This Christmas song of mine that Kill Rock Stars just put out was written about how our government and lots of our friends and neighbors failed us all over the last couple of years. We recorded it in the midst of the first wave of the pandemic where it really seemed like absolutely everyone I know and love was going to die.
Many did.
I think the holidays are traumatizing for a lot of people, especially now, given the scale of the loss and grief of this time we are living through. There are a bunch of queer and trans people who have already lived through a pandemic that brought suffering into our lives and wiped out entire generations of our LGBTQ+ elders — so I figured there should be a Christmas anthem for us, too. Fuck Christmas, ya know? Especially now.
I channeled all of my exhausted, queer rage into this beast in the studio and I know it was really cathartic for my whole team as we were in there making it. There has been so much to scream about, and not enough people screaming. It felt good to let some out, and to have a place to put it all.
For the video we brought together imagery that evokes these feelings I’ve been having around all of the loss, violence, misinformation and trolling so many of us have been experiencing, then we juxtaposed that with imagery of gay joy and sex and wildness from the before times.
Proud to be partnering with NOISE FOR NOW on the OUR BODIES DESERVE RESPECT campaign for trans awareness.
2021 has seen a record-breaking number of anti-trans bills introduced in states across the US, making it the worst year on record for anti-trans legislation. It’s no coincidence that the same is true for anti-abortion legislation. This wave of oppressive bills seek to control people’s bodies.
The proceeds from the sales of this t-shirt I’m wearing by Xavier Schipani will support Texas Health Action’s Kind Clinic, which serves LGBTQ+ communities with locations across Texas at no-cost for all services, and will also support Independent Abortion Clinics with trans-centered programs throughout the US via Abortion Care Network’s Keep Our Clinics.
This whole thing has been a dream come true and I still kinda can’t believe it. Thank you to Slim Moon and the entire Kill Rock Stars family for believing in me and making a home for my songs at KRS. I love y’all so much.
Thanks also to my forever collaborator and songwriting partner Gino Mari for being the very first producer to really get it — and for still getting it all these years later. 🖤
I eventually did put on clothes when I went into the studio with Gino Mari — but headband and briefs with sneakers is the vibe on all these new songs. Not gay as in happy. Queer as in fuck you.
