Olly Alexander says people will only accept a level of ‘gay-ness’
The popular singer says the music industry has gone “back in the closet.”
Years & Years frontman Olly Alexander has spoken once again about how expression of gay sexuality is restricted in pop music, compared to what his heterosexual contemporaries are allowed to do.
The 25-year-old singer-songwriter argues that pop music has almost gone “back to the closet” over the past few decades.
“I feel like there’s a level of ‘gay-ness’ that people will accept,” he told the latest issue of Gay Times magazine.
“If you look at popstars through the ages, we’ve had camp, glam popstars from the ’80s – your George Michaels and what have you – but then people went back to the closet a bit, and became more homogenised and generic,” he continued.
“And even though we have out gay artists now, I don’t think they can express themselves and their sexuality in a way a straight person can.”
The ‘Shine’ singer has been vocal about the need for gay role models, recently releasing a music video celebrating sexuality.
“Everyone has a different definition of what they find sexy, so why do we so often get given one version of what sexy is time and time again?” he wrote in a letter accompanying the new video for Desire.
”It can all be a positive and a joyful expression of sexiness and sexuality, you don’t have to be a specific gender to enjoy it.”
The popular singer also recently opened up about his surprising crush… on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
“I’m a real left-winger… I fancy Jeremy Corbyn!” he told ES Magazine.
Labour leader Mr Corbyn is 41 years his senior – but the frontman clearly appreciates the six-time winner of Parliamentary Beard of the Year.
He said: “Maybe it’s naïve of me to have this romantic political fantasy but I like the way he looks like he’s always about to head off to a march or protest.”
Check out the video for Desire ft. Tove Lo below:
