people have been told that acceptance comes with conditions - be more normal, more mainstream, more palatable. But a new generation of queer artists is rejecting these expectations entirely. This fourth and final summer special examines how queer voices are choosing authentic expression over respectability politics, even when it comes at real costs.

Featuring conversations with Brendan Maclean from Australia, whose explicit "House of Air" video became his most radical artistic statement; Warren Dumas from Atlanta, who challenges gender expectations through androgynous presentation; SADBOY from New York, who highlights the contradiction between queer influence on culture and its lack of recognition; and Matt Fishel from the UK, who faced industry pressure to hide his gay identity but chose to create the representation he never had growing up.

These artists understand that visibility itself is activism, and that real change comes from refusing to apologise for who you are.

Timestamped Takeaways

01:48 - Brendan Maclean's radical response to respectability politics: "We created the most queer, joyful, unashamed music video I think that's ever existed"

06:26 - Warren Dumas on challenging expectations: "If it makes someone wonder, or if it makes someone stop... it opens up their mind to possibilities of being"

08:15 - SADBOY on queer influence without recognition: "We influence hip hop... The world does not spin without the black gaze"

11:41 - Matt Fishel on industry pressure: "Every single one of them basically said to me... you got to cut the gay content"

13:43 - Warren Dumas on gender double standards: "When you know there are female singers... can display these acts of homosexuality, and it's art. But once a male does it..."

15:16 - Brendan Maclean on career consequences: "It also really spoke to me away from pop music at the time... I went deeply inwards, as deep inwards as I possibly could go"

20:12 - Brendan on finding his way back: "I had to get back on at a drag night... and the next week I was in Italy performing for Bulgari in a castle"

21:01 - SADBOY's mission: "I'm trying to say that it's okay to display emotion... Any type of emotion like it's okay to love and to embrace that love"

23:32 - Matt Fishel on creating representation: "I made these songs for 15 year old me... This is the album I wanted to hear at 15 years old"

Summer Special 3: Music, Meaning, and Making It Through

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Summary

This special episode brings together five queer musicians reflecting on how music shaped their identities and artistic paths. From Aruan's transformative encounter with Soft Cell on Top of the Pops in 1981 to SADBOY's mission to normalise emotional expression in Black masculinity, each artist reveals how music provided both refuge and resistance.

The conversation spans continents and generations, weaving together stories of discovery, survival, and ultimately creation. Whether it was Brendan Maclean finding salvation in high school musical theatre, Paul Andrews learning harmony from songbooks, or JSky recording tracks on a PlayStation, these artists demonstrate how queer people have always found ways to decode, create, and claim space through music.

Timestamped Takeaways

[00:01:26] Soft Cell's Tainted Love awakens queer possibility: Aruan recalls being terrified and fascinated by Marc Almond's androgynous performance in 1981
[00:02:30] Musical theatre becomes a lifeline: Brendan Maclean discovers "the brightest, shiniest version" of himself through performance
[00:05:01] Afrofuturism meets family musical heritage: SADBOY describes growing up surrounded by house, hip hop, neo soul and electronic sounds
[00:05:50] Weekly record shopping creates musical foundation: Paul Andrews' mother would sing songs to record store staff to find the right 45s
[00:12:09] Prince models gender fluidity and rebellion: Aruan finds life-saving escapism in Prince's androgynous high-heeled defiance
[00:13:43] From remixing Madonna to finding authenticity: Paul Andrews discusses working on "Ghost Town" and creating his own album
[00:15:04] PlayStation production to professional recording: JSky's DIY journey from making beats on Music 2000 to booking studio time at 14
[00:16:16] Decoding hidden queer messages in mainstream music: Brendan explains how queer audiences find Easter eggs and codes in songs
[00:20:25] Hip hop as emotional revolution: SADBOY challenges hypermasculinity in Black communities through vulnerable music
[00:21:32] The politics of pronouns in pop: Paul Andrews argues for authentic representation in lyrics to normalise queer love
[00:22:24] Gay semiotics sparks creative breakthrough: Brendan's discovery of a book in a London sex shop leads to artistic revelation
[00:23:43] Independence enables authentic expression: JSky celebrates not needing anyone's permission to create and release music

Summer Special 2: Faith, Family, Freedom

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Faith and family can be anchors in a young life — or weights that threaten to pull us under. In this summer special of In the Key of Q, I revisit remastered episodes from four remarkable queer artists: JSky (UK), Ty McKinnie (US), Blake Mundell aka Courier (US), and Wuhryn Dumas (US). Each speaks candidly about growing up queer in environments steeped in religious expectation and traditional family roles.

We hear how early love for music and community often existed alongside fear, shame, or silence, and how each of them has reclaimed their space in ways that honour both their identity and personal history. From Blake’s candid account of conversion therapy to Wuhryn’s reflections on becoming the role model he never had, these conversations challenge the idea that faith and queerness cannot coexist. Instead, they reveal the messy, human process of reconciling the two.

It’s an episode about reclaiming joy, asserting self-worth, and finding home, whether that's in a church, a studio, or simply in one’s own skin.

Timestamped Takeaways

[00:00] Setting the stage: Introduction to the summer specials and the theme of faith and family for queer people.
[00:01] Ty’s Hallelujah baby years: Early joy in church life and music, before acceptance came with conditions.
[00:02] Blake’s nightly prayers: Internalising shame from evangelical messages, leading to years of self-questioning.
[00:03] Wuhryn’s early queerness: Family members naming his queerness before he understood it himself.
[00:05] JSky’s dual worlds: Balancing football culture with the joy of church music and his Nana’s influence.
[00:09] The false choice: Blake describes feeling forced to choose between being queer or Christian.
[00:11] Unsafe at home: Ty recalls retreating from family conversations about sexuality and Proposition 8.
[00:12] Direct confrontation: JSky’s honest exchange with his religious grandmother sparks perspective change.
[00:17] Reclaiming the sacred: Blake holds space for all his past selves; Ty builds new understanding with family.
[00:21] Hugging on your own terms: Ty insists on physical affection despite discomfort.
[00:21] Becoming the representation: Wuhryn’s commitment to showing young queer Black boys that they can thrive.
[00:24] Home you build: Closing reflections on finding sacred space beyond traditional institutions.

Guest Bio

JSky – UK singer, broadcaster, and creative, known for blending music and storytelling. Instagram

Ty McKinnie – US singer-songwriter with soulful honesty and a love of storytelling. Official Site

Wuhryn Dumas – US artist creating music with fierce pride and visibility for queer Black identities. Official Site

Blake Mundell / Courier – US artist and writer exploring identity and belonging through music. Official Site

Summer Special 1: Concealment, Courage, Community

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This special episode weaves together the experiences of five queer artists who've navigated the exhausting terrain between authentic self and performed safety. From Matt Fishel's childhood joy being "bullied out" of him to Blake Mundell's voluntary enrollment in conversion therapy, these stories map the psychological geography of concealment.

Each artist reveals how constant self-monitoring becomes second nature - whether it's Ty McKinnie learning not to talk with his hands or Vincent di Geronimo facing daily violence in small-town Connecticut. Yet these aren't simply survival stories. They're testimonies to the peculiar alchemy that transforms hidden pain into visible art, showing how queer resilience isn't about overcoming but about finding unexpected pathways through.

Timestamped Takeaways

[00:01:33] Childhood transformation: Matt Fishel recalls when joy turned to vigilance at age 11
[00:02:56] Geographic isolation: Vincent di Geronimo's move from NYC to Connecticut brings immediate violence
[00:05:37] Performative masculinity: Blake Mundell maintains image through sports and "manly" activities
[00:06:44] Accidental outing: Aruan's preference for Wham! over Madness exposes him in classroom
[00:10:57] Physical withdrawal: Matt Fishel becomes recluse after serious beating in Nottingham
[00:11:57] Conversion therapy: Blake voluntarily enrolls seeking to eliminate "sinful desires"
[00:13:42] Suicide attempt: Blake's confidential letter to pastor gets weaponised by church
[00:19:06] Classroom cruelty: Vincent faces normalised homophobia in maths class
[00:20:15] Body language policing: Ty McKinnie's father forbids talking with hands
[00:21:43] Unexpected liberation: Blake finds freedom through telling friend's story
[00:24:23] Musical salvation: Aruan discovers community through Prince and Bowie
[00:26:37] Industry rejection: Matt Fishel told by labels to "cut the gay content"

Guest Bio

This special episode features five remarkable artists from the podcast's first season in 2021: UK-based Matt Fishel and Aruan, alongside US artists Vincent di Geronimo, Blake Mundell (performing as Courier), and Ty McKinnie. Each brings their unique perspective on navigating queer identity through music.

Resource List

Matt Fishel's music: mattfishel.com
Ty McKinnie's work: tymckinnie.com
Courier (Blake Mundell): therealcourier.com
Vincent di Geronimo: vincentdigeronimo.com

Remastered and extended series 1 episodes:

Eric Terino: Authenticity, Agoraphobia, and Artistic Evolution

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Summary

Eric Terino returns to share how much has shifted since his last appearance nearly two years ago. The American singer-songwriter opens up about recent breakthroughs in managing his agoraphobia, the political climate's impact on queer safety, and his evolution from punk minimalism to avant-garde folk electronica.

His latest release, Indelible Sundries, represents a bold artistic statement—a live album recorded remotely during isolating times, featuring hand-curated audience applause and single-take performances. Eric discusses the profound loss of his best friend, the healing power of authentic representation, and why he refuses to conform to stereotypical LGBTQ+ musical imagery.

Timestamped Takeaways

[00:29] Welcome Back: Eric discusses the strange experience of hearing his previous episode after a two-year delay

[04:33] Personal Evolution: How Eric has changed from his hopeful pandemic-era self to navigating current challenges

[09:15] Agoraphobia Breakthroughs: Recent progress in traveling beyond his comfort zone for the first time since the pandemic

[10:54] Political Climate Impact: How America's hostile environment toward minorities affects mental health and personal safety

[12:39] Musical Genre Evolution: The journey from minimalist punk to avant-garde folk electronica

[17:45] Grief as Creative Catalyst: Processing the loss of a lifelong friend and its impact on artistic depth

[21:02] Authentic LGBTQ+ Representation: Refusing to conform to stereotypical gay musician imagery

[23:11] Queercore Influences: Discussion of punk's inherently queer nature and the UK's 1990s Queercore movement

[26:21] Live Album Vulnerability: The courage required to create Indelible Sundries as a remote live recording

[28:01] Creative Process Innovation: How individual applause recordings and single takes created authentic live atmosphere

[34:22] Sandy Denny Cover Choice: Why "No More Sad Refrains" perfectly captured overcoming winter into spring

Guest Bio

Eric Terino is an American singer-songwriter and multimedia artist creating authentic folk electronica from his unique perspective. His latest album Indelible Sundries showcases innovative remote live recording techniques while exploring themes of resilience, authenticity, and queer representation beyond stereotypes. Visit ericterino.com.

Mickey Taylor: Resilience, Recovery and Reinvention

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Mickey Taylor returns to music after five years with raw honesty about heartbreak, family reconciliation, and finding hope through creativity. The pop-dance artist opens up about his relationship breakdown, reconnecting with his mother after she came out as lesbian, and why the queer community's ability to transform trauma into art is our superpower.

This conversation explores the therapeutic power of songwriting, the changing landscape of queer social connection, and Mickey's passionate call for better care of young people. From West End stages to chart success and back to vulnerability, Mickey's journey reminds us that sometimes we need to fall apart completely before we can rebuild ourselves stronger.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

[02:19] Musical Theatre Burnout to Pop Success: Mickey explains his transition from musical theatre to pop music, seeking creative ownership after years of singing show tunes
[04:32] Optimism Through Darkness: Discussion of Mickey's signature sound combining uplifting melodies with honest explorations of difficult subjects
[06:21] Covid Career Break: How the pandemic created space for reflection and the decision to step back from music temporarily
[07:02] Relationship Breakdown Recovery: Mickey's raw account of losing both career momentum and long-term relationship simultaneously
[08:12] Music as Therapy: The return to songwriting as personal healing, treating songs like diary entries during difficult times
[12:21] Mother-Son Reconciliation: The transformative moment when Mickey's mother came out as lesbian and they rebuilt their relationship
[17:08] Trauma into Comedy: Mickey's philosophy that tragedy plus time equals comedy, and how the queer community excels at transforming pain into art
[18:57] Queer Community Social Shift: Observation about millennials moving away from dating apps towards in-person connection
[23:55] Political Views and Travel: Mickey's perspective on how closed-minded views often correlate with limited travel and excessive wealth
[30:33] Children and Education: Passionate two-minute platform about giving young people proper care, love and real-world skills

Guest Bio

Mickey Taylor is a pop and dance artist with eight years in the music industry and four albums to his name, three of which reached the top 20 dance charts. After a five-year hiatus, he's returned with his most creative and visual project yet, drawing on his diverse background in TV, stage, and animation. Based in Manchester, Mickey combines honest vulnerability with infectious optimism, creating music that transforms personal struggles into universal connection points.

Find Mickey online: Instagram | YouTube

Links

Read deep dives into our queer lives at the blog HERE.

Check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Follow the podcast on:

See producer and presenter Dan Hall's other work HERE (subtitled version HERE).

Listen to other episodes at the homepage.

Keeana Kee: Activism, Authenticity, and Artistic Evolution

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

From the melancholy melodies of post-Soviet Latvia to commanding pride festival stages across New York, Keeana Kee's journey embodies the transformative power of living one's truth. In this deeply personal conversation, the independent pop artist and activist shares how economic hardship shaped her artistry, the dangers she's navigated as a queer woman in male-dominated industries, and why visibility remains her most powerful tool for change.

Keeana opens up about the evolution from exotic pop to cinematic ballads, the deliberate choice to make her debut single explicitly queer despite industry pressure, and how her grandmother's wartime songs still echo through her minor-key compositions. Her story is one of resilience, artistic integrity, and the belief that music can literally save lives.

Timestamped Takeaways

[02:57] Early musical memories: Singing melancholy post-Soviet war songs with grandmother in Latvia shaped Keeana's artistic DNA and preference for minor keys.

[04:22] Breaking artistic barriers: Growing up in economic hardship where arts weren't valued as career paths, until London opened new possibilities for creative freedom.

[06:01] London awakening: First pride parade and seeing visible queer community provided crucial realisation that she wasn't alone or "sick" for being gay.

[08:24] Fashion world confidence: Modelling career built performance confidence but also taught harsh lessons about comparison and fighting for spotlight in competitive industry.

[10:42] Music industry dangers: Discusses the reality of being vulnerable as woman in studios, needing protection from sexual abuse and harassment from male producers.

[15:23] Sound evolution explained: Natural progression from exotic pop to cinematic style driven by deep connection to world's pain and personal healing journey.

[21:34] Deliberately queer debut: Chose to make "Coconut Rum and Coke" explicitly lesbian despite industry warnings it would damage her career prospects.

[26:13] Fan connection impact: Receiving messages from fans whose lives were literally saved by her music brings tears and demonstrates music's healing power.

[30:20] LGBTQ Emerging Artist Award: Winning prestigious 2023 award recognised her visibility work and artistic contribution to queer community.

[32:19] Advice to younger self: Would tell 15-year-old Keeana to never lose her light despite family criticism and always believe in herself.

[35:12] Pride month message: Two-minute uninterrupted platform to speak about pride as resistance, staying visible for others, and hope for united world.

[36:58] Gateway track recommendation: "TikTok" chosen as perfect introduction because it balances clubby pop with strong message about staying true to yourself.

Guest Bio

Keeana Kee is an independent pop artist and activist whose music bridges vulnerability and strength. From Latvia to London to New York, she's transformed personal struggles into anthems of resilience. Winner of the 2023 LGBTQ Emerging Artist Award, Keeana performs at pride festivals across America whilst maintaining fierce authenticity in an industry that often demands conformity. Her latest work includes the cinematic ballad "Small Fragile Woman" and soul-stirring "Heal Me", showcasing an artist unafraid to tackle personal and global healing through music.

Resource List

Instagram: @keeanakee
Spotify: Keeana Kee
Facebook: keeanakeeofficial
Apple Music: Keeana Kee
Twitter/X: @KeeanaKee
SoundCloud: keeanakee

Mel Lennon: Authenticity, Adversity, and Artistry

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This episode of "In the Key of Q" features a heartfelt and insightful conversation with Mel Lennon, a self-taught, German-born, New York City-based Black queer artist who is making his mark as a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer.

Mel shares his journey of blending infectious pop melodies with hip-hop beats and provocative lyrics that speak authentically to queer experiences. He candidly discusses overcoming profound insecurities (themes central to his debut EP "Overthinking Out Loud"), the pain of family disownment, experiences with housing insecurity, and the continuous journey towards self-acceptance and representation.

Ultimately, Mel offers a powerful message of compassion, empathy, and the importance of challenging stigma, all while creating music that invites joy and celebration.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

[00:02:36] Mel Lennon on his musical style: He describes his music as pop, aiming for an inclusive feel that's open to everyone.
[00:03:18] The origin of his name "Mel Lennon": Mel explains how his name humorously references his identity in performance spaces and his desire to move beyond racial caricatures.
[00:04:01] On being the "only": Mel shares the experience of being the only Black person in a room and draws parallels to how queer individuals can feel "othered" in heteronormative spaces.
[00:05:15] Education on race: He discusses the problematic expectation that minorities should educate the majority about racism and systemic issues.
[00:08:22] Religion, empathy, and self-hate: Mel reflects on his religious upbringing, which instilled a sense of morality and empathy but also led to self-hatred due to homophobic teachings.
[00:09:28] Hypermasculinity in queer spaces: Mel addresses the fetishisation of Blackness and the pressure for Black queer men to conform to hypermasculine ideals, even within the LGBTQ+ community.
[00:12:32] Conviction over confidence: His drive to create music stems more from a deep-seated conviction than from confidence alone.
[00:14:09] The purpose of being an "out loud" artist: Mel aims to make others, especially those feeling isolated, know they are not alone and that it's okay to be themselves.
[00:15:51] Loneliness and trauma: He opens up about enduring loneliness.
[00:18:18] Housing insecurity: Mel shares his personal experiences with homelessness after dropping out of college and how New York's resources eventually helped him find stability.
[00:20:44] Black queer youth as "the culture": He emphasises the immense cultural influence of Black queer youth and the importance of ensuring their visibility and voices are at the forefront.
[00:25:01] Joyful music with serious messages: Inspired by artists like Missy Elliott, Mel explains his approach to embedding social commentary and serious themes within celebratory and danceable music.
[00:29:27] Mel's message to the world: He advocates for leading with compassion and empathy, stopping stigma, investing in facts, and embracing love for things that don't cause harm.
[00:31:56] Upcoming Music: Mel announces his third EP, "Think less, feel More," is anticipated for New York City Pride.
[00:32:56] Gateway Track "Freaky": Mel identifies "Freaky" as the song that best represents his sound—a hip-hop base with a fun, flirty pop exterior and lyrics exploring hypersexuality and self-acceptance.

Guest Bio

Mel Lennon is a self-taught rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer, born in Germany and now a vibrant part of New York City's music scene. Known by handles like @thatgaypopstar or @MelLennonPop, he crafts genre-bending pop and hip-hop that authentically delve into queer experiences. His debut EP, "Overthinking Out Loud," garnered two top 40 singles on the LGBTQIA urban charts. Discover his music on all major streaming platforms and connect with him via his Linktree: linktr.ee/MelLennonPop.

Resource List

"Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race" by Reni Eddo-Lodge. (Note: This book was not immediately found via search at Gay's The Word or Clapham Books. It is available from major retailers and the author's website: renieddolodge.co.uk)
Kendrick Lamar
Lil Nas X
Missy Elliott: "Get Ur Freak On"
Gateway Track: "Freaky" (Find on Mel Lennon's YouTube channel: MelLennonPop on YouTube or via streaming platforms: Song Whip - Freaky)
Listen on Apple Music: Mel Lennon on Apple Music
General social media handle: @thatgaypopstar (on most platforms except X)

Links

Read deep dives into our queer lives at the blog HERE.

Check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Follow the podcast on:

See producer and presenter Dan Hall’s other work HERE (subtitled version HERE).

Listen to other episode at the homepage.

Not From Concentrate: Music, Marriage, and Metamorphosis

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This episode offers a deeply personal conversation with Jaime and Alan Aurelia, the core members of the New York-based band Not From Concentrate. They share the journey of their unique "scrum" sound—a fusion of ska, punk, and grunge—and the even more profound journey of their relationship. You'll hear about Jaime's experience coming out as a transgender man and how this pivotal change rippled through their marriage, their music, and their lives.

Alan speaks with remarkable openness about the initial pain and confusion, and the path towards a renewed understanding and deeper love for Jaime. Together, they explore themes of identity, the complexities of visibility for trans individuals (particularly the scarcity of gay trans male representation in media), and the strength found in unwavering commitment. It's a story about evolution, resilience, and the courage to live authentically, both as individuals and as a couple.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

[00:00:55] Introducing Not From Concentrate: Dan introduces the band and their "scrum" genre, a mix of ska, punk, and grunge.
[00:02:18] Jaime Joining the Band: Jaime recounts joining the band, initially unfamiliar with ska, and learning the genre.
[00:03:10] How Jaime and Alan Met: Alan and Jaime share the story of meeting at a college radio station.
[00:04:07] Dating in a Band: The challenges and eventual success of their relationship starting within the band.
[00:05:44] What is a Bass Diva?: Alan explains his protectiveness over his bass guitar.
[00:07:23] The Misuse of "Woke": Discussion on how the term "woke" is often used to mask prejudice against queer people and people of colour.
[00:07:41] Jaime's Transition: Jaime speaks about coming out as transgender and the beginning of his transition journey around the time of COVID.
[00:08:53] Lack of Trans Representation: Jaime highlights the lack of visibility for gay trans men in media, which initially caused him confusion about his own identity. Dan mentions a report showing zero gay trans characters on British TV in a recent year.
[00:12:34] Alan's Perspective on Jaime's Transition: Alan describes his emotional experience, comparing it to "watching your wife die" while working to fall in love with the same person anew. He discusses the conflict and the eventual reaffirmation of his love.
[00:15:11] Navigating Transition with Scarce Resources: Jaime talks about the lack of resources for trans men, especially those transitioning later in life, and the negative predictions he received about his marriage.
[00:18:18] Love and Growing Up: The conversation turns to the depth of their love and how they've navigated profound changes together, ultimately strengthening their bond.
[00:21:21] Queer Culture and Music Genres: Dan and Alan discuss the narrow range of music genres often dominating queer cultural spaces and the importance of diversity in queer artistic expression.
[00:22:26] Not From Concentrate's Audience: Alan describes their audience as ska lovers with an increasing number of queer people attending their shows. He emphasises that not all LGBTQ+ people want only dance or pop music.
[00:25:32] A Moment of Recognition: Alan shares an anecdote about someone observing their affectionate interaction as a gay couple, making him feel seen.
[00:26:23] The Desire for Normalcy: Discussion about the queer community's desire for acceptance and normalcy rather than dominance.
[00:30:14] Alan's Two Minutes to the World: Alan speaks about the power of music as an equalizer and a positive force.
[00:32:19] Gateway Song - "Clark Kent": Alan introduces "Clark Kent" as their gateway song, explaining its meaning about coming out and its impact on listeners.

Guest Bio

Jaime and Alan Aurelia are the driving force behind the New York-based "scrum" (ska/punk/grunge) band, Not From Concentrate. Formed in 2008, they craft a unique sound drawing from influences like The Specials and Sublime whilst navigating life's profound changes together. You can find their music, including the track "Clark Kent," on their YouTube channel.

Not From Concentrate YouTube:
The Specials: https://thespecials.com
Sublime: https://www.sublimelbc.com
No Doubt: https://nodoubt.com
Led Zeppelin: https://www.ledzeppelin.com
The Doors: https://thedoors.com
Elton John: https://www.eltonjohn.com
Pansy Division: http://www.pansydivision.com

Songs Mentioned:

Not From Concentrate: "Clark Kent" (Official Music Video)
Elton John: "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" (Remastered 2014)

Media/Reports Mentioned:

GLAAD "Where We Are on TV" Report: (Provides analysis of LGBTQ+ representation on television) https://glaad.org/whereweareontv23/ (This is the 2023-2024 report, relevant to the discussion on trans characters on TV).

Books Mentioned:

No specific books were recommended for purchase in this episode. For queer literature, consider visiting:

Gay's The Word: https://gaystheword.co.uk

Tomek Zdyb: Prejudice, Pornography and Performance

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this candid episode, Polish electronic pop artist Tomek Zdyb shares his journey of growing up gay in a deeply religious and conservative Poland. He discusses how the absence of LGBTQ+ terminology and representation left him navigating his identity through pornography rather than healthy education, leading to struggles with sex addiction that would take years to overcome.

Tomek opens up about his teenage isolation, identity crisis after falling in love with a woman despite knowing he was attracted to men, and his eventual path to self-acceptance. Music became his salvation – transforming from a late-discovered passion into therapeutic self-expression and a platform to break taboos. Through his "Untold Stories" project and willingness to address uncomfortable subjects, Tomek creates space for others facing similar struggles while challenging the toxic education he received growing up.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

[00:02:37] Religious and Social Climate in Poland: Tomek describes growing up in a country heavily influenced by religion with strong conservative attitudes toward homosexuality.
[00:04:47] Lack of Queer Vocabulary: He explains how the absence of terminology for gay identity created confusion, forcing him to learn about homosexuality through pornography rather than education.
[00:06:50] Identity Crisis: Tomek shares his experience of falling in love with a woman despite knowing he was attracted to men, creating an identity crisis that took years to resolve.
[00:12:34] Global Safety Concerns: A powerful discussion about whether there are truly safe places for LGBTQ+ people, with references to Poland's LGBT-free zones and the current climate in America.
[00:15:17] Sex Addiction Journey: Tomek candidly discusses his struggles with pornography addiction, how it impacted his life, and the importance of talking about sex addiction as a legitimate issue.
[00:20:18] Music as Therapy: He explains how music became not just a passion but a therapeutic outlet that helped him emerge from a dark, lonely period in his life.
[00:22:26] Teenage Isolation: Tomek describes his teenage years marked by severe isolation, having quit dance due to bullying and separating himself entirely from the world.
[00:24:51] Finding Community: The turning point came when he changed schools and found supportive community through Amnesty International, showing the vital importance of accepting spaces.
[00:29:02] Rejection of Labels: In his two-minute speech, Tomek emphasizes his desire to live without being defined solely by his sexuality, questioning why sexual identity is blamed for societal problems.

Guest Bio

Tomek Zdyb is a Polish singer-songwriter crafting electronic pop that challenges taboos and embraces authenticity. A chemist by education and corporate employee by profession, Tomek describes himself as "an artist and dancer by heart and soul." His music transforms personal struggles into powerful art, combining diverse vocal styles and genres to create a distinctive sound that educates and inspires.

Carrington Kelso: Grief, Growth, and Graceful Resilience

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Summary

Carrington Kelso returns to In the Key of Q for his fourth appearance, bringing with him the wisdom of displacement and the courage to sit with grief. Three years after his debut on the podcast, this multi-talented singer-songwriter has relocated from Georgia to San Diego, launched Clara Rose Candle Co, and is preparing to release his most personal project yet: A Moment for Grief.

In this deeply reflective conversation, Carrington explores the complex emotions of choosing to leave everything familiar behind, the exhausting reality of code switching as a Black queer man, and why streaming alone isn't enough to support independent artists. His insights on building your own table rather than waiting for an invitation resonate with particular power, offering a blueprint for creative autonomy in an industry that often marginalises voices like his.

This episode serves as both a masterclass in artistic vulnerability and a call to action for listeners to financially support the queer independent artists whose work reflects our lives back to us.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

• [04:39] Perfectionism in music production: Carrington discusses the struggle between excellence and perfectionism in his creative process

• [05:55] The courage to relocate: Why he left Georgia for San Diego despite the safety of familiar surroundings

• [12:29] Grief of your own choosing: How voluntary displacement creates a unique form of mourning that's no less real

• [15:08] Creating for the queer child within: The responsibility to provide representation for young LGBTQ+ people seeking their reflection in art

• [18:07] Building your own table: The power of horizontal networking rather than vertical ladder-climbing in the music industry

• [22:25] High-functioning anxiety from abandonment: How early paternal abandonment shaped perfectionist tendencies and people-pleasing behaviours

• [24:35] Code switching explained: The exhausting performance required of Black bodies in predominantly white spaces

• [28:22] What should a pop star look like: Challenging industry standards that favour lighter-skinned artists even within Black music

• [33:43] A Moment for Grief announcement: Carrington's upcoming album exploring the themes discussed in this episode

• [36:00] Supporting independent artists financially: Why streaming alone doesn't sustain artists and the importance of direct financial support

Guest Bio

Carrington Kelso is a multi-talented singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur whose unique blend of pop, R&B, soul and electronic sounds creates powerful narratives for Black queer love and artistic freedom. Based in San Diego, he has released the acclaimed album First We Fall and launched Clara Rose Candle Co. His upcoming project A Moment for Grief promises to be his most personal work yet. Find him at carringtonkelso.com and follow his journey on social media @carringtonkelso.

Resources

Music Mentioned

• Beyoncé: Dangerously in Love (album) • Blondie: "Call Me" (single) • Carrington Kelso: First We Fall (album) • Carrington Kelso: "Eden" (single) • Carrington Kelso: "Can I Be the One?" (single)

Artists Mentioned

• Beyoncé • Janet Jackson • Blondie • Madonna • George Michael • Britney Spears

Business

• Clara Rose Candle Co - Carrington's candle business

Rita de Los Angeles - Pride, Protest and Panic Attacks

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This week, In the Key of Q welcomes Rita de Los Angeles, a country singer-songwriter whose journey has taken her from the streets of Los Angeles to rural Germany. With her unique blend of country, Americana, and indie folk rock, Rita has carved out a distinctive space for herself as a proudly queer artist in the international country music scene.

Born to Arab immigrant parents who filled their home with country music, Rita's relationship with the genre has evolved through remarkable life experiences. At fifty-five, she's built a life in Germany with her wife of sixteen years, performs to sell-out shows, and has just released her Pride anthem, "Not Even a Little," dedicated to Dykes on Bikes.

In this candid conversation, Rita shares stories of her early activism with Queer Nation and ACT UP, her forced migration due to unequal marriage laws, and how singing unexpectedly became her medicine during a period of debilitating panic attacks.

Timestamps

[00:00:00] - Introduction

[00:02:00] - Rita's stage name and life in Los Angeles

[00:04:11] - Being a native Los Angeleno and immigrant families

[00:05:51] - Egyptian parents' migration to the US

[00:08:24] - Discussion on attitudes toward international conflict

[00:10:24] - Early activism with Queer Nation and ACT UP

[00:13:10] - LGBTQ+ environment in 1980s-90s Los Angeles

[00:15:29] - Shutting down anti-gay church services

[00:19:02] - Who are the Dykes on Bikes?

[00:20:40] - Country music influences and family connections

[00:25:48] - Ageism in the gay community

[00:28:12] - Creating inclusive spaces through music

[00:30:48] - The transformative experience of seeing diverse couples slow dancing

[00:35:04] - The story behind "Home Is Where the Heart Is"

[00:40:03] - Separation from family during COVID

[00:42:32] - Discovering singing as therapy for panic attacks

[00:46:48] - The fifteen-year-old self segment

[00:51:13] - Two minutes on living your dreams

[00:54:24] - Gateway track: "Not Even a Little"

Featured Songs

"Slow Dancing" - A ballad inspired by seeing diverse couples slow dancing at one of Rita's performances in a rural German bar
"Home Is Where the Heart Is" - A poignant reflection on being forced to leave the US due to unequal marriage laws
"Not Even a Little" - Rita's Pride anthem dedicated to Dykes on Bikes, described as "country disco" with hip-hop rhythms

About Rita de Los Angeles

Rita de Los Angeles is a country singer-songwriter now based in rural Germany, just outside Cologne. Born and raised in Los Angeles to Egyptian immigrant parents, Rita spent her early adult years as an activist with Queer Nation and ACT UP before building a successful career in film and television marketing. After meeting her German wife 23 years ago, Rita was forced to leave the US due to immigration laws that didn't recognize same-sex relationships.

At age 55, Rita has reinvented herself as a musician, discovering that singing helped cure her debilitating panic attacks. She now performs regularly in rural Germany, including in churches—places she once protested against. Rita donates her streaming royalties to Immigration Equality, an organization supporting LGBTQ+ immigrants.

Key Quotes

"I was just an angry bird. And I wanted to put myself on the street and stop traffic and shut down these church services." - On her early activism

"My heart is always in two places. When I go home to California, I miss my kids, I miss my wife. And when I'm in Germany, I miss my dad, I miss my sister." - On the inspiration behind "Home Is Where the Heart Is"

"I sang for three hours all these evergreen songs and it was the first time in weeks that I didn't have a panic attack—was when I was singing." - On discovering music as therapy

"Ironically, I now play my country music in churches. Instead of shutting them down, I'm... I swear, I swear." - On her journey from activist to performer

Links and Resources

Rita de Los Angeles' music on Spotify
Immigration Equality - Organization supporting LGBTQ+ immigrants, where Rita donates her streaming royalties
Learn more about Queer Nation and ACT UP
In the Key of Q website
In the Key of Q blog

Romeo from EHIRE: Prince, Persecution, and Pursuing Passion

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Romeo from Brooklyn-based twin duo EHIRE offers a raw and moving account of finding his voice in the music industry while navigating the complexities of being a Black queer artist. From growing up in a Haitian household filled with music to experiencing religious trauma and homelessness, Romeo shares how these challenges strengthened his bond with twin brother Cameo and fueled their artistic expression. With refreshing candour, he discusses the importance of queer Black visibility in media and the revolutionary act of Black male love. Despite facing rejection from family and church, EHIRE has emerged with music that resonates with hope and self-acceptance, offering listeners not just songs but affirmations of queer resilience and joy.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

00:00:56 - Introduction to Romeo and Cameo (EHIRE), twin brothers from Brooklyn who've been recording music since age nine, with features on 500+ playlists including Spotify's Fresh Finds R&B
02:31 - Growing up in a Haitian household surrounded by music from Madonna, Anita Baker, and Whitney Houston, which deeply influenced their artistic development
03:55 - Romeo discusses major musical influences including Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Lady Gaga
04:41 - A thoughtful reflection on Prince's groundbreaking impact as a Black male artist who challenged gender norms through style, makeup, and flamboyance
09:29 - The pivotal moment at age nine when seeing young R&B star Sammie on TV inspired Romeo and Cameo to pursue music creation
10:59 - The significance of Lil Nas X as the first openly gay Black artist they've seen "pushing the envelope" fearlessly in their lifetime
11:41 - The importance of queer visibility in media for mental health and preventing self-destructive behaviour among LGBTQ+ youth
14:05 - Shocking account of experiencing an exorcism in his twenties when family members attempted to "cast out" his homosexuality
20:12 - Discussion of the complex relationship with religion, faith, and the church after experiencing religious trauma
21:35 - Reflection on the state of Black queer representation in America and the lack of Black queer male relationships portrayed in media
24:51 - The unique bond with his twin brother Cameo, creating a "safe zone" where they never had to come out to each other and protected one another
27:43 - Romeo's heartfelt advice to fellow queer artists about self-love, changing perspective, and living authentically
32:07 - EHIRE's gateway song recommendation: "Let Go," a track about hope, love, and self-acceptance

Guest Bio

Romeo Records is one half of the R&B duo EHIRE alongside his twin brother Cameo (Arie). The Brooklyn-born Haitian-American artists have been creating music since age nine. Their debut EP garnered over 200,000 streams, with music featured on Spotify's Fresh Finds R&B and Billboard Pride's Queer Necessities playlists. They were nominated by Pop Smash Radio for Best R&B Song by a Duo or Group.

Resource List

Prince - "When Doves Cry" - One of Prince's most iconic tracks mentioned as influential
RuPaul's Drag Race - Mentioned as important queer representation on television

Call-to-Action

Find the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And don't forget to check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Producer and Presenter Dan Hall's other work.

Pride 2025 Special: Tribes, Togetherness, and Tensions

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this special Pride Month episode, host Dan Hall explores the vital concept of "finding our tribes" within the Queer community through conversations with previous guests. For many LGBTQ+ individuals, discovering safe spaces has been about more than friendship—it's been essential for survival and self-acceptance in a world that often fails to see or understand queer experiences.

These communities serve as places where Queer people celebrate triumphs and mourn losses together, but like any family, they can be complicated. Through intimate discussions with Queer musicians from around the world, this episode examines what community means to them, its imperfections, and how we might build more inclusive spaces. From hidden bars of decades past to the evolution of Pride from protest to celebration, these artists share personal stories that illuminate the ongoing journey of creating and maintaining vibrant queer communities.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

[00:01:00] Finding Our Tribes: Dan discusses how finding safe spaces in the queer community is often about survival and learning to be comfortable with who we are, finally seeing ourselves mirrored in a world that didn't always see us.

[00:02:02] Historical Context: Looking back at previous decades helps us understand why queer spaces remain vital today, as openly queer living wasn't an option for many generations who had to carve out their own hidden corners of the world.

[00:02:49] Kele Fleming's First Community: Singer-songwriter Kele Fleming shares how a gay club called Rumours in Victoria became her "community centre" and "life saver" in 1984, offering a space where she could be her authentic self despite family non-acceptance.

[00:05:25] Creating New Spaces: Jon Ginoli of Pansy Division discusses founding a queer rock band in the early 90s when rock music wasn't considered "gay enough" within mainstream gay culture, helping pioneer the queercore music scene.

[00:08:01] Global Perspectives on Safety: Brazilian musician Eric Lenfair speaks about the inherent cautiousness that many queer people develop growing up, while Eric Torino shares his experiences with fear of public affection even in supposedly accepting places like New York.

[00:11:12] Exclusion Within the Community: James Taylor Junior discusses feeling left out of the queer community due to factors like ageism and racism, highlighting that the LGBTQ+ community isn't one unified entity but complex and diverse.

[00:13:14] Specific Spaces for Specific Needs: Brooklyn-based singer Roderick Woodruff explains the importance of spaces specifically for Black queer individuals where he doesn't have to "perform" or diminish himself to make others comfortable.

[00:15:19] Artistic Communities: Baltimore musician Greg Hatem describes how supportive queer ecosystems allow artists to thrive and create work that connects with people from all backgrounds.

[00:19:46] The Evolution of Pride: Various artists reflect on how Pride has changed from its origins as a protest movement to becoming more commercialized and mainstream, questioning what this means for its political message.

[00:24:33] Internal Community Challenges: James Taylor Junior and others discuss damaging stereotypes within the gay community, from body image pressures to racism experienced by queer people of color within LGBTQ+ spaces.

[00:29:23] Hope for the Future: Polish singer-songwriter Tomek Zdyb shares his vision for what community can achieve through mutual support and education, emphasizing respect and human connection.

Resource List

Featured Artists and Their Episodes

Kele Fleming - April 2025 Episode
Jon Ginoli (Pansy Division) - May 2025 Episode
Eric Lenfair - April 2025 Episode
Eric Torino - May 2025 Episode
James Taylor Junior - April 2025 Episode
Roderick Woodruff - April 2025 Episode
Greg Hatem - April 2025 Episode
Ben McGarvey (Minute Taker) - May 2025 Episode
Travie Austin - April 2025 Episode
MEL LENNON - Available from 15 July 2025
TIN - May 2025 Episode
Tomek Zdyb - Available from 1 July 2025

Links

Read deep dives into our queer lives at the blog HERE.

Check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Follow the podcast on:

See producer and presenter Dan Hall's other work HERE (subtitled version HERE).

Listen to other episodes at the homepage.

TIN: Privilege, Parties, and Pop Positivity

Tue, 27 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Summary

In this candid and compelling conversation, Australian pop artist TIN returns to In The Key of Q to discuss his musical journey since his previous appearance. From opening for Bright Light Bright Light to releasing deeply personal tracks that resonate with fans in unexpected ways, TIN offers a raw look at navigating the gay music scene as a person of colour. With characteristic wit and refreshing honesty, he unpacks the complexities of privilege, racism within queer spaces, and how his experiences have shaped his creative expression. Perfect for listeners seeking authentic LGBTQ+ perspectives on music, identity, and the sometimes absurd realities of gay nightlife.

Key Takeaways

00:00:50 - TIN reveals how he came to open for Bright Light Bright Light through connections with EQ Music
00:02:11 - His EP "Sex, Cologne and Cigarets" performed well, with "Weasel" becoming an unexpected fan favourite
00:06:14 - TIN shares the deeply personal story behind his vulnerable track "Dear Matthew," which explores racial privilege in the gay community
00:10:30 - An important discussion about the additional obstacles faced by people of colour in queer spaces
00:14:25 - TIN reflects on internalised racism and its impact on self-worth and relationship expectations
00:17:02 - The origin story of TIN's new single "Trust Your Touch," originally written about a fantasy involving Troye Sivan and Olly Alexander
00:19:57 - Behind-the-scenes challenges of filming the "Trust Your Touch" music video, including shooting cruising scenes in freezing Burgess Park
00:23:33 - TIN discusses his evolution from primarily a performer to developing his skills as a recording artist
00:25:02 - How entering the circuit party scene unexpectedly forced TIN to confront deep insecurities about race and body image
00:31:35 - Upcoming releases including a Pride single called "Kid Pig" and remixes celebrating the one-year anniversary of "Dear Matthew"

Guest Bio

TIN is an Australian queer pop artist currently based in the UK. Known for his energetic performances, candid lyrics, and exploration of LGBTQ+ themes, TIN combines catchy pop melodies with raw personal narratives. Find his music and social media at TIN Official Music.

Resources

Sex, Cologne and Cigarets EP - TIN's EP featuring the fan-favourite track "Weasel"
Dear Matthew - TIN's personal song about racial privilege in the gay community
Trust Your Touch Music Video - TIN's latest release featuring Lost Child and Janis
House of Air by Brendan Maclean - The NSFW music video about hanky codes mentioned in the podcast
Bright Light Bright Light - Artist TIN opened for on tour
EQ Music - The collective that booked TIN for shows

Call-to-Action

Find the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And don't forget to check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Producer and Presenter Dan Hall's other work.

Eric Terino: Folksongs, Fear and Finding Worthiness

Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This week, In the Key of Q welcomes Eric Terino, a folk musician and songwriter from New England. Eric's music blends elements of folk, classical, and alternative sounds to create something uniquely his own. In this candid conversation, Eric discusses his journey as a queer artist who doesn't fit the stereotypical image of LGBTQ+ musicians, his experiences with agoraphobia and mental health challenges, and his path to finding self-worth.

Eric's latest album, "Innovation of Grave Perversity," was recorded remotely during lockdown and explores themes of isolation, connection, and self-acceptance. Throughout the interview, he shares profound insights about living a life that hasn't followed expected paths and learning to extend the same kindness to ourselves that we offer others.

Timestamps

[00:00:28] - Introduction

[00:02:12] - Eric introduces himself and his musical style

[00:03:21] - Discussion of stereotypical queer musician image

[00:04:23] - Eric explains folk music as a storytelling medium

[00:06:03] - Dan and Eric discuss queer representation in music

[00:07:42] - Conversation about "gay icons" who remained closeted

[00:09:21] - Eric shares his coming out story

[00:13:12] - Discussion of family acceptance

[00:15:49] - Eric opens up about his mental health and agoraphobia

[00:19:15] - What it feels like to experience anxiety

[00:20:40] - Conditional acceptance of queer people

[00:21:00] - Fear of public affection with same-sex partners

[00:23:17] - The parallels between victim-blaming women and gay men

[00:24:53] - Reflections on queer relationships and success

[00:26:21] - Discussion of Eric's new album created during lockdown

[00:30:08] - Eric's two minutes to speak on any topic (self-worth)

[00:35:30] - The fifteen-year-old self segment

[00:36:43] - Gateway song: "Felt" from latest album

About Eric Terino

Eric Terino is a folk musician and songwriter from New England whose work blends elements of folk, classical, and alternative music. His third album, "Innovation of Grave Perversity," was recorded remotely during lockdown in 2020-2021.

Eric describes his approach to music as "earthiness, textures... naturalism rather than gloss," setting him apart from more mainstream queer artists. His work is explicitly queer without being ambiguous, as he believes in the importance of authentic representation in music.

Living with agoraphobia, Eric has adapted his creative process to work within his limitations, collaborating remotely with other musicians and finding connection through his art despite physical isolation.

Key Quotes

"I never wanted anything to be veiled in ambiguity, purposefully, for the sake of making it palatable to somebody who is uncomfortable with an LGBTQ perspective."

"If you asked me to drive to the corner shop a mile down the road to me, that would feel like you're asking me to jump out of an airplane... the level of anxiety is so high it feels like you're doing something wild."

"Just because you don't have the life that you envisioned for yourself and the life that you expected... it doesn't mean that it's the wrong life for you. It doesn't mean that it is in any way invalid, you know, not valuable."

"Worthy. What a thing to claim. And it really is. It's a very powerful idea to say to yourself, I am worthy. And I think a lot of people in our community really struggle with that."

Links and Resources

Minute Taker: Melancholy, Music and Masculinity

Tue, 13 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this episode of In the Key of Q, Dan Hall speaks with Ben McGarvey, who performs as Minute Taker. Ben's music is characterized by a signature blend of retro synth-pop, haunting piano melodies, and emotionally charged lyrics that explore the depth of human experience.

Episode Summary

Ben opens up about the origins of his stage name "Minute Taker" – a reference to his former day job that created an ironic contrast with his artistic identity. He describes it as "simultaneously mundane and otherworldly," reflecting the dual nature of his creative life.

The conversation traverses Ben's musical evolution from a teenager in the 90s who was drawn to 80s synth music to his current work creating atmospheric, emotionally resonant songs. Ben reflects on how living in rural Shropshire as a young gay man shaped his relationship with music as a form of escape and self-expression.

Throughout the episode, Ben courageously discusses his experiences with depression and how this has informed the melancholic quality of his music. Rather than viewing this melancholia as something negative, he explores how it can be "so beautiful" and serves as a connective tissue between artist and listener.

Key Moments

02:59 - Ben discusses his musical influences growing up, including Kate Bush, Pet Shop Boys, Tori Amos, and PJ Harvey

07:47 - Reflections on growing up as a gay child in rural Britain during the Section 28 era

09:35 - Ben shares his early songwriting experiences and how music became a form of escape

16:46 - Discussion about representation and the importance of addressing songs explicitly to men

22:46 - Ben speaks candidly about his experiences with depression and how it manifests

24:44 - The evolution of Ben's work into audiovisual projects, including his concept album exploring gay men's lives throughout history

28:32 - Details about his upcoming album "The Oblivion," inspired by Blade Runner and 80s sounds

34:20 - Information about Ben's subscription service for fans to access exclusive music

Guest Bio

Ben McGarvey is a Manchester-based musician who performs under the name Minute Taker. His work blends retro synth sounds with piano and emotional lyrics to create atmospheric, often melancholic music. Beyond traditional albums, Ben has expanded into audiovisual projects that explore LGBTQ+ experiences throughout history. His most recent album "Wolf Hours" included an accompanying visual narrative, and he's currently finishing his new album "The Oblivion."

Gateway Track

Ben recommends "Lead You Home," the opening track from his album "Wolf Hours," as the perfect introduction to his music. The song encapsulates his recent musical direction with its melancholic, synthy, and atmospheric qualities while remaining catchy. The accompanying music video alternates between scenes set in the 1980s and 1918, telling the story of two World War I soldiers.

Gateway Track

Minute Taker website.

In the Key of Q celebrates queer musicians and their stories. Find us on Twitter, Instagram, or email us at intheKeyofQ@gmail.com.

Theme music by Paul Leonidou at Unstoppable Monsters.

Jon Ginoli: Pioneers, Punk and Pansy Politics

Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this captivating episode of "In the Key of Q," host Dan Hall welcomes Jon Ginoli, founding member of Pansy Division, the groundbreaking band formed in San Francisco in 1991. As the first openly gay rock band featuring predominantly gay musicians, Pansy Division challenged stereotypes and carved out a unique space in the music industry with their blend of pop-punk that explicitly addressed LGBTQ+ issues, sexuality, and relationships.

Jon shares his journey from feeling alienated within the gay community due to his rock music preferences to forming a band that would tour with Green Day and influence generations of musicians and fans. The conversation explores the importance of representation, the impact of creating explicitly gay music during the AIDS crisis, and how punk rock's ethos of challenging norms provided a pathway for Jon's musical vision.

Key Points:

00:02:23 - Jon reflects on how Pansy Division's focus on sexuality differs from today's emphasis on gender issues
02:32:24 - Jon discusses feeling alienated as a rock musician within the gay community in the 1980s
04:14:08 - The genesis of Pansy Division and the band's formation in San Francisco
06:03:23 - The social context of the AIDS crisis and political attacks on the LGBTQ+ community
06:42:15 - How the band promoted safe sex through their music and even included condom instructions in album packaging
08:24:00 - Dan shares his experience of finally hearing music that directly reflected his identity rather than having to "code switch"
11:12:06 - Jon explains his approach to creating explicitly gay music that celebrated joy rather than misery
11:54:01 - The unexpected popularity of Pansy Division among teenage audiences during their tour with Green Day
13:57:03 - Green Day's decision to tour with Pansy Division and the mutual benefits of that collaboration
15:47:21 - Jon discusses the influence of Chumbawamba and the importance of combining politics with sexuality
20:40:24 - Thoughts on identity politics and representation versus ghettoization
23:19:23 - The band's recent resurgence among young gender-queer fans following the pandemic
25:31:24 - Jon shares his formative experience discovering punk rock through the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK"
30:01:11 - Reflections on what his 15-year-old self would think of his life and career today
31:51:17 - Jon discusses "Femme in a Black Leather Jacket" as a gateway song into Pansy Division's music

Guest Info:

Jon Ginoli is an Illinois-born singer-songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of the influential queer punk band Pansy Division. Since 1991, Jon and Pansy Division have released numerous albums, toured with iconic bands like Green Day, and been trailblazers for LGBTQ+ visibility in rock music. Jon currently lives in Palm Springs after spending 33 years in San Francisco.

Links & Resources:

Listen to Pansy Division.
The first Pansy Division album was recently reissued on purple vinyl
Theme tune by Paul Leonidou from Unstoppable Monsters.

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Greg Hatem: Baltimore, Bands and Brave Belongings

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this captivating episode, host Dan welcomes Greg Hatem, a multifaceted musician, composer, and producer from Baltimore, Maryland. A Berklee College of Music graduate, Greg discusses his prolific musical career spanning multiple bands and genres from post-punk to avant-folk, alongside running a curiosity shop specializing in natural history items. The conversation explores Greg's experiences growing up queer in Baltimore, the city's vibrant artistic community, and his thoughts on creating art that transcends identity while remaining authentically connected to it.

Key Topics:

Greg's musical projects across multiple bands and genres
Growing up queer in Baltimore and Catholic school experiences
The unique artistic environment of Baltimore's music scene
The relationship between queer identity and creative expression
Finding community and authentic connections
The significance of representation in music
Greg's curiosity shop and Ouija board museum
Creative processes and emotional connections in music
Thoughts on trans rights and inclusivity in the arts
Creating your own artistic world as a form of empowerment

Episode Timeline:

00:00:13 - Introduction to the show and host Dan Hall

00:00:39 - Introduction to Greg Hatem and his Baltimore background

00:01:44 - Greg's current musical projects and curiosity shop

00:02:22 - Childhood experiences growing up in Baltimore

00:03:17 - Finding supportive people and navigating identity

00:04:47 - Thoughts on inclusive music scenes and accessibility

00:05:15 - Early connections between queerness and music creation

00:07:17 - The importance of representation in queer music

00:08:31 - Experiences in Catholic school and family support

00:09:55 - Discussion of Baltimore's unique artistic environment

00:11:48 - Connections to John Waters and Baltimore's character

00:15:03 - Overview of Greg's various bands and music projects

00:17:06 - Advice to his 15-year-old self about patterns and growth

00:18:47 - Reflections on pursuing music as a career path

00:19:29 - The Ouija board museum exhibit in Greg's shop

00:21:59 - Discussion of Greg's gateway track "Planet"

00:26:18 - Perspectives on trans rights and artistic freedom

00:28:14 - Message to listeners feeling disconnected or isolated

00:29:15 - Where to find Greg and his music online

Resources Mentioned:

Greg's Audio Network (Greg's website)
Greg's bands: Natural Velvet, Moth Broth, Curving Tooth, and Lawsuit Choir
Upcoming album from Natural Velvet
Moth Broth's remix collaboration with Shoo Shoo
"Planet" - Greg's recommended gateway track
Curving Tooth's album "Crank Me Up"
The Bazaar curiosity shop and Ouija board museum (3534 Chestnut Avenue, Baltimore)
John Waters' film "Pecker" (discussed in relation to Baltimore)

Guest Information:

Greg Hatem is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer based in Baltimore, Maryland. A graduate of Berklee College of Music, he creates and performs music across multiple genres including post-punk, avant-folk, and experimental rock. Greg plays in four different bands - Natural Velvet (drums), Moth Broth (electric autoharp), Curving Tooth (arrangements), and Lawsuit Choir - while also producing solo material. In addition to his musical endeavors, Greg owns and operates The Bazaar, a curiosity shop in Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood featuring natural history items, antiques, and a museum dedicated to the history of the Ouija board, which was invented in Baltimore in the 1890s.

Connect & Support:

Visit Greg's website at Greg's Audio Network
Listen to Greg's music on Spotify and other streaming platforms
Check out his bands: Natural Velvet, Moth Broth, Curving Tooth, and Lawsuit Choir
Visit The Bazaar curiosity shop and Ouija board museum at 3534 Chestnut Avenue in Baltimore
Contact the podcast at inthekeyofq@gmail.com
Visit inthekeyofq.com for all previous episodes
Subscribe and leave a five-star review to help others discover the show

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Travie Austin: Millennials, Masculinity and Musical Metamorphosis

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This week, Dan welcomes Chicago-raised singer-songwriter and producer Travie Austin, whose catchy pop hooks blend with funk, rock, soul and "more than a touch of homo" coursing through his music.

Travie discusses millennial identity and how 90s/2000s divas like Destiny's Child and Whitney Houston shaped his confidence. The conversation explores toxic masculinity, with Travie arguing that masculinity and femininity should exist in harmony, and that toxic masculinity stems from the need to prove oneself to others.

The episode delves into Travie's upbringing on Chicago's South Side, where he discusses the harmful fetishisation of "the hood" in media and music. Travie shares his journey of discovering his Queer identity and how pornography initially shaped his understanding of Queer Black identity in harmful ways.

His gateway track recommendation is "The Juice," which combines blues, rock, funk and soul elements.

Find Travie at @iamtravieaustin on social platforms and streaming services.

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Kele Fleming: Melodies, Marginalisation and Musical Metamorphosis

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

This week, Dan welcomes folk-rock and synthwave singer-songwriter Kele Fleming from Victoria, BC, whose single "In My Dream Alone" has reached 100,000 Spotify plays.

Kele shares her experiences growing up in 1980s Victoria and finding community at the local gay club "Rumours." She reflects on living a "shadow self" before wider LGBTQ visibility and her complex relationship with Pride's evolution from protest to corporate-sponsored celebration.

The conversation explores Kele's experiences as a female frontwoman facing sexism in the music industry and how songwriting sometimes feels mysterious, with melodies appearing almost magically. She cites varied influences from protest folk to pop masterpieces like ABBA.

Kele recommends "Vanishing of Bees" as her gateway track, which explores the dual perspectives of childhood wonder and adult environmental concern.

Find Kele at tinforest.com and on Instagram @tinforestpix.

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

James Taylor Jr: Pride, Perseverance and Provocative Pedagogy

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this insightful episode, host Dan welcomes James Taylor Junior, a classically trained vocalist who's been singing since the age of two. With a rich musical background and acclaimed performing style, James discusses his upcoming Pride album, the importance of queer community and history, and his personal journey as a queer person. The conversation explores the intersection of identity, belonging, and the power of music to connect people across different experiences.

Key Topics:

James's upcoming Pride album and its development
The continued importance of Pride as a concept and movement
Exploration of queer history and visibility
Gender, masculinity, and changing cultural norms
Finding belonging within the LGBTQ+ community
Childhood experiences growing up queer in Kentucky
Coming out to family and parental relationships
The significance of "Over the Rainbow" to queer children
The Wizard of Oz's enduring connection to LGBTQ+ culture
Future musical projects and creative challenges

Episode Timeline:

00:00:16 - Introduction to host Dan Hall and the show's mission

00:00:51 - Introduction to guest James Taylor Junior

00:01:55 - Discussion of James's upcoming Pride album project

00:03:06 - Conversation about why Pride remains necessary today

00:04:18 - Historical perspective on LGBTQ+ people during WWII

00:06:04 - The importance of queer historical visibility and documentation

00:07:09 - Discussion about increased LGBTQ+ visibility in modern times

00:08:05 - Conversation about rising identification rates in younger generations

00:09:21 - Perspectives on evolving concepts of masculinity and gender expression

00:10:14 - Examining toxic masculinity within the queer community

00:12:03 - James's experience finding belonging within the LGBTQ+ community

00:14:24 - Childhood experiences growing up in Kentucky

00:16:29 - Family dynamics and coming out experiences

00:20:03 - Advice for parents of LGBTQ+ children

00:21:34 - What James's 15-year-old self would think of him now

00:22:20 - The significance of "Over the Rainbow" to queer children

00:24:14 - Queer connection to The Wizard of Oz beyond stereotypes

00:26:04 - James's future projects and musical direction

00:27:35 - Where to find James online and his music

00:28:39 - James's gateway track: "Pride (Stripped)"

Resources Mentioned:

James Taylor Junior's website: JamesTaylorJuniorMusic.com
"Pride (Stripped)" - James's recommended gateway track
James's cover of "Too Much" by the Spice Girls
The Wizard of Oz film and L. Frank Baum books
"The Marvellous Land of Oz" (1906) - featuring Princess Ozma
Melanie C's acoustic cover of "Too Much"

Guest Information:

James Taylor Junior is a classically trained vocalist who has been singing since the age of two. With a diverse musical style that defies easy categorization, James is currently working on a Pride album that began development in 2019 before being delayed by the pandemic. His music aims to create connection and community, particularly for those who may feel excluded from mainstream LGBTQ+ spaces. James brings both technical vocal skill and emotional depth to his performances, including his stripped-down version of "Pride" and creative covers of pop classics.

Connect & Support:

Visit James's website at JamesTaylorJuniorMusic.com
Listen to "Pride (Stripped)" on major streaming platforms
Follow James on social media (links available on his website)
Contact the podcast at inthekeyofq@gmail.com
Visit inthekeyofq.com for all previous episodes
Subscribe to In the Key of Q on your favorite podcast platform

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Erik Lenfair: Rhythms, Rio and Romantic Revelations

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this candid episode, host Dan welcomes Brazilian singer-songwriter Erik Lenfair, who joins from Rio de Janeiro to discuss his musical journey and experiences as a queer artist. After a four-year hiatus, Erik has returned with two new singles and is working on what began as an EP but has evolved into a full album. He shares insights about creating music that balances experimental pop with emotional depth, his experience coming out to his supportive family, and navigating queer identity in Brazil.

Key Topics:

Erik's current music projects and songwriting process
Coming out experience with a supportive family
Growing up and living as a queer person in Rio de Janeiro
Safety concerns and the importance of queer spaces in Brazil
Evolution of Erik's music before and after experiencing love
Perspectives on pop music's value and purpose
Overcoming shyness as a performer
Challenges within the LGBTQ+ community
Thoughts on ageing as a queer artist
The explicit queer content in his latest music

Episode Timeline:

00:00:16 - Introduction to the show and host Dan Hall
00:00:38 - Introduction to guest Erik Lenfair from Rio de Janeiro
00:02:19 - Discussion of Erik's current musical projects and creative process
00:03:49 - Erik's coming out experience with his family
00:05:53 - Conversation about LGBTQ+ experiences in Brazil
00:07:08 - The impact of growing up queer on Erik's confidence and shyness
00:08:52 - How Erik's songwriting has evolved with personal experience
00:10:21 - Thoughts on the value and purpose of pop music
00:12:18 - Navigating performance anxiety and shyness as a musician
00:13:41 - Perspectives on religion and its impact on queer people
00:14:56 - Discussion of exclusion within the queer community
00:16:05 - Reflections on ageing in the music industry and as a gay man
00:17:45 - What Erik would tell his 15-year-old self
00:19:55 - Introduction to Erik's music and recommendation of "Candy Shop"
00:22:29 - Closing remarks and contact information

Resources Mentioned:

Erik Lenfair's singles: "Candy Shop" (latest release)
Upcoming album (currently in production)
ABBA (discussed in context of pop music's cultural value)

Guest Information:

Erik Lenfair is a singer-songwriter from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who began releasing music in 2018. After a four-year hiatus, he has returned with new singles and is currently working on his first full-length album. His musical style combines experimental elements with accessible pop structures, creating songs that are both fun and emotionally resonant. Erik's latest work embraces explicit queer themes, marking a new chapter in his artistic expression following his coming out experience.

Connect & Support:

Listen to Erik Lenfair's music on major streaming platforms
Check out his latest single "Candy Shop"
Contact the podcast at inthekeyofq@gmail.com
Subscribe to In the Key of Q on your favorite podcast platform
If you're a queer musician interested in appearing on the show, reach out to Dan via email

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Roderick Woodruff: Detroit, Drama and Defiantly Different

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In this engaging episode, host Dan welcomes Roderick Woodruff, a Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and performer whose music caught Dan's attention on Spotify. Born in Detroit with a churchy background, Roderick shares his journey from choir boy to Off-Broadway performer, discussing his authentic exploration of queerness, creativity, and how he transformed personal struggles into artistic expression through his recently released album "In Between."

Key Topics:

Roderick's musical background and Detroit roots
His journey from choir singer to actor to songwriter
Writing music during COVID isolation in Brooklyn
Religious trauma and finding queer empowerment
The creation of his Off-Broadway show "A Boys Room"
Embracing authenticity and gender expression
The importance of dedicated queer spaces
The inspiration behind his album "In Between"
Artistic aspirations and influences like Elton John

Episode Timeline:

00:00:17 - Introduction to Roderick Woodruff and his musical discovery
00:02:44 - Roderick's background in Detroit and early musical influences
00:04:00 - Shift from music to acting after high school experiences
00:05:05 - Moving to New York, COVID isolation, and songwriting process
00:06:58 - Religious trauma and confronting homophobia in church
00:10:22 - Discussion of "A Boys Room" Off-Broadway show
00:12:19 - Musical theatre inspirations and Elton John influence
00:15:41 - Roderick's queer journey and experiences with bullying
00:17:31 - Family conflicts and therapy over his sexuality
00:19:27 - New York's influence on his gender expression and identity
00:20:42 - Conversation about toxic masculinity and effeminacy
00:22:38 - The importance of dedicated queer spaces and community
00:24:22 - Message to his younger self about trust and authenticity
00:25:55 - Gateway track recommendations from his catalog

Resources Mentioned:

Roderick Woodruff's album: "In Between" (released January 30th, 2024)
Roderick's Off-Broadway show: "A Boys Room" (Ars Nova theatre, NYC)
Mosaic Theatre of Detroit (where Roderick performed in his youth)
Southern Methodist University (where Roderick studied acting)
Edinburgh Fringe Festival (mentioned regarding a play workshop)

Guest Information:

Roderick Woodruff is a Brooklyn-based singer, songwriter, and performer born in Detroit, Michigan. Coming from a family of singers with a churchy background, he trained as an actor at Southern Methodist University before embracing music composition. His Off-Broadway show "A Boys Room" recently debuted with Ars Nova theatre in New York City, and his latest album "In Between" was released in January 2024. His musical style combines theatrical vocals with contemporary pop sensibilities, drawing inspiration from artists like Elton John.

Connect & Support:

Listen to Roderick Woodruff on all major streaming platforms
Follow Roderick on social media: @itsrickynasty across all platforms
Subscribe to In the Key of Q on your favorite podcast platform
Leave a five-star rating to help others discover the show

Spotify playlist can be found HERE.

The podcast is on Instagram (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Tophy Dye: Remixed, revealed and recovered

Tue, 09 May 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Discover “In the Key of Q”: A Celebration of Queer Music and Stories.

Join host Dan Hall on “In the Key of Q,” a podcast celebrating LGBTQ+ artists and stories from around the globe. Tune in for queer music, charts, and diverse voices, and join the conversation using the hashtag #queermusic.

This week, welcomes singer-songwriter and pianist Tophy Dye. A self-taught musician from Leeds, Tophy released his debut album “Skeletons” in 2021, exploring themes of love, identity, and self-acceptance. With plans for a second album, Tophy continues to champion visibility and representation for the LGBTQ+ community.

The episode delves into Tophy’s unique story, from his complicated relationship with his alcoholic late father to his musical evolution. Learn how Tophy’s experiences have shaped his sound, and how his advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community demonstrates his commitment to inclusivity and representation.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover Tophy’s captivating world and the transformative power of his music. This is a journey you won’t want to miss.

“In the Key of Q” is more than a podcast – it’s a platform for artists to be seen, heard, and celebrated. Support the podcast by subscribing to our Patreon page or simply spread the word to fellow music lovers. Together, we can create a more inclusive and vibrant musical landscape.

SUPPORT:

National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) - http://www.nacoa.org.uk/

NACoA is a UK-based charity that provides information, support, and resources for children of alcoholics and others affected by a parent's alcoholism.

Al-Anon Family Groups UK & Eire - https://www.al-anonuk.org.uk/

Al-Anon offers support to family members and friends of alcoholics, including those who grew up with alcoholic parents. They provide meetings, literature, and a supportive community in the UK and Eire to help members find strength and hope.

Anti-Bullying Alliance - https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/

The Anti-Bullying Alliance is a UK-based organization that aims to create a world without bullying through education, support, and resources. They provide guidance on how to deal with bullying at school and online.

Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/

Childline is a free, confidential helpline for children and young people in the UK, offering support and advice on various issues, including bullying and coping with an alcoholic parent. They provide phone, chat, and email support.

Stonewall - https://www.stonewall.org.uk/

Stonewall is a UK-based LGBTQ+ organization that offers resources and support for those dealing with bullying related to their sexual orientation or gender identity. They provide guidance on how to report bullying incidents and access local support services.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Lorrakon: Oversexed, overstrung and over there

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0100

London, UK. In the Key of Q is a music podcast, gaining popularity with its diverse content and engaging discussions. Hosted by Dan Hall, this week’s show features Lorrakon, a queer, non-binary, self-described “oversexed atheist” who discusses their experience growing up in Los Angeles and the stereotypes and misconceptions associated with the city and its people.

During the conversation, Lorrakon shared their views on identifying as “straight-acting” and reflects on their journey as a Queer child finding solace in the arts. The discussion also delves into the significance and politicisation of sex within a heteronormative world.

In the Key of Q provides a platform for Queer voices to be heard and celebrated. Listeners can support the show on Patreon and access exclusive content. The podcast is on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Insta (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

The next episode drops on 2 May 2023 and features Jxckson.

Max Lawrence: Melbourne, Suburbia and dogs speaking Latin

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall meets with Melbourne-born Australian non-binary singer-songwriter, Max Lawrence.

Lawrence talks about their musical background and how they began writing songs at 16. The episode explores Lawrence’s creative journey as well as their personal journey of gender expression, rejection and acceptance in the suburbs of Melbourne.

They discuss in adulthood the freedom of expressing themselves through clothing and the challenges faced by gender non-conforming people due to Australia’s societal prejudices and stereotypes.

Conleth Kane: Bombs, Bummers and Beautiful Things

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Welcome to the latest episode of In the Key of Q, a podcast that shines a light on the LGBTQ+ community and their stories.

In this episode, Conleth Kane talks to Dan Hall about his journey growing up gay in working-class Northern Ireland during the Troubles. He shares his personal struggles with violence and bombings in his hometown and the challenges he faced when seeking acceptance within the anti-gay right-wing Democratic Unionist Party.

Conleth also discusses a mysterious cancellation on a BBC programme that was to feature an MP from the Democratic Unionist Party, shedding light on the ongoing segregation between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland.

Conleth opens up about the trauma of his mother’s illness clashing with an important album launch and tells us about his famous London night spot at the Above the Stag Theatre in Vauxhall.

Make sure to follow the podcast on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Instagram (@inthekeyofq), and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q) to keep up with the latest news and updates.

Don't miss the next episode, set to drop on April 18, 2023, featuring Max Lawrence. Thank you for listening.

Bright Light Bright Light: Mining, Madonna and Margaret Thatcher

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall meets with artist, producer, composer and DJ Bright Light Bright Light.

Although living now in New York, he was brought up in Neath in Wales. And since rising to fame has toured and recorded with some of the best names in Pop history, including Cher, Sir Elton John, Erasure and Scissor Sisters.

In the episode he talks about the isolation and suffocation growing up in picturesque Wales, despite its beauty. How the Conservative government had abandoned the coal-mining valley in which he was raised. He defends snobbish attacks against Pop music and the pretensions of ‘earnest’ tunes that present themselves as unpackaged. And finally makes a plea for the LGBTQ community to better support each other.

The podcast is on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Insta (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

The next episode drops on 11 April 2023 and features Conleth Kane.

Jxckson: Texas, Loss and Courage

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

Dan Hall hosts “In the Key of Q,” a show that features queer music, chat, and stories from around the world. The show’s guest, Jxckson, is a pop artist from Austin, Texas.

Jxckson, a Black and LGBTQ+ musician, talks about his experience of growing up and realising that race and sexuality have an impact, and now he proudly identifies as a Black artist. In his music, he aims to provide a sense of belonging to his listeners and promote confidence and self-love whilst also dealing with themes of loss, longing and depression.

Jxckson’s experience shows the importance of representation and self-acceptance in identity formation. He struggled with societal expectations but ultimately found the courage to embrace his true self and share his experiences through his music.

The podcast is on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Insta (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

The next episode drops on 4 April 2023 and features Bright Light Bright Light.

Queers Revisited - Part 2: Bell’s Palsy, Heartstopper and Sleazy Vauxhall

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall catches-up with four previous guests and hears their latest tunes. Returning to the microphone are Paul Andrews, Nick Vaan, Vincent DiGeronimo and TIN.

Paul talks about the challenges of developing Bell’s Palsy and his movement towards a more beat-driven sound. Nick discusses his upcoming new album, ‘Magnificent Obsession’ and how post-pandemic he is reconnecting with his lost creative self.

Vincent drops a special voicemail revealing he was voted Number 1 in the Bear World Magazine Top 21 of 2021 and how inspired he has been by Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper’ series . And finally TIN chats with Dan about his three bottles of poppers, life in sleazy Vauxhall and his permanent settlement in London from Australia.

The podcast is on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Insta (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Support the show over at Patreon. Many thanks! - https://www.patreon.com/inthekeyofq

Queers Revisited - Part 1: Comedowns, self-belief and getting horny

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall catches-up with four previous guests and hears their latest tunes. Returning to the microphone are Billy Mick, Venn Smyth, Cory Stewart and Carrington Kelso.

Billy talks about his imminent new album, and his development of a one-man cabaret show for the international cruise ship market. Cory discusses his brilliant community-focused Queerantine initiative as well as his cross-Atlantic collaboration with producer Edward Russell from the ‘Inside the Groove’ podcast.

Venn drops a special voicemail to listeners to introduce his new record ‘Sober’ which in February 2023 raced to the top of the LGBTQ Music Charts. And finally Carrington chats with Dan about his new album and the joys of musically freeing himself from expectations.

The podcast is on Twitter (@inthekeyofq), Insta (@inthekeyofq) and Facebook (search: In the Key of Q).

Support the show over at Patreon. Many thanks! - https://www.patreon.com/inthekeyofq

Don+: Hip Hop, Islam and The Golden Girls

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Don+ is an independent artist and writer who has been writing and making music since 2013. He gained recognition with his first EP Raw Rhythm and Words (Apple / Spotify), which debuted in the top 40 on the iTunes RnB charts.

He grew up in a house surrounded by music, from Luther Vandross to gospel and learned to make peace with the homophobia in some of Hip Hop. With loved artists such as R Kelly it was tough to separate the music from the man.

Christianity and Islam were highly influential, not an easy combo for a Black kid growing up in America's South. Despite attacks from many religious sides, he went on to find peace in his own sense of spirituality.

After testing HIV+ in what he thought was a monogamous relationship, Don+ took this news and ran with it. He became an advocate for people with HIV, giving lessons in schools to fight ignorance and stigma.

Additional Material

Don+ on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube
Don+ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Advice for newly diagnosed HIV-positive people from THT.
Managing being LGBTQ and Muslim.

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Blake Mundell.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Taylor Gray: Bullies, Addiction & Black AF

Tue, 31 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Taylor Gray is this week’s guest. He is an R&B artist based in Los Angeles and curator of the popular playlist "Flavor Waves" on Apple Music and Spotify, which has garnered the attention of artists such as Victoria Monét and Ro James.

(1:22) Highlight - Gray talks about his childhood musical influences, growing up in a house playing neverending Prince, Chaka Kahn, Michael Jackson, Toni Braxton, Anita Baker and Luther Vandross. And of course the wonderful Miss Whitney Houston.
(15:23) Highlight - But childhood wasn’t all perfect as Gray reveals the frequent bullying he experienced at school and how this affected his self-esteem even outside of the school gates.
(7:14) Highlight - We chat about how mainstream music still wants “The Gays” to be either sex-crazed EDM dance-heads, or castrated shame-muffins. And how at the point of Black and Queer intersectionality there is often an outside fetishisation of race. Reference is made here to The IZM whose episode can be heard here.
(16:42) Highlight - Anxiety and addiction are disproportionately represented within the LGBTQ community, and Gray discusses his relationship with both explaining how a recent journey into sobriety has already paid dividends in self-worth and musical creation.
(23:42) Highlight - In his platform piece, Gray talks about the importance of feeling like we belong in a family. And that family can be biological or logical.
(26.23) Highlight - Hand-picked recommendations from within the Queer community for other artists for us to enjoy. Many of them can be found on Gray’s playlist “Black & Queer AF” volumes 1 (Spotify) and 2 (Spotify). Of course alumni FURILLOSTAR gets a mention, and you can hear his episode here.

Here are some useful resources around bullying at school. Stonewall’s toolkit for secondary schools (high schools) and STOMP Out Bullying.

Support resources for anxiety can be found at the National Health Service and Mind charity websites. The National Health Service also provide useful advice for alcoholism as does Alcohol Change UK.

Author Armistead Maupin talks to The Guardian newspaper about the importance of logical families.

This is a weekly podcast of around 30-40 mins long publishing every Tuesday. I’m your host Dan Hall, and in each episode I chat with a gay / bi musician from anywhere in the world about their life and music.

Access exclusive interview content and support the production of this podcast by heading over to our Patreon page and making a small donation.

Enjoy the music of previous guests by listening to these playlists with tracks selected by the artists themselves.

You can reach the music of this week’s guest at Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube. They can be found on social media at Twitter and Instagram.

The podcast can be reached at podcast@inthekeyofq and on social media at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The podcast’s forever home can be found here.

If you enjoyed this episode, why not take a listen to Rebel Will.

Billy Mick: Cocaine, Toxic Masculinity & Dinner Theatre

Tue, 24 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Billy Mick released his first single in 2019. He's performed at Pride and Gay Days events. And in America's pandemic lockdown continued to release songs and music videos. The autobiographical studio album Just Be came out in 2020, followed up by the long-player Levelling Up.

Billy speaks openly in this episode about the challenges of growing up in a household with a father who was both a drug dealer and a bullying influence on the family home. Eventually, Billy escapes into adulthood and performing dinner theatre and on the stages of Universal's theme park in Florida.

A surprise HIV diagnosis eventually leads to hospitalisation and a near-death coma. But emerging from this crisis point Billy's life begins all over again and he goes on to produce some amazing tunes.

He is passionate about the queer community, embracing the ethos of Manchester Pride in the UK. Here he witnessed what he describes as a true community where sub-groups did not disappear into their own silos, and instead mixed and enjoyed each other's strength and power. It’s how he feels out community should be.

Additional Material

Billy on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube, Soundcloud
Billyon Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Billy's homepage

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Daddy Dawg.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Levi Kreis: Church, Chems and Tony Awards

Tue, 17 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Levi Kreis is a multi-award winner. Having gathered himself awards from Critic's Circle, Out Music, and most excitingly, the Tony's. Born in Oliver Springs, Tennessee his music features a fusion of styles influenced by gospel, country, bluegrass, and even rockabilly.

He says of his career, "I've always believed that our mess is our ministry. I may be more candid than the next guy about my obstacles and struggles. I am not interested in painting a perfect picture for the world to see not when people all around me need to know how to turn their pain into personal power. The driving force behind all that I do is narrow and define. I want to heal."

Even as a kid Levi had an eye for business. When offered a dollar to sing in the church for God, he suggests off the bat that given two he'd sing for Jesus as well! His deep relationship with the church and his amazing voice he was offered a lucrative gospel record contract. The contract vanished when he was outed by a betrayal within the church. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing as from the age of eight it taught him that his queerness was "detestable in the eye of god".

Falling into a domestically abusive relationship, Levi's mother works out that his violent "flatmate" is actually his lover. Whilst she appears to rescue him from harm's way, she resolves the 'rescue' with a promise that his devilish homosexual ways will lead to an AIDS diagnosis and death.

In search of community Kreis falls into the artificial comfort of crystal meth, and as his addiction grows he somehow manages to win a Tony Award in 2010.

Eventually breaking free from addiction he makes beautiful peace with his mistakes, his demons and wrong turns. "The truth is every pain brings you to power. Every mess is your voice to the world, and we need your voice." He is a true believer in the nature of things; the pattern of life.

His career has since continued to grow including a duet with alumni QBoy and a lead role in the US touring production of Hadestown.

Additional Material

Levi on Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, Bandcamp, YouTube
Levi on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Levi homepage
Domestic abuse help from GALOP the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity.
Help with chemsex addiction from the pioneering team at 56 Dean Street.
QBoy's episode of In the Key of Q.

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Oli Spleen.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

SonicFluxx: NASA, Synths and Mental Illness

Tue, 10 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Sonicfluxx was born and raised in Florida in the United States. And in January 2020, his first single Nothing Will Ever Be the Same debuted at number two in the UK's LGBTQ charts. Quickly following this success was the release of his debut EP, Nostalgia.

His premier performance on stage was at only one-month-old playing Jesus - a tough opening act to follow!

Growing up in Melbourne, Florida just a stone's throw from Cocoa Beach and NASA's HQ he grew up seeing launch after launch into space. This was a town where people didn't dream of becoming doctors or lawyers, they aspired to the stars.

The 1980s sound is hugely appealing to Sonicfluxx, even through he was only a nipper during its reign. The simpler synth sounds appeal to him more than today's complex, multi-layered some might say over-produced tracks.

He speaks candidly in the episode about his music helps him manage depression and mental illness, and how very important it is for queer people to see themselves reflected back in art forms. As with many of us, he cites Russell T Davies' Queer As Folk as a fixed point in time of seared identity.

Sonicfluxx's stylish merch store has also launched, and lucky listeners of this podcast get a 20% discount when entering the discount code INTHEKEYOFQ. This deal does not expire and can be used again and again! Shipping is free worldwide.

Additional Material

SonicFluxx on Spotify, Bandsintown, Apple Music, YouTube, TIDAL
SonicFluxx on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
SonicFluxx homepage
SonicFluxx merch (remember to use discount code INTHEKEYOFQ).

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Neyon.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Xantheartist: Kanye, Military & Self-Defence

Tue, 03 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Xantheartist counts an impressive hundred thousand streams on Spotify. He's only three years into his music career, but has already secured a number one record with his cover Hapsburg Lippp. Before transitioning to a man, he served in the US military and went on to make a considerable name for himself on the drag king circuit.

He grew up in a household with Nirvana, Phil Collins, New Edition and Luther Vandross pumping from the family hifi. The home was of military stock, and during his childhood his father was deployed in the first Iraq war. The strict household and challenges around gender identity dropped PTSD on Xan, which is being worked through today with counseling.

Accidental encounters showed Xan that he was an excellent performer, both as a rapper and drag king. He increasingly felt the drag king persona was closer to his genuine identity and went onto transition, female-to-male. He speaks eloquently about the importance to avoid mis-gendering, and the hurt this can cause.

He speaks passionately about the importance of self-denfence for the LGBTQ community and especially within the QPOC community. 'You can walk with your head high and confidently knowing that you can defend yourself against anything. '

Additional Material

Xantheartist on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube
Xantheartist on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
Xantheartist merch
Xantheartist homepage

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Ryan Cassata.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Matthew and the Keys: Potter, Madonna and Silenced BIPOC

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

This week's guest is from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. His music combines personal experiences, passion, and is inspired by artists as varied as Vanessa Carlton, John Mayer and Metric. He is an educator, a model, and an actor. He's sung since the age of two and has written songs since he was 12.

Despite being a shy kid, Matthew couldn't stop his love of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from escaping out. And he'd tell anyone who'd listen about Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo - those heroes in a half shell. And of course, he'd run around the house singing the theme.

His home was beautifully musical with Soul, Hip Hop, Rap and R&B blending with the tunes of Abba's Waterloo, Fernando and SOS.

As an adult, he is frustrated how the gay community can be bad at looking after its own. And how we can often be blind to the silencing of BIPOC of LGBTQ voices. He out and proud music most definitely moves towards that, even more so with the release of his new album Victory (Produced by Brett Reed).

Additional Material

Matthew on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube
Matthew on Twitter, Instagram
Matthew's homepage

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Andy Pisanu ("Memory Flowers").

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Dead Method: Femme, Feelings and Welsh Resilience

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Lloyd Best performing as Dead Method is an alternative pop artist based in Cardiff, Wales. They started a solo career in 2018 and they've gone on to support 65 Days of Static and Public Service Broadcasting. In 2020, their debut album Queer Genesis was released, an exploration of queer culture and identity.

The sceptre of Section 28 hung over his upbringing as merciless homophobic bullying went unchecked in his Welsh Catholic school. Despite the comfort and support of a loving home the experience and failure of teachers to act in loco parentis still scar him today.

Despite growing up in the country's capital city of Cardiff he faced narrow-minded attitudes towards his sexuality. Perhaps surprisingly these were present in the city's music industry too which left him feeling small and silenced.

Thankfully he found his tribe as so many of us do, which allowed him not only to blossom as a musician but also as a queer man. This is shown no better than in his empowering and catchy new album release, Femme.

Additional Material

Dealing with homophobic bullying at school from Stonewall.
Dead Method on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube
Dead Method on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
Dead Method homepage

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Daniel Versus the World.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Gentleman Reg: Nomad, Underground & Military Brat

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Gentleman Reg hails from Toronto in Canada. He's a singer songwriter, drag artist, DJ and makeup artist. He has released seven full-length albums with various bands, including Light Fires, and Regina Gently. A former member of the group Hidden Cameras, Reg has also sung is also sung with Broken Social Scene and Owen Pallett.

Intriguingly he also had a cameo in the film Shortbus, which this year sees a rerelease.

Reg had a nomadic upbringing. With a military pilot father, he grew up in both Germany and Canada. Eventually settling in the small town of Guelph he found himself surrounded by music, not least because of the indie-celebrating festival, Hillside.

Eventually releasing his own music, he worked with many different bands and guises including the highly popular Hidden Cameras.

He has a striking look with white hair and pale skin, and eventually learned to embrace people's wrong assumption that he was albino. And as the effeminate kid in school, from an early age he learned to roll with is Otherness.

Gentleman Reg embraced online living during the pandemic and found himself not only entertaining his old audience but swathes of new people who never usually visited bars. He is an advocate of the alternative side of the queer scene, and this was a natural extension of that, reaching audiences for whom mainstream queer living mostly ignored.

Additional Material

Gentleman Reg on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp
Gentleman Reg on Twitter, Instagram
Gentleman Reg homepage

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Nick Vaan.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

A-Natural: Homelessness, Rape and Conversations with God

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

A-Natural founded Natural City Music recording label and has himself won two international independent music awards. He's opened for T-Pain and has written and produced for multiple major artists. In 2020 he released the album, 'Kwame', a seminal autobiographical piece in 12 tracks.

Gospel church music has been hugely influential on A-Natural with the church being very present throughout his upbringing. B Slade (formerly Tonex) is mentioned as a particular inspiration - a "gospel Prince"!

Coming into college A-Natural discovered new kinds of music and went into writing and performing his own material. But the task is not easy, and as a friend of his said, musicians sacrificed their lives so that everyone can have a soundtrack to theirs.

He faces the challenges of being Black, American, Queer and Christian helped particularly by the book Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch. He tells us, Faith doesn't just have to be about God. Faith is about understanding that the things that you want for your life can come to pass. If you just believe.

After a period of homelessness he gets onto his feet, but is raped on the night he loses his virginity. It's a traumatic memory that has laid dormant until viewing the BBC show 'I May Destroy You' by Michaela Coel in which the character Kwame experiences a similar experience.

He goes on to plea for musicians to give themselves time and space to be creative; to allow themselves to make their art and not just 'content'. He says with sadness, We're demanded to be these caricatures of ourselves. And we get exhausted and burnt out trying to please an algorithm that really doesn't know who we are.

Additional Material

A-Natural's homepage.
A-Natural on Twitter and Instagram.
A-Natural on Spotify and Apple Music.
Leaflet providing assistance to those affected by sexual violence.
Help after rape and sexual assault from the NHS.

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Wuhryn Dumas.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Benjamin Stewart: Gender, Soundscapes & Lucid Dreams

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Benjamin Stewart has been making music for over 10 years and has written and recorded since the age of 12. They define as non-binary. Living an authentic life in America's Mississippi state.

In November 2021 they released the album 'Spaces', a dystopian electronic eight-track instrumental work.

Benjamin is constantly inspired by the everyday, accidental rhythms around them such as the weekly fire alarm test in their complex. These lead to the creation of their long, complex instrumental pieces that are both edgy and relaxing. Listen with headphones! The music will take you into another world.

Further inspiration is taken from within as Benjamin talks about lucid dreaming and the remarkable way that they have managed to teach themselves the skill to regularly achieve it. It's all about habit, hands and a candle! And tied in with this is Benjamin's celebration of rest, and a plea to the world to allow itself time-out.

Narrow definitions of gender are very much not their bag. Benjamin talks about their own journey, delighting in the freedom granted by being freed from gender expectations.

Additional Material

Benjamin on Instagram and Facebook.
Benjamin on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Bandcamp.
A great article celebrating non-binary living and great ways to be a tip-top ally.
The Guardian newspaper asks Can Lucid Dreaming Help Us Understand Consciousness?
Fans of Benjamin's work might like to hear music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the pioneers of the genre.
This week's cross-promotion comes from the wonderful Song Surfing Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Dhorin Fireheart.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Brandon James Gwinn: Broadway, Tumbleweed and Tori Spelling

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

This week's guest is Brandon James Gwinn, a Live Nation touring artist and Billboard number one indie music producer. He won the Richard Rogers award for musical theater writing. Previous winners include such illustrious alumni as Rent's Jonathan Larson. His most recent album Bullit is a rock delight with glorious splashes of Hedwick, Scissor Sisters, and musical theatre.

Lock two gay men on a call and it is inevitable that within a minute they mention Bernadette Peters. But not to be outdone we also get Better Midler, Katherine Hepburn and Moss Hart in there too!

Brandon talks about the creatively restrictive living of smalltown Murfreesboro, TN. But despite this, his parents and grandfolks managed to fill the family home with REO Speedwagon, the Eagles, Eighties Pop, Glenn Miller and Billie Holiday. With such a gorgeous mix of inspiring music is it any surprise that their boy headed to the bright lights of New York and the dreams of Broadway!

Despite a modest schooling, talented Brandon beat all the odds and made it into NYU training to write for musical theatre. He's a real-life Gabe! Of course, by this point, we've discovered a shared love for the movie Trick and hope that the COVID-delayed sequel will still materialize.

He talks about connecting with Trixie Mattel, and how touring together inspired his Bullit album. And how he's learned to lean on good chums in times of depression. Or to put it better he quotes the great Bette herself!

Episode highlights:

Brandon's links: homepage, Insta, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify
Gateway song: Bullit
I totally love this video for Cristal Conners possibly because Brandon looks such a dish in it.

If you enjoyed this episode, I suggest taking a listen to Matthew Presidente.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

QBoy: Bullies, HIV & Victoria Wood

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

This week's guest is QBoy. Born Marcos Brito he is a DJ, music artist, producer, rapper, and dancer. He was raised in Basildon, Essex and La Gomera, Canary Islands, being of half-British, half-Gomeran descent.

He has five independent releases under his belt, he has helped lead the way for diversity and inclusion within the LGBTQ community and hip-hop. At present, he is co-promoter and DJ at popular club night 'R & She: The Queens Of Hip-Hop' which now in its 8th year has featured sets by DJ Spinderella of Salt-N-Pepa and Mel Blatt of All Saints.

QBoy also has a weekly residency at London's megaclub Heaven and also plays regularly for The Ned and Ace Hotel London.

In the episode, QBoy chats about his love of rapping, how he loves that it carries the visceral energy of youth. We touch on Section 28 and the negative impact it had on his schooling as he experienced the dark cloud of classroom homophobic bullying.

Passions for music and dancing carried him through those tough times, as did indeed a love of Five Star and the wonderful Victoria Wood.

Launching himself into the hip hop scene of the early 2000s, QBoy chats about joining gayhiphop.com and finding himself at the centre of a Queer hip hop collective with the likes of DJ Mister Maker. He was part of that first generation of MySpace musicians, able to use the then-new technology of the internet to connect to audiences. QBoy was self-producing and self-releasing content at a time when it was an unusual thing to do.

Because he's a sexy-looking pup, QBoy managed to get hip hop onto the world's pride stages. They were happy to hire a cute white boy, but not his Queer black counterparts. QBoy talks about his frustration on this and his attempts to redress the balance pushing artists like the Deep Dick Collective and Tori Fixx.

As with so many of the Queer generation, QBoy's life was touched by HIV and for years he battled with the stigma and shame around his status. He speaks passionately about positive shaming on Grindr and Scruff, and his irritation behind people crowing on apps about their negative status.

Additional Material

Basildon - BBC rebranding, New Town Utopia (Trailer)
Assistance for people with HIV: Positively UK (standing up for the dignity and rights for people with HIV); National AIDS Trust (securing rights and stopping HIV); NHS Advice on Living with HIV (UK health service); Terrence Higgins Trust (landmark UK-based HIV charity).
Gateway Song: Q.B.O.Y. (Is Just So Fly)

If you enjoyed this episode, I suggest taking a listen to The IZM.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Feed Takeover! The Song Surfing Podcast

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 03:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

This week we're taken over by the Song Surfing podcast! It's a music discovery podcast showcasing the best indie music from around the world! Hear an eclectic mix of music spanning many genres and discover your next favorite artist.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Paul Andrews - Revisited

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Featuring new material made public for the first time, LGBTQ singer Paul Andrews discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q is scheduled to appear on 15 March 2022. Please click here for more information regarding the delay.

Additional Material

Paul on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Paul's homepage

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

A Message about Series 2

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

A message from presenter and producer Dan Hall about series 2.

Catch-Up with Ty McKinnie

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Just one week until the launch of Season 2 with QBoy!

But until then pull up a chair and listen in on TyMcKinnie and I talking gentrification, COVID and dating, not dating, dating, not dating, definitely not dating, but sort of dating... :-)

Additional Material

Hear Ty's original episode here!
Ty guests on the pod's two Black Queer America specials: Part 1 & Part 2.
Ty on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube, TIDAL
Ty on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
Ty's homepage

Ty mentions queer artists in this episode. Take a listen to their episodes - The IZM and FURILLOSTAR.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.

Jsky - Revisited

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, LGBTQ singer Jsky discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

Episode transcription.
Jsky’s choices: Deniece Williams, Pavarotti, Jocelyn Brown, Larry Heard
Jsky’s homepage.
Jsky’s blog.
Jsky on Twitter, Insta, Facebook and YouTube.
Jsky’s podcast.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Wuhryn Dumas - Revisited

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, LGBTQ singer Wuhryn Dumas discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

Transcript.
Wuhryn’s homepage.
Wuhryn on: Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud, Amazon Music, Tidal, Napster.
Wuhryn’s choices: Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Prince, Wuhryn Dumas, Solange.
Wuhryn’s gateway track: 2U.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Brendan Maclean - Revisited

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, LGBTQ singer Brendan Maclean discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

Show transcript.
Brendan at Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, YouTube.
Brendan on Patreon.
Brendan’s choices: Rufus Wainwright, Moloko, Frank Ocean, Years and Years.
Other references: Common People (Pulp), Champagne Charlie (“Champagne!”), Ode To a Gym Teacher.
Brendan’s Gateway Song, Stupid.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

SADBOY - Revisited

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, Hip-Hop artist SADBOY discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

SADBOY‘s forever home online.
Episode transctiption.
SADBOY's artist choices: Tinashe, Robyn, Lykke Li, Daft Punk.
SADBOY's chosen gateway track, AM To PM.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Blake Mundel - Revisited

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, LGBTQ singer Blake Mundel (aka Courier) discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

Blake’s forever home online.
Show transcript.
Blake (as Courier) and his video in which “a black man can go out for a jog and make it home”.
Inspirational gay NFL players at Casino.org.
Blake's chosen artists: Beyonce, Paul Simon, Sufjan, James Taylor, Chance the Rapper
Blake's chosen song: San Francisco.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Furillostar - new music!

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 09:00:00 +0100

In this bonus mini-episode, Flint-based alumni Furillostar introduces his new single, DWNLD which drops today. And as ever, a London shout-out to Mamma Star!

Episode transcription here.
FURILLOSTAR’s linktree can be found here.
His full Key of Q interview can be found here.
In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q drops in March 2022.

Aruan - Revisited

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, pop singer Aruan discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Support the podcast at our Patreon page for as little as £3 per month.
Transcript here.
Aruan’s band Furiku on Spotify and Apple Music.
Aruan on Spotify and Apple Music.
Aruan's chosen artists: Prince, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Madonna
Aruan's gateway song, Go-Go.
“A Brief History of Prince” from The Beat Goes On
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Ty McKinnie - Revisited

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, singer Ty McKinnie discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Links:

Ty’s forever home online.
Transcription here.
Me. Him. Us. A sexual health awareness project for gay and bisexual men from Black, South Asian and other ethnic minority communities.
Ty's chosen artists: Brandy, Tori Kelly, Whitney Houston, Nat King Cole, Beyonce
Ty's gateway song Mutual.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Matt Fishel - Revisited

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

Featuring new material made public for the first time, pop rock singer Matt Fishel discusses his five favourite songs plus the one track that he'd chosen as a gateway song into his catalogue.

Series 2 of In the Key of Q will begin on 1 March 2022.

Transcription is available here.
Matt’s forever home.
Matt on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Matt's chosen artists: Madonna, Manic Street Preachers, Prince, Pet Shop Boys, Seal
Matt's gateway song, Radio Friendly Pop Song.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word! And do keep your eyes peeled for Matt's new album that's on the way.

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.l

2021 Christmas Special (Act 2)

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall welcomes back a Santa sack of guests, each with an exclusive musical treat for listeners. The singing festive elves are: Ty McKinnie (ep 2), Aruan (ep 3), Paul Andrews (ep 9), The IZM (ep 10), Vincent DiGeronimo (ep 11), Matthew Presidente (ep 22), TIN (ep 25), Tommy Atkins (ep 31), Venn Smyth (ep 32), Mr Slade (ep 35) plus special guests London performers Derek and Orla presenting their Christmas single.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Feeling lonely at Christmas? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Links that might help: Very Well Mind, Campaign to End Loneliness, Mind and Red Online.
Spotify links for guests: Ty McKinnie, Aruan Duval, Paul Andrews, The IZM, Vincent DiGeronimo, Matthew Presidente, TIN, Tommy Atkins, Venn Smyth, Mr Slade and Derek and Orla.
More Queer artists with Christmas cheer! – Steve Grand, Kevin Yee, Tom Goss.
KoQ favourite Christmas advert this year, for Posten Norway. So nice to see that us gays are allowed to be over 30!

This is the final episode of Season 1, with a new series beginning on 1 March 2022 with a two-part special featuring British rapper, QBoy (Spotify).

Dan Hall is a TV, film and audio producer whose credits include the podcast series ‘Been There Done That with Susan Osman’, ‘Cher and the Loneliest Elephant’ and ‘Freddie Mercury: The Final Act’.

2021 Christmas Special (Act 1)

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

This week, presenter Dan Hall welcomes back a Santa sack of guests, each with an exclusive musical treat for listeners. The singing festive elves are: Ty McKinnie (ep 2), Aruan Duval (ep 3), Paul Andrews (ep 9), The IZM (ep 10), Vincent DiGeronimo (ep 11), Matthew Presidente (ep 22), TIN (ep 25), Tommy Atkins (ep 31), Venn Smyth (ep 32), Mr Slade (ep 35) plus special guests London performers Derek and Orla presenting their Christmas single.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Feeling lonely at Christmas? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Links that might help: Very Well Mind, Campaign to End Loneliness, Mind and Red Online.
Spotify links for guests: Ty McKinnie, Aruan Duval, Paul Andrews, The IZM, Vincent DiGeronimo, Matthew Presidente, TIN, Tommy Atkins, Venn Smyth, Mr Slade and Derek and Orla.
More Queer artists with Christmas cheer! – Steve Grand, Kevin Yee, Tom Goss.
KoQ favourite Christmas advert this year, for Posten Norway. So nice to see that us gays are allowed to be over 30!

This is the final episode of Season 1, with a new series beginning on 1 March 2022 with a two-part special featuring British rapper, QBoy (Spotify).

Paul Leonidou

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘What have you got to be depressed about?’ is like saying, ‘What have you got to have a cold about?’

In this episode, Paul discusses his Greek Cypriot roots, his battles with depression and suicidal thoughts, and his own journey into authenticity.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Paul’s homepage can be found here.
Alumni Andy Pisanu is mentioned, and his episode can be found here.
Click here for help with suicidal thoughts.

Coming next Quesday is the second of our two-part specials in which previous guests return to deliver exclusive audio gifts to our listeners!

TRANSCRIPTION:

Dan 00:00

Hello and welcome to the first in two Christmas special episodes of In the Key of Q, the guest in this week's episode is, well, one of the family, really. He composed our theme tune and has been a brilliant supporter of the podcast.

Please be aware, though, that there was extensive discussion of depression and including some references to suicide. So listener discretion is advised. As ever, there will be support links provided in the show notes.

Paul 00:27

Well. I remember the first time I was depressed, seven years old. And my answer to me? What's wrong with you? I said, I'm depressed and she goes, Oh, seven, how can you be depressed? I was. It was this sense of someone dims the screen and your lens of perception, and everything feels heavy.

Dan 00:52

This is In the Key of Q featuring musicians from around the world who inspire my queer identity. Everybody is welcome to the conversation, whatever beautiful identity pleases you. Music helps us feel connected and know that we are not alone.

This program is made possible thanks to the financial support of listeners like you over at hatred on dot com slash in the key of queue, and remember to join the conversation across socials using the hashtag queer music. I'm Dan Hall.

Come on in, sit down and be heard. You've been hearing this week's guests since episode one. He composes and sound designs for advertising and short films and studied music technology at the University of West London, as well as a composer.

He's also a singer performing and releasing under the name to D Loono. So a big, big welcome to the horribly talented and very, very lovely Paul Leonidou.

Paul 01:45

Hello. Hello, Daniel San.

I was born in North London, which is a bit of a cliche if you're Greek Cypriot. I remember my mum telling me that at about a year and a half old, the first sign that she saw that I loved music was that I was watching Bugsy Malone with my milk bottle.

I was lying on my back with my legs crossed, swinging my leg and kind of learning every single word that musical. And I remember being so small that I didn't get that they were kids. They were like grown ups to me, you know, in terms of context.

So and then I started singing a bit of Tallulah, and then she got a bit worried was going to be warning signs.

Dan 03:02

You should be singing The Boxer!

Paul 03:05

Yeah, exactly. I sang that to a saying all of them. Yes, the thing I embrace, the more indiscriminately.

Dan 03:10

What was your upbringing like?

Paul 03:13

I had a very vivid imagination, and you know, I would talk to things and beings that weren't there. And I was so in my own world and kind of music being this intangible thing that's just surrounding you, I just get swept up into music.

I remember. I remember my mum playing Phantom of the Opera on vinyl, playing a really loud, and I remember hearing that that main piece of music and I could visualize the note, you know, I could see it. It was kind of like this symphony unravelling like an animation in front of me.

So yeah, I was very much, very, very much in my own world. My mum said when she's used to pick me up from school, actually, she could. She could touch her eyes. That was quite bad, but she could tell it was me because all the other kids are walking kind of very, you know, you uniformly, very slowly. And I'll be the one jumping up and down and spinning and deviating from the line, she goes, I just summed you up, you're always singing and you know, it's a real, joyful. Joyful child, you know, I. I remember laughing or smiling a lot.

But I also remember there was there's that tipping point where you kind of realize other kids aren't quite so expressive and then and then you start getting singled out for it and from quite a young age. I remember thinking, Oh, I'm getting picked on for this.

I'm getting singled out for this. And you start to see that. There's a message that that you're being fed, which is, you know. What you are in your natural. Form is not OK or not accepted or is a point of ridicule, and I think sadly, that's when I kind of started to retract into my shell.

You know, so…

Dan 05:04

A lot of the time we get asked as great people, when did you realize you were gay? And my stock answer to that is always been. I didn't realize I was gay. What I did is realize that other people thought I was wrong.

Paul 05:17

Yeah, that's a really good way of looking at it. A grammar school, you know, career about age 13, 14. Everyone was calling me gay, I had long hair. I remember I was quite expressive. I moved my hands a lot, which I just thought was a Mediterranean thing or just being gay.

But it was very I realized there were I was being called gay in all these different words, and I didn't even know what it meant. And I kind of thought, you know, whether they thought I was or not, I was just slightly different and a bit creative.

I don't know what it was, but it also came a point where. I did get bullied quite a lot, but I also played into it, so as in, there was one point where somebody says, Oh, you're queer, you're gay, whatever, and I said, Yeah, I am, what are you going to do about it?

Yes, if he's not the guy, then I'll be like, Yeah, yeah, and I'd I thought I'd play into it to kind of defuse the situation, but actually it made it worse. I went to an all boys school, which I don't recommend, by the way, but I remember I was sobbing.

In classroom and all the other kids have, all the other kids had left sorry and. Our image saying to the teacher, everyone hates me, no one likes me, and I think he kind of caught on to the fact that it was gay related issue and he was a former priest and obviously very religious, and he just turned to me goes, Well, I can't make people like you. Charming, I thought. That's nice.

Dan 07:18

So, Paul, you talked about you going from this outgoing, bubbly kid and then I guess. Witnessing the gradual disapproval of the world around you, the sort of suburban mode around you of your outgoing us, and you gradually retreated into yourself.

What did that feel like retreating into yourself and what did it look like, what was your behaviour like? What was your what were your thoughts like?

Paul 07:46

Haven't really thought about it in these terms, so I'm just kind of. Mulling it over, because I think actually. Kind of putting on an act or pretending or at least holding certain parts of my personality back became second nature.

Greek Cypriot grandparents. They loved me dearly, but, you know, devoutly religious and from a different world. So, you know, they always just thought gay equals evil. And I kind of had that level of understanding where I thought, would that from a world that can't comprehend it?

So I don't kind of I don't judge him for it. But then you fall into the the habit of apologizing for who you are and apologizing for your existence, albeit under your breath and internally. I think I found myself becoming quite exhausted quite quickly, and, you know, a sense of imposter syndrome and what if I get found out? And there's that constant feeling of looking over your back. And I remember people used to say to my mum, Of course, too soft, you need to toughen them up. You'll be a sissy when he grows up.

And so those things ring they stay in your mind, you know? And to some extent as well, I kind of agreed with the wider opinion or, you know, I did believe that there was something wrong with me as well. So just pretend, hopefully no one will find out and everything will be OK.

But obviously that takes its toll well for a while and especially when your identity still forming and you figuring out who you are.

Dan 09:15

You've spoken a bit about your Greek Cypriot identity. What does that mean to you?

Paul 09:21

It means something different to me now than it did when I was younger. I mean. So growing up, you know, single mother, she used to work a lot, so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents and so I'd speak Greek to them and I'd hear stories from the old, from the old days in the villages and some very bizarre characters.

If you go to the British Museum and look at Cypriot ancient, separate, specifically artifacts, they look like bizarre, quirky. Nutty clowns. They're just something really funny and endearing and childlike about them. And I'm going with my friend Fiona, and she saw some of these statues.

She goes, suddenly, I understand you better seeing that. I think there's such a rich tapestry to draw from, and it's wonderful to be a part of that. And then there's the kind of less appealing side where, you know, some of them used to be quite judgmental and narrow and bit sexist, homophobic, et cetera, et cetera.

I think, you know, the younger generations are definitely getting better. But there was this weird sense of balancing and treading the line. But as a child and as an adult? Being Cypriot. Greek Cypriot, especially, I think, yeah, it's I appreciate what a special island it is. It's very beautiful, has a quite sad history. But the resistance of magic, and I think that's the side I tried to embrace.

Dan 11:03

And how do you feel that weaves into your British identity?

Paul 11:09

Growing up, I see this is less politically is less politically correct to say this these days or less PC to to ask someone a question because someone would say, Where are you from? I'd say London or Rochester or wherever.

I don't know where you're really from.

Dan 11:24

It's basically saying, Tell me the origin of your otherness, isn't it? That's really what they're saying. They're saying, I look at you and you look like the other.

Paul 11:34

I remember going to Cyprus on holiday and it'd be like, You're English, you're the English boy. And in England, at school, I know your Cypriot. You're different, you're different. And so there was a sense of always being, you know, ping pong from one tribe to the other.

You don't quite belong with us. You don't quite belong with us. Your identity is this your identity? Is that? And at a point in life where you really, really want to fit in and belong, that was very difficult romantically.

I always thought the outsiders had this automatic sense of solidarity, but there can be a lot of conflict from outsider to outsider as well, because everyone's trying to struggle and find their own way. And I think there's a sense of dissonance there, which is quite sad.

Dan 12:50

What is the adult Paul like? So he's left school. So who is this person that is thrown out onto the world?

Paul 13:02

Because you pick some tough questions, don't you? All right, let's use the system, put myself in the therapy session, OK? Listen, I'm still. I'm still that sensitive kid. I still have a great sense of magic and imagination. Unfortunately, you know, there have been some very.

Very traumatic incidents in my life. Know, I think we all have. We all have things that scar us and shape us. And as you know, you know, through our friendship that, you know, depression and anxiety have reared their heads several times in my life.

And there was kind of a coming out when I first admitted I had depression, and that was interesting, and I was almost too ashamed to admit that to see this as a running thing, this internalized shame and this sense of what you are isn't OK. It's not OK to be depressed. It's not okay to be gay. It's OK to be sensitive. It's not OK to be not as masculine as as, you know, cowboys, you brand cattle or whatever. So. I think.

The grown up me now is more accepting of the of the darker aspects of of of my psyche and to realize that. If you are depressed or anxious, you know, it's well, I remember in a in a therapy session, Akanbi who said it, but there's a sense that your brain is just trying to keep you safe. And so it will try and lock you down and make you more lethargic and make you want to stay at home and protect yourself because that's just it. You've had something traumatic happened to you in a certain sphere of life, somewhere out in your travels and your brain is just simply slowing down, trying to keep you in a sense of in a lockdown, in a sense.

Dan 15:01

For those who haven't experienced it, can you help? Creates a picture, a 360 picture of what that experience is like.

Paul 15:10

All right, well, let me start with anxiety, because I find that one easier to. To describe, and I remember writing a blog about this because I, you know, I've nearly taken my life on a few occasions and when I kind of got to the other side.

I had this thought that I needed to make sense of the suffering, and I thought it was any good that can come from the suffering is that perhaps it can ease someone else's. one day I had I felt like I had three exam nerves, pre driving test nerves.

I felt like I just received terrible news about death or something like that. And then the house was on fire and the anxieties of all of those things combined, which is condensed into a tiny ball. And that was with me for most of the day, for several weeks, several months, and it became torture.

It was awful. And there's just a there's a degree of suffering that just seems so senseless because, you know, rationally, I know I'm OK, I'm safe in the space that I'm in right now. But something was spiralling out of control, and a lot of people would say to me, it's the opposite, but I always felt that anxiety so exhausted me to the point of depression, whereas a lot of people would say, actually, depression will trigger the anxiety and who's to say? But that was my experience of anxiety, and after that, I was heavily medicated. And even though I I will say that the medication did saved my life. It also it comes at a price you're addicted, you are foggy, your brain is a bit. Is a kind of Claudia. And there are other issues, let's say that, so, you know. For me, medication wasn't that wasn't the solution, but it did save my life and is one of many stepping stones.

I remember the first time I was depressed, seven years old, and my aunt said to me. What's wrong with you? I said I'm depressed and she goes, No. seven, How can you be depressed? I was. It was this sense of. It can be quite a physical sensation, it's like someone dims the screen in your lens of perception and everything feels heavy, you feel tired, you feel defeated and just lost in this fog and it just genuinely feels like there's no way out and in the same way you get the endorphin rush when you get a text message or a like on social media, it's the polar opposite of that is the antithesis of that.

Dan 19:07

Depression and anxiety were a big part of your existence and continue to be so what is the interconnectivity that these feelings have with your music and with the music that you create?

Paul 19:21

When when I'm deep in a depressive episode, there's very little I can do, I don't have a desire to create to even get out of bed, so that's quite difficult. But as it's starting to lift, there's this kind of like this, this just before the dawn. The Sun starting to come up and you can kind of reflect on what's just happened, and I wrote a song called Underworld at the end of a depressive episode, and it was really about feeling like I had died; gone to the underworld and then really asking someone, Don't bring me back to life. Don't don't make me cross the River Styx and come back to this realm of reality unless you mean it. As in, unless you're going to allow me to to live in a way that is, I don't know, authentic, if you like. It's part of the journey where you you travel and explore and and the darkness sometimes forces you to try to access places that you wouldn't normally access. And so you kind of have to take the gifts that are given even in the awful scenarios.

Dan 20:40

one of the most lovely things about you, Paul, and my friendship with you is how open and honest you are about the anxiety and depression that you're experience, and it makes me feel that I can be open with you about things I'm going through.

And it intrigues me as to why there is society's stigma around mental health and around having discourse about mental health. Where do you think that comes from?

Paul 21:07

History. And I think in order to explore various mental health issues and those kinds of themes, you have to be in touch with your emotions and display a certain degree of emotional intelligence. And I think historically showing emotions has been deemed a sign of weakness.

I think that that definitely is changing there is less of a stigma, but I think it's so hard wired into people that there is still that slight resistance and sometimes people will be, you know, have the attitude of pull your socks up and.

And also, I think people who've never experienced depression, I think it's it's it's hard. It can be hard to relate because people often say, what have you got to be depressed about? And I think, well, you know, it's like saying, Well, what have you got to have a cold about? It's just you. You have the cold, you have the depression. It's it's not always circumstantial, but I think circumstances can. Can exacerbate. A depressive episode, if you like, but yeah, I think it's just it's just been talking about our feelings, especially, you know, in the masculine kind of patriarchal kind of society. You know,...

Aris Ziagos

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘Hang tight, because things will change and you are inspiring someone by being you and not being afraid to be you. And that is contagious.’

In this episode Aris discusses the pain and inspiration behind grief which has been woven throughout his life, be it through the loss of his mother, his friend Ari Gold amongst others. He reveals the importance of being authentic as an artist, and the importance of empathy.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Aris can be found over at YouTube, Twitter, Apple Music, Insta
Alumni Vincent DiGeronimo recommended Aris for the pod. Hear his episode here.

Coming next Quesday is In the Key of Q composer and singer, Paul Leonidou.

Ethereal and the Elevated

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘If we could all just be aware about each other’s mental health and not look down on each then we could actually learn to get on with each other.’

In this episode bandmates Ethereal and Ant O'Donnell. duo whose music is inspired by the best of Anthony and the Johnsons, London Grammar and Portishead. In the episode they discuss the disrespect shown to trans identities, the Marvel vs DC comic wars and Veganism.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Ethereal and the Elevated over on Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Insta, Twitter.
Trans support groups in the UK, the USA and globally.

Coming next Quesday is Aris Ziagos.

Oli Spleen

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘After I got the diagnosis I start having lots of unprotected sex because I thought, “Well why did I even bother to be careful if I still managed to have this?”. In retrospect, I should have just enjoyed it.'

Oli Spleen comes this week from the ever-sunny seaside shores of Brighton in England. His first album was released in 2013. Titled ‘Fag Machine’ it was a Velvet Underground-tinged take on Queer life. His most recent album is 2020’s ‘Night Sweats and Fever Dreams’ and is a complex and moving work inspired by the HIV / AIDS epidemic.

Oli discusses in the episode how HIV brought him dangerously close to dying and the effect that crystal meth addiction has had on his personal life. This episode also contains discussion of suicide, so listener discretion is advised.

Useful links:

Help for suicidal thoughts from the UK’s NHS.
Oli’s pages at Bandcamp and YouTube.
Help for crystal meth addiction at 56 Dean Street.
Useful info about HIV AIDS from GMFA.
Compilation of death references in Fraggle Rock via YouTube.
Domestic violence and abuse, support resources from Stonewall.

The podcast can be financially supported at patreon.com/inthekeyofq where for as little as five US dollars a month subscribers can access exclusive interview contact with every guest.

Keywords: #HIVAIDS #HIVDiagnoses #CrystalMethAddiction #CrystalMeth #VelvetUnderground #QueerSon #FraggleRock #JimHenson #Queercore #BoysInMakeUp #BoysInDrag #FraggleRock #DeathObsession

Mr Slade

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘In our attempt to be accepted by mainstream media we’ve exchanged leather parties for quiche partiers and BBQs with neighbours.’

Mr Slade’s sound features tinges of Grunge mixed with the British 80s Goth scene, a splattering of Punk’s guitar fury and a smidge of Pop. He discusses how an empowering Arts High School saved him from the familiar classroom Queer experience of isolation. He talks about the compromises Queer culture has made to be accepted into the mainstream, and also the homophobia, sexism and racism behind Rock’s hatred of Disco.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Mr Slade’s homepage.
Mr Slade on social media: Instagram
Mr Slade’s music: Spotify, Apple Music
Billy Idol made us gay! See him on YouTube. And so did Sinitta’s So Macho.
Living with HIV with Matthew Hodson on YouTube.
Trailer for the HBO film, The Normal Heart on YouTube.
Blake Mundell discusses his complex relationship with religion. Click here.
“Dear Straight Acting Gays” on YouTube.

‘When I grew up in the 1980s I almost never heard pop songs where openly gay men sang about their truths,’ says Dan Hall. ‘But these days there are plenty of songs where openly Queer men sing their truths. This podcast aims to celebrate those musicians and raise the profile of their music so we can feel connected, heard and not alone.’

To hear the Series 1 30s promo, please click here.

Earlier highlights include Carrington Kelso, Brendan Maclean, Emmet Michael, Matt Fishel, Bowie Special with Janette Mason & David McAlmont, The IZM, Tom Goss, Rebel Will, Jsky, Blake Mundell, Aruan Duvall, Vincent DiGeronimo, and the Black Queer America specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

Kieran Lewis (aka "Sevenths")

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘When we come out we free ourselves of the shackles of having to perform.’

This week, Dan’s guest on In the Key of Q is British producer and singer Kieran Lewis, performing under the name Sevenths.

His first EP was published in 2018. Titled “08/08” it introduced audiences to his mid-tempo synth-pop and catchy hooks. Most recently he has released ‘The Other Side’, a higher-tempo track drawing influences from early 1990s dancefloor bops.

Kieran talks about growing up in a poor household in the North East of England and the betrayal he felt being outed by a classmate. He discusses the self-destructive conflict within Queer communities and his passion for Trans rights.

Find Kieran's music on Spotify and Apple Music.

Keywords: #QueerMusic #PoorLiving #NEEngland #Fakeliving #Str8Acting #Outed #NoFatsNoFemmes #NoFats #NoFemmes #LGBAlliance

Tramel

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I think DaBaby is not understanding that the world is changing. And what I will say is that he has to have more of a higher standard of quality when it comes to dealing with people.’

Tramel is the star of the popular reality YouTube series G-Status. In 2020 he released the critically-acclaimed EP, ‘Six Page Letter’ and this year two follow-up singles, ‘Favourite’ and ‘Popped Off’. He discusses his time on the show, and how honest conversations got him into hot water. He also chats about being outed and the legacy effect it had on his education and new-found Queer community.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Tramel’s music videos for ‘Popped Off’, ‘It’s Real’ and ‘Single’.
Tramel on YouTube, Distrokid, Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal.
Tramel performs the song ‘Single’ live on YouTube.
Tramel’s social media on Insta and Twitter.
Help with being outed from Minus18 and The Independent.
‘Why do so many LGBT people suffer from mental health problems?” from the BBC.
Fellow Georgie peach, Wuhryn Dumas’s episode of In the Key of Q.
“Don’t talk with your hands” Ty McKinnie’s episode of In the Key of Q.
“If you can’t be funny without tearing someone down, then you’re not funny” JR Price’s episode of In the Key of Q.
Tramel’s partner The Prince on Insta.

To hear the Series 1 30s promo, please click here.

Venn Smyth

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:00:00 +0100

Musician Venn Smyth discusses synth pop, Scotish identity and ideas for a new Queer community.

Links:

Tommy Atkins

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘Not even independently were there Queer Country artists singing openly Queer lyrics. When you look at the charts on mainstream radio and there isn’t a single openly Queer person on there, something’s going on.’

Tommy Akins is a British singer songwriter singing beautiful and surprisingly authentic songs in the Country Music genre. His debut album ‘Truth Be Told’ has just been released, and his previous single releases have hit number one chart positions across the world.

He talks about performing in a highly hetero-dominated music genre, and his love of Americana. The podcast includes discussions about the beauty of authentic, flawed relationships and how he resisted pressure from record company executives to straight-wash his lyrics.

Tommy’s homepage can be found here and his Proud to be Country playlist can be found here.

Keywords: #CountryMusic #SmalltownLiving #NorthEastEngland #EssexGay #Americana #QueerAmericana #StraightWashing #RecordIndustry #LoveIsLove #HomoPod #QueerPod

Cory Stewart

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘People don’t get that Queer music is all genres. For some reason we’re all expected to be George Michael.’

Cory is a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music vocal programme. Canadian-born he has been a songwriter and student of music since the age of seven and has toured and performed in several countries around the world including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria. Cory is a great advocate of Queer Indie musicians, hosting the monthly online event ‘Queer Music Social’, an online networking opportunity for musicians and music experts from around the world. He also presents the weekly Twitch show ‘Queerentine’.

In this episode Cory talks about the social effects of major weight loss and his desperate escape out of smalltown Canada. He discusses the importance of safe, Queer spaces and most importantly of all which soundtrack is the best: ‘The Bodyguard’ or ‘Beaches’?

Cory’s online home can be found here.
Jon Ali’s ‘Queer Necessities’ Spotify playlist can be found here.

Keywords: #Canada #TorontoQueer #LoveBetteMidler #LoveMadonna #BeachesSoundtrack #QueerSpaces #ExtremeWeightLoss #QueerMusic #HomoPod

Daniel Versus the World

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘There’s enough boring straight people making boring straight people music, isn’t there? You look at the charts and it’s still Ed-fucking-Sheeran.’

Daniel Vs the World released in 2016 his album ‘Remember Who You Are’ which features the records ‘Thank You’ and ‘5 By 5’ alongside ten other catchy tracks.

In this episode he talks about the challenges growing up when you’re the have-nots and your schoolmates are the haves. He discusses his passion for strong female artists, and shares exclusively with In the Key of Q audiences two demos of upcoming records.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Daniel Vs the World on Bandcamp, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify and Apple Music.
The episode also discusses In the Key of Q alumni Brendan Maclean, Carrington Kelso and the Black Queer America Specials (Part 1 and Part 2).

Coming next Quesday is Cory Stewart.

Joey Salinas

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 07:00:00 +0100

‘It shouldn’t come down to heteronormative or gay. It should just come down to human interactions and relationships.’

Joey hails from Northern Virginia in the United States and is the oldest of four children. His music entertains a myriad of genres include dance, R&B, rock, Latin fusion, and electro beats. Whilst his material is mainstream, he never strays from his core intersectional identity as a gay man of Latin descent.

In this episode he talks about growing up in the multicultural regions around Washington DC, and the freedom that performing on stage gave him from an early age. He discusses being negatively profiled due to his Latin heritage and shares his thoughts on the Queer community’s fetishization of race.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Joey over on YouTube, Insta, Apple Music, Facebook, Twitter, Soundcloud and Spotify.
The episode also discusses In the Key of Q alumni Tom Goss and The IZM.

Coming next Quesday is Daniel Versus the World.

Ryan Cassata

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘Why would you choose hate over love? It’s so much easier to be kind and to love people. So why wouldn’t you just chose that?’

This week’s guest discusses how one tiny guitar led him to becoming an award-winning sing-songwriter. Ryan talks about being one of the first trans youths to come out on American national television, and how his Faith has been an integral part of the love he feels both to the outside world and most importantly, to himself.

Useful links:

Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Ryan's homepage.
Ryan on social media: Twitter, Facebook, Insta.
Ryan's music: YouTube, Bandsintown, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify
Resources for trans, non-binary, gender diverse and LGB people from TransEDU, Supportline and London Friend.
What the bible says about homosexuality, from TED-X.
Natalie Merchant performing Wonder.
Why feminists should support transgender rights, from TED-X.

‘When I grew up in the 1980s I almost never heard pop songs where openly gay men sang about their truths,’ says presenter and producer Dan Hall. ‘But these days there are plenty of songs where openly Queer men sing their truths. This podcast aims to celebrate those musicians and raise the profile of their music so we can feel connected, heard and not alone.’

To hear the Series 1 30s promo, please click here.

Andrew M Pisanu ("Memory Flowers")

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘The Sega Mega Drive and masturbating they took the back seat. Suddenly this piano was the most amazing thing I’d ever experienced and I just couldn’t keep off it.’

This week Dan is joined by Essex-born musician Andrew M Flowers. His first notable work was a 2011 composition for the Brockley Jack Theatre and he has since scored and sound designed a plethora of stage and commercial compositions. In 2014 he won the Waterloo Film Festival Score Competition, and has somehow also found the time to make two full-length albums. His most recent work is the catchy pop-bop IDWK performed under the name Memory Flowers.

The episode includes discussions about growing up a gifted musician in Essex and his journey to catchy pop via Radiohead and Rachmaninoff. He tells us his thoughts of “masc for masc” identities in gay culture, and of embracing his inner INFJ introvert.

Andrew’s music performed under Memory Flowers can be found at www.memoryflowers.co.uk.

TIN

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I didn’t understand why no-one was hard! I was like, we’re in a darkroom isn’t that the point?!’

This week’s guest hails from Brisbane in Australia but has made South London his home. In this episode, he chats about Queer attitudes towards Asian men, and the racism and fetishisation that grows from it. And more importantly, he talks sex-positive – LOTS OF IT!

Useful links:

TIN’s pages at Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.
British Asian LGBTI at Consortium.
‘Don’t Say His Name’ reviewed at Scene and DNA.
Matthew J Dempsey discusses gay men and slut shaming on YouTube.
The podcast can be financially supported at patreon.com/inthekeyofq where for as little as five US dollars a month subscribers can access exclusive interview contact with every guest.

Keywords: #SexShaming #QueerAsian #Vauxhall #BrisbaneGay #UnderwearModel #FatKid #BodyPositivity #AndrewChristian #AndrewChristianUK #AndrewChristianModel #FirstGenerationImmigrant #VietnameseHeritage

In The Key of Q posts using #QueerMusic on social media at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Daddy Dawg

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘Not only are you not supposed to be gay, and you’re somehow choosing this horrible life, well guess what now if you’re going to have sex you’re probably going to die.’’

This week’s guest is a star on America’s Queer Country Music scene. His horny sex-positive songs are filled with all the sexy traditional Country tropes but with a cocksure man-on-man spin. In this episode, Daddy discusses beating depression and the isolation faced when there is an absolute lack of Queer visibility in media. He shares the trauma of living in the eye of the HIV / AIDS storm and how the global pandemic persuaded him to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Useful links:

Daddy on Instagram and Twitter.
Daddy’s music at Spotify and Apple Music.
Daddy’s homepage.
Stories of Queer Country music at the BBC.
The challenges of living long-term with HIV / AIDS at THT.

The podcast can be financially supported at patreon.com/inthekeyofq where for as little as five US dollars a month subscribers can access exclusive interview contact with every guest.

In The Key of Q posts using #QueerMusic on social media at Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Dhorin Fireheart

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘It’s not boiled down to the people you have sex with, but with everything around you; the way that you express yourself through clothing, or music…’

Dhorin has been releasing music for a number of years, including several singles and the 2021 EP, ‘Viking Rave Comp I’. His most recent single is the 2021 release ‘Olof’ and he intriguingly describes his sound as ‘Techno Viking Pop’. This week’s episode truly has a unique sexy Viking vibe!

He has genuine passion for his country’s Folk history. He discusses how listening to and creating music has been a mental health life-raft and how Queer identity has freed him to fully explore his own sense of self, from silver glitter trousers to bear-chested muscle bear.

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Dhorin Fireheart’s music can be found on Spotify and Apple Music.

Keywords: #Sweden #Chile #Santiago #HappyKid #VikingHero #QueerViking #QueerSweden #Stockholm #QueerStockholm #SchoolCrush #Smalltownboy #VikingDrag #Drag #UnrequitedCrush #UnrequitedGayCrush

In the Key of Q - 30 second spot trailer

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0100

Enjoy volume 1 of our artist-curated playlist by clicking here.

The podcast itself can be found by clicking here.

The IZM (republished)

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 08:05:00 +0100

‘I was so scared to say “he”, “him”. I was making reference to pussy that I’ve never even been involved with. So it was like, I can’t keep doing this anymore.’

IZM writes deeply personal beats striking at themes of self-acceptance, sexual rejection and toxic masculinity.

In the episode he challenges the homophobia he perceives within Black American culture; his recovery from sexual trauma and abuse; and the challenges of coming out as one of Hip Hop’s first openly gay performers. His intelligence and passion on the topics of social justice are an inspiration and carry beautifully into his music.

The IZM can be found Spotify, Apple, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com,on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Matthew Presidente

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘There’s something fun about performance. There’s something fun about being a character. And when you can marry that with some personal songs, a bit aggression, and a bit of an edge, it’s just such a wonderful way to get that out of your system.”

This week, Dan’s guest on In the Key of Q is Canadian singer-songwriter MATTHEW PRESIDENTE (pronounced “President-ay”).

Matthew Presidente hails from Vancouver in Canada. He isn’t restrained by style, crossing all sorts of genre. He has thus far released six studio albums, and during the COVID crisis launched a YouTube series ‘World is Watching’. In it he collaborates with Queer musicians from around the world. His latest single is the mid-tempo Summer chill track, ‘Standing in the Way of Love’ which held the Qreviews number one spot for four impressive weeks.

Matthew’s online home is at matthewpresidente.com.

Coming next Quesday is Swedish musician DHORIN FIREHEART.

Neyon

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I don’t like labelling myself, or labelling anything. That’s why I use the term Queer because it’s widely used. You can use it in so many ways.’

This week’s episode heads to the European mainland and the German capital city of Berlin. Neyon has been releasing singles since 2019 including ‘Disco Punk’, ‘Top Dog’ and the 2021 single ‘Glammed Up’. His sound is fused with 1980s retro pads and a dash of Soft Cell sleaze.

In this episode Neyon talks about growing up in the small South German town of Heidelberg, and how its normality suffocated him. He speaks about the pain when trust is broken and how Berlin and Britney Spears inspired the musician he is today.

Neyon’s music can be found on Spotify and YouTube.

Keywords: #QueerBerlin #BerlinLiving #Heidelberg #LoveBritney #IcySynth #SoftCell #QueerMusic #MichaelMedrano

JR Price

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘If you can’t be witty or funny without tearing someone down, then you’re not funny.’

JR writes light, catchy pop as showcased in his first album the 2021 release, ‘Daydream’. But beneath the catchy melodies and Britney-inspired production are tales of body shame, Queer toxicity and growing up poor in the American South.

JR is a trailblazer in the Queer community, battling against the body fascism which is such a strong part of its culture. He discusses the importance of seeing beauty in everyone and how shows like Ru Paul’s Drag Race promote a toxic culture of bitchiness and destruction.

JR Price’s homepage can be found here.

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Aish Divine

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I was angry. I was sad… and I was suicidal. Music saved me.’

HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Aish writes intelligent and personal pop with echoes of his Indian heritage woven within the beats, production and lyrics.

In the episode he mulls the concepts of mother and motherland, having himself a complex relationship with both. From the gruelling summers of India, the violent homophobia of New Delhi to the beauty of the Himalayas he is left with a deeply conflict relationship with ‘home’. He talks about how prescription drugs helped lift him from depression; the legacy of being the “chubby kid” and how gynecomastia led him to use anonymous sex for validation and escape.

Aish’s Link Tree can be found here.

In The Key of Q publishes every Tuesday (‘Quesday’) and is available at inthekeyofq.com, on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Gaana, TuneIn, Overcast, PlayerFM, Deezer, Saavn and most other podcast platforms. Its social media homes are on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Carrington Kelso

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘It’s not a crime to not understand. But when that knowledge is presented to you, and you still refuse to grow from it, then we have an issue.’

Carrington’s most recent release is ‘Baptize Me In TNT’ an acoustic collection of songs that showcase his smokey, gravelly voice to a tee. This has come on the back of his 2018 album, ‘Baptize Me’ featuring original studio versions of many of his tracks on ‘TNT’. He has just dropped the steamy single, ‘Come Over’.

Carrington offers his thoughts on coming to terms with his unique voice despite initial attempts to sound more like his icons Adele, Ed Sheeran and John Mayer. He talks about the unique intersectionality between Queer and Black identities, and how toxic indoctrination from religious ideologies led him into dark mental health corners. He discusses how his shy teen self, riddled with shame, turned into an extreme people-pleaser and he celebrates the brilliant, strong Black women that provided the backbone of his upbringing.

He is also a special guest presenter on a 2-part special about Black and Queer identities. The episodes features musicians Ty McKinnie, The IZM and comedian Sampson McCormick. The episodes are available here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Carrington’s music can be found at www.carringtonkelso.com.

Keywords: #FirstKiss #LGBTQReligion #BlackandGay #QPOC #Intersectionality #BlackBarbershop #PeoplePleasing #Depression #LGBTQIADepression #QueerMusic

Tom Goss

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I still face a lot of judgment from the gay community because I’m different. Because I like different things.’

In this week’s episode, Tom talks about his experiences as a young man in a Catholic seminary, being a misfit within the Queer community, and the painful but rewarding honesty that comes from infidelity. He shares his love of authenticity within his music, his thoughts on Lady Gaga, and the importance of using his voice to spread the word about body positivity.

Tom’s music can be found at www.tomgossmusic.com.

Keywords: #BodyPositive #LadyGag #ToxicPerfection #KenoshaMissouri #Kenosha #TomGoss #LiveMusic #NoFags #BlackTransHeroes #Infidelity #OpenRelationship #LockdownLiving

Nick Vaan

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I’m making the music that I wanted to listen to growing up. And I think if nobody else like’s it, it’s there for me to enjoy.’

This week’s guest hails from Chicago. In 2018 he released his first long-player, ‘Rituals’. And then in 2020 a five-track EP called ‘33’. Most recent is his 2021 single, ‘But a Dream’.

In this episode, Nick discusses growing up in a trailer park and the challenges he faced growing up near the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. He discusses the importance of Queer logical families and the surprising creative influence of the COVID pandemic.

Nick’s music is at nickvaan.bandcamp.com.

Janette Mason & David McAlmont

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘David Bowie has it all: style, fashion, attitude, compassion.’

This week, Dan’s guests on In the Key of Q are Jazz musician Janette Mason and singer-songwriter David McAlmont.

A special episode this week celebrating the new EP, ‘Wall to Wall Bowie’. The five-track record contains amazing, fresh, Jazz-driven new interpretations of David Bowie classics including ‘The Jean Genie’, ‘Suffragette City’ and ‘Starman’. It has been created and arranged by Janette Mason, with David McAlmont and Sam Obernik on vocals.

In this episode Janette and David talk about how Bowie has inspired them, their working relationship, as well as lamenting the loss of the iconic Streatham performance venue, The Hidewaway. Janette discusses how Bowie provided an escape for her as a North London lesbian teenager, and David recalls his memories of the day that Bowie died.

Social Media: Instagram @walltowallbowie, Facebook janettemasonmusic, Twitter @janettemason

Rebel Will

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I felt isolated. I also felt like I had to obey because it was better to obey and be in a space that I knew than to branch out and touch unchartered waters.”

This episode contains references to suicide. Please click here for help and advice.

Rebel Will hails from Toronto in Canada. He has a number of singles out including, ’Til the Sun Comes Down’, ‘Better’, and the 2021 release ‘Rocky’. Waiting in the wings ready for an Autumn release is the album, ‘Rebel Futurism’. He works for the LGBTQIA charity It Gets Better Canada and is a spokesperson for Pride Toronto.

In this episode, Rebel Will discusses the pressures of being marketed and told that his authentic self had no commercial value. And how the pressure of this led him into a depressive spiral. He reveals his very personal journey through a domestically abusive relationship and its climax in a suicide attempt. And how empowering it is to see other Black, Queer artists gaining traction in the music scene.

Emmet Michael

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘Even if you are living your truth, you still fear that people won’t accept you for it.’

This episode contains references to suicide. Please click here for help and advice.

In 2019 Emmet released his first EP, ‘I Feel Like I Just Woke Up’ and followed this up with the 2021 release, ‘I Hope You’re Home’. The title track of the album deals with his close friend whose own internal struggle ended in suicide.

Emmet writes beautiful, soulful Folk-influenced songs. In the episode he speaks honestly about drink and drugs addiction, the psychological trauma caused by a homophobic, religious upbringing and his empowering journey transitioning.

Emmet’s homepage can be found here.

FURILLOSTAR

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘There’s probably another little black boy somewhere in Flint, Michigan that feels unrepresented. He feels that he can’t really be himself because it’s not there. He can’t see it.’

Please note this episode contains a discussion about a young person's murder. Support can be found by clicking here.

In 2018 FURILLOSTAR released his first EP, ‘Pride’ and has since then released a series of catchy R&B singles and the 2020 6-track EP, ‘Flame’. Most recent is his 2021 release, ‘Vibe With You’ a duet with his sister Brelia Renee.

In the episode, FURILLOSTAR talks about his frustration at using female pronouns in his love songs and his admiration for artists such as Lil Nas X pushing the boundaries for Queer artists. He discusses the love he has for his belittled hometown of Flint and the decimation of its education system. He also reveals his ultimate plans to create community spaces for those in his hometown that he feels are being left behind.

FURILLOSTAR’s linktree can be found here.

Black and Queer: Part 2

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:15:00 +0100

‘As hard as we work, nobody attacks us as Black, gay artists the way other Black, gay men do.’ (Sampson McCormick)

In the Key of Q has so far published several episodes featuring American artists who identify as Black and Queer. These include Ty McKinnie (episode 2), SADBOY (episode 5), Wuhryn Dumas (episode 7) and The IZM (episode 10). There was a consistency of messaging coming out from these musicians about the unique (and often ignored) experience they encountered as Black, gay men living in America. These special bonus episodes were commissioned on the back of this.

The two-part special is guest presented by Carrington Kelso, a Chicago-based Black, Queer singer whose own episode will drop on 20 July. He discusses this unique Queer identity with three guests: Ty McKinnie, The IZM and award-winning comedian Samson McCormick who is making his first appearance on the podcast. Each of the men provides a passionate, intelligent and truly individual perspective on the subject.

Carrington Kelso homepage: www.carringtonkelso.com
Ty McKinnie on Twitter: @TyMcKinnie
The IZM on Twitter: @The_IZM
Sampson McCormick on Twitter: @OfficialSampson

Black and Queer: Part 1

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘As hard as we work, nobody attacks us as Black, gay artists the way other Black, gay men do.’ (Sampson McCormick)

Carrington Kelso homepage: www.carringtonkelso.com
Ty McKinnie on Twitter: @TyMcKinnie
The IZM on Twitter: @The_IZM
Sampson McCormick on Twitter: @OfficialSampson

Vincent DiGeronimo

Tue, 25 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘There was not a day that went by that I was not called fairy, queen, faggot. The typical slammed into lockers and all that stuff. Food thrown at me. People saying that they wanted to hit me with their trucks or their cars.’

Vincent has a beautiful lo-fi feel to his music, as can be heard across his two albums ‘Not Again’ (2009) and ‘Think. Strings. Machines.’ (2015). His 2020 single ‘1950’ is a thoughtful lament on his father and mid-twentieth century living in New York City.

In the episode Vincent talks about the incessant bullying that he faced in school, and how threats of physical harm forced him to finish high school with a tutor and completely miss his prom and graduation; the challenges of growing up queer amongst FFA (Future Farmers of America) peers and the overwhelming guilt of growing up Catholic. And he shares thought on the pain of the passing of his father and the subsequent complicated grief (aka “persistent complex bereavement disorder”)

Vincent can be found on Twitter, Spotify and Apple Music.

Paul Andrews

Tue, 11 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘I want so much of gay life to be normalised. Where it’s just part of everyday living.’

Paul writes and performs complex, beautifully produced records with a touch of maturity and even melancholy. His 2019 album Light and Dust is a testament to love, loss and living.

Paul talks about his experiences writing and remixing for artists such as Madonna and Phyllis Hyman; he reveals how the murder of a friend inspired him back into music; his theories on reincarnation and his almost all-consuming love for his husband, Tom.

Paul can be found Spotify, Apple, Twitter, Instagram and at his online home.

Jsky

Tue, 04 May 2021 00:00:00 +0100

‘People are allowed to make mistakes. I make mistakes every day. I think we just need to be more open to the idea of growing as people.’

Jsky is known for his brilliantly inventive outfits, charismatic personality, and celebrity-filled address book. He fronted Channel Four’s controversial reality series Naked Beach and featured in the long-running series, First Dates. He has released two 6-track Eps, Reality in 2019, and this year’s Á La Mode.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this singer is a typical reality-TV show fayre. Behind the public face is a thoughtful man with much to say on issues such as body image, cancel culture, and the racism and homophobia he has faced in Manchester’s night-time economy.

Jsky can be found Spotify, Apple, Twitter, Instagram, and at his online home.

John Kehl - Song Surfing Podcast

Mon, 03 May 2021 09:00:00 +0100

You've heard the trailer in the episodes, now find out more about the Song Surfing Podcast from the presenter and producer, John Kehl.

These are not paid ads! I think his is a great show and would be of interest to those who subscribe to IN THE KEY OF Q. I hope you think so too!

Wuhryn Dumas

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0100

“It is possible to be this entity, this identity, this fearless Black, Queer person.”

Wuhryn Dumas was born in Atlanta, Georgia and makes beautifully positive music. His style is a blend of funkadelic Pop, R&B, House, Jazz and not to forget an undertone of Soul. His first six-track EP, ‘Glitter On Fire’ was released in 2020 after 2018’s premier single, ‘Chemistry’.

Topics covered in the episode include the power of Androgynous identity; the unfortunate absence of joy in Urban Music and Hip Hop; growing up Black and Queer in Atlanta, Georgia (yes the dolls and wearing shirts for wigs!); toxic masculinity with the traditions of the barbershop; the masks that we all wear in life and the magic of Prince and Michael Jackson.

Links:

Our Patreon page and forever home.
Say hello at Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or podcast@inthekeyofq.com
Episode transcription available in PDF form.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.
Artist’s music: Exclusive playlist; Spotify; Apple; SoundCloud;
Artist’s social media and online home: Twitter; Instagram; online home

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

Brendan Maclean

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 00:15:00 +0100

“Music is healing for queer people because we find codes and messages that are hidden within songs, and we hear ourselves in them. And we see that caught in other people’s eyes.”

Sydney-based singer-songwriter joins Dan Hall to talk about growing up gay in the Christian suburbs of Australia, singer-songwriter John Grant, the power of performance and his complex relationship with his commercial hit single, House of Air.

Links:

Episode transcription
Brendan’s Spotify playlist featuring his songs from this episode and his five tracks to save from Armageddon.
Brendan’s at Bandcamp.
Alan Jones and the Cronulla beach riots via ABC News.
John Grant at the Brixton Academy (bootleg).
John Grant singing Queen of Denmark, Strongroom Sessions.
The NSFW music video for House of Air.
Brendan’s long-time collaborator, Harry Clayton-Wright.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

SADBOY

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 00:15:00 +0100

“Drake really opened the door for Rap to get that vulnerability.”

Hip Hop singer SADBOY shares with us his upbringing, his blinding work-ethic and of course his percussive and deeply atmospheric tunes.

Links:

Episode transcription
SADBOY’s Spotify playlist featuring his songs from this episode and his five tracks to save from Armageddon.
SADBOY‘s forever home online.
Vox’s short on Afrofuturism.
Alyssa Jerome’s short on Neo Soul.
Destiny’s Child Lose My Breath.
Felix Howard in Madonna’s Open Your Heart video.
Real Talk – Black Boys Don’t Cry (Mental Health with Black Men).
Me Him Us – Mental Health campaign for Black gay and bisexual men.
Lil Nas X music video for Holiday.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Blake Mundell

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 01:00:00 +0100

“So much of my journey with not just my sexuality, but my spirituality, has been returning to a childlike version of myself.”

WARNING: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SUICIDE.

Blake Mundell speaks about his highly personal journey through Faith and the clash with his Queer identity.

He discusses his fear of coming out as an NFL employee, a shame that drew him to attempt suicide, and the emergence of the empathetic musician we see today.

Links:

Episode transcription
Blake’s Spotify playlist featuring his songs from this episode and his five tracks to save from Armageddon.
Blake’s forever home online.
Blake (as Courier) and his video in which “a black man can go out for a jog and make it home”.
Inspirational gay NFL players at Casino.org.
Galop help and advice for someone who is being blackmailed at work.
History Channel discusses blackmail used as a tool against the Queer community.
Blackmail and persecution in Nigeria, from The Guardian.
Lucan Presbyterian Church’s Zoom chat on Stigmas in the Church: Being Gay and Being Christian.
USA Today reports Presbyterian Church approving gay marriage.
Runner’s World short documentary on the Running While Black movement.
NPR’s excellent Code Switch on the challenges faced by runners of colour.
BBC report on the shooting of Tamir Rice.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Aruan

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 01:00:00 +0100

“It was just as well he was pretty because he wasn't very smart!”

WARNING: This episode contains a discussion about a real-life extreme violent event.

Metropolitan Police – reporting hate crime.
GALOP – the LGBT+ anti-violence charity.
Childline – homophobic bullying
NHS - lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans (LGBTQ+) mental health support.

Aruan talks about his accidental outing at school and his lifelong music love of David Bowie, Prince… and Bucks Fizz!

Other subjects include the Russell T Davies HIV / AIDS drama, “It’s a Sin” and the homophobic murder of Jody Dobrowski.

A big thanks to our new Patreon subscriber Warren Woods whose generosity is allowing you to enjoy this episode.

Links:

Support the podcast at our Patreon page for as little as £3 per month.
Episode transcription
Aruan’s Spotify playlist featuring his songs from this episode and his five tracks to save from Armageddon.
Aruan’s band Furiku on Spotify and Apple Music.
The Stones vs The Beatles from Vinyl Rewind.
“My friend Stephen”’s great article on “Being Boring” from Pet Shop Boys.
Bucks Fizz “Cold War” (Extended Version) on Spotify and Apple Music.
THAT performance of “Tainted Love” from Soft Cell on Top of the Pops.
“A Brief History of Prince” from The Beat Goes On
David Bowie lyric “Oh no, love. You’re not alone!” in situ on Spotify and Apple Music.
It’s a Sin – Trailer from Channel Four / Trailer from HBO Max
It’s a Sin – Frameline Conversation hosted by Russell Tovey with Olly Alexander, Lydia West, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells, Russell T Davies, Nathaniel Curtis and Neil Patrick Harris.
The HIV / AIDS Iceberg advertisement from Sammy Harari.
“Living with the Stigma of HIV” from BBC Three.
In memory of Jody Dobrowski
Article from The Guardian, “Barman killer had been released early”.
In the Key of Q composer Paul Leonidou’s online home.

Please subscribe to the podcast, rate and review. And spread the word!

You can find us on Twitter and Instagram and join the community over on Facebook.

Ty McKinnie: Blackness, Bravery, and Belonging

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 00:02:00 +0100

In this powerful episode of "In The Key of Q," host Dan Hall speaks with Ty McKinnie, whose soulful voice Dan describes as feeling like "the most beautiful, sleepy all-night hug." Born and raised in Atlanta, Ty shares his journey of growing up in a religious Black household while secretly knowing he was gay. From hiding his true self in a religious environment that condemned homosexuality to finding liberation through music in New York, Ty offers a candid look at the intersectionality of being both Black and gay in America. His music serves as both personal therapy and a beacon for other Black queer people searching for authentic representation. Through heartfelt stories and reflections on songs like "Boys Like Me" and "Mutual," Ty reveals how creating art has become his way of reconnecting with his younger self while ensuring that young Black queer people today can see themselves reflected in contemporary music.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

00:30 - Introduction to Ty McKinnie, whose lyrics tug at the heart and whose sound feels like "the most beautiful, sleepy all-night hug"
01:30 - Ty reflects on growing up in Atlanta as a joyful yet internally conflicted kid who knew he was gay
02:30 - Discussion of musical influences growing up in Atlanta, including hometown hero Ciara, Usher, and gospel music
03:40 - The significant role religion played in Ty's upbringing, being known as the "Hallelujah Baby"
04:20 - Ty discusses the intersectionality of being both Black and gay: "Being Black is already a deficit in societal terms... adding a gay label on top of that..."
05:35 - Reflections on his father's anger issues and the weight of expectations placed on Black men in America
06:45 - The homophobic environment within his religious upbringing and how it forced him to hide his true self
08:10 - The story behind his song "Boys Like Me," a reclamation of power from the toxic masculinity imposed by his father
09:30 - Discussion of music as a way for both artists and audiences to feel heard and connected
10:00 - Ty's first same-sex kiss experience: "I get it now. I don't want a girlfriend. I want you!"
12:20 - The contrast between being able to embrace his Blackness while having to bury his queerness growing up
13:10 - Moving to New York University and using academic excellence as a shield against homophobia
15:30 - Ty's hope that his music specifically empowers the Black queer community who face unique challenges
16:30 - The profound impact Frank Ocean's coming out in 2012 had on him while he was still closeted
17:20 - Discussion of the lack of visibility for Black queer artists compared to their white counterparts
18:55 - Reflections on 2020, racial injustice, and being reminded "you're still a Black gay man in America"
21:30 - How religion created a sense of limited autonomy and the journey to finding freedom
22:50 - Finding his "why" as an artist: creating representation so "people like me who share my identities see themselves"
24:00 - Imagining how his younger self would react to his current music
26:15 - "Mutual" as Ty's suggested gateway song, the first where he used "he" pronouns in his lyrics

Guest Bio

Ty McKinnie is a Black queer musician from Atlanta now based in New York. His soulful pop sound blends R&B influences with heartfelt storytelling that directly addresses the intersection of Black and LGBTQ+ experiences. Through songs like "Boys Like Me" and "Mutual," Ty creates authentic representation for young Black queer people while processing his own journey of self-acceptance. Find his music and videos on all major streaming platforms and follow him on Instagram.

Resource List

Ty McKinnie - "Mutual" - Ty's recommended gateway song
Ty McKinnie - "Boys Like Me" - Song discussing toxic masculinity and finding community
Frank Ocean - "Channel Orange" - Album that provided representation for Ty as a Black gay man
Frank Ocean - "Bad Religion" - Song referenced as important for Black queer representation

Call-to-Action

Find the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And don't forget to check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

Producer and Presenter Dan Hall's other work.

Matt Fishel: Pride, Perseverance, and Pop Perfection

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 00:01:00 +0100

Episode remastered, re-edited and extended for 2025!

Summary

Matt Fishel's journey from performing arts graduate to independent queer music pioneer reads like a manifesto for artistic integrity. When major record labels told him that "nobody will ever buy music sung by a man singing about other men," Matt made a choice that would define his career: he refused to compromise. Through his blend of European pop sensibilities and Green Day-inspired rock, Matt has crafted the soundtrack that his teenage self desperately needed.

This debut episode of In the Key of Q explores the critical importance of authentic representation in music. Matt's unashamed approach to queer storytelling offers a blueprint for artists who refuse to translate their experiences into palatable metaphors. His music doesn't just reflect queer life—it celebrates it with infectious melodies and fearless honesty.

In conversation with host Dan Hall, Matt reveals the personal cost of choosing authenticity over commercial success, and why that choice has ultimately proven more rewarding than any record deal could have been.

Timestamped Key Takeaways

• [02:36] Industry Rejection: "Nobody will ever buy music sung by a man singing about other men. It just will not sell. Period." Matt shares the identical response he received from every major label executive.

• [04:11] Artistic Integrity Choice: Rather than remove gay content from his songs, Matt decided to forge his own path as an independent artist, refusing to "dull down" his experiences.

• [06:29] Madonna's Influence: Matt discusses how "Truth or Dare" shaped his understanding of queer visibility, watching it repeatedly from age nine and gravitating towards the gay scenes without understanding why.

• [09:54] Realisation vs Recognition: Dan's insight that coming out isn't about "realising you're gay" but "realising that other people think it's wrong" resonates deeply with Matt's experience.

• [12:07] Representation Matters: Matt credits Madonna for bringing gay people into her work "unashamedly" when it wasn't acceptable, providing essential visibility for young queer people.

• [16:09] Queer Suburbia: "Not Thinking Straight" was conceived as detailed songs about growing up gay in Nottingham, capturing the hidden world of queer teenage experiences behind closed doors.

• [18:10] Ageism Across Cultures: Matt's song "Twinks" serves as a cautionary tale about placing looks and youth as the sole important values, noting this is now a problem across all cultures, not just gay culture.

• [22:42] First Love and Loss: "Soldiers" pays tribute to Matt's first boyfriend who died in 2015, exploring the complex emotions of losing someone with whom you've shared physical intimacy.

• [25:24] Creating for His Younger Self: Matt reveals he made "Not Thinking Straight" as "the album I wanted to hear at 15 years old" - the album he wanted to "hug and jump up and down and scream about."

• [26:46] Gateway Song: "Radio-Friendly Pop Song" serves as Matt's mission statement, literally representing the industry's voice before his own voice emerges to declare: "Fuck you, I'm gay, I'm out, I'm proud."

Guest Bio

Matt Fishel is an independent queer musician who has released three critically acclaimed albums blending European pop with rock influences. After major labels demanded he remove all gay content from his songs, Matt established his own record label to create authentic queer music without compromise. His visual approach to songwriting has produced numerous music videos that bring his stories to vivid life. Visit mattfishel.com for more information.

Resource List

Read deep dives into our queer lives at the blog HERE.

Check out the official podcast playlist on Spotify.

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See producer and presenter Dan Hall's other work HERE (subtitled version HERE).

Listen to other episodes here.

Exclusive Preview!

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0100

In the Key of Q is a new show launching on Tuesday 23 March 2021, where you can find conversations with international Queer musicians.

Say hello to us at pod@inthekeyofq.com - it'll be great to hear from you!

Dan Hall (Producer / Presenter)