Pride
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After gaining momentum as a finalist on music competition show La Banda (where CNCO was born) and later earning his first Billboard entry with debut single “Pretty Girl (Tu Cancion)” in 2016, Johann Vera is entering a new era in his solo career — one that’s powered by authenticity and transparency.
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Last month, the bilingual pop artist of Ecuadorian descent released “Closet,” a melancholy, powerful ballad — where, for the first time, he tells his truth: “Why am I going to hate and fight with myself only because I love differently?/ How can a parent decide to lose a child only because they love differently?” he chants in the heartfelt lyrics. “I’m not going to change for anyone else.”
“It took me two years, but it pushed me to be honest and open with myself,” Vera tells Billboard of his coming out as queer. “[My previously-released single] ‘Cielo’ is talking about that first encounter and discovering this new side of liberty and happiness, and being more real about my sexuality. ‘Closet’ is about acceptance. I want to be as honest as I can be.”
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“Cielo” and “Closet” form part of Vera’s upcoming six-part EP dubbed Nada Importa En Verdad (Nothing Really Matters). “It’s about the struggles and ups-and-downs. Yes, I’m in love but also still have all these issues.”
In an interview with Billboard, the indie Latin artist talks about his coming out process, dealing with family rejection, and finding his purpose, thanks to his new single.
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How was your coming out process, and why was the moment now for you?
It was scary. I realized now that all my life I had this idea that sexuality shouldn’t be touched in my music or my art. I wanted to be a private artist, and not talk about my personal life. It’s not that I wasn’t honest — but there was always a filter, even on my social media, that was very edited and posed.
When I started therapy, almost three years ago, I began to realize a lot of things on how I’ve been handling life. Growing up with my family, I would get along with everyone and never had an issue, but I would hold back a lot of things. I wrote this song before talking to my parents. With family, it was a hard part — because coming from Ecuador, I would see their perspective on the LGBTQ community — so I always had that fear.
You mention living with fear and a filter, but can you take us back to how you felt the day “Closet” was born?
A few years ago, I wrote a letter to little Johann, and that night I had a writing session. Some words I began writing triggered me. I’ve been with girls and loved them, but at that point in my life, I was already with a man for a year. I continued writing the song, but I was struggling. So, I paused, talked to my songwriter and producer about how I was feeling, and “Closet” was born in 30 minutes. I didn’t want to continue living life that way. I had a big realization moment.
It’s a beautiful song, but also ultra-personal and very vulnerable.
I wrote the song for everyone to understand the struggle. All throughout your life, you feel like you have this flaw, deep down it felt like there was an issue. It’s very tough to break that barrier. Now it’s changing, but it’s still, even more on the Latin side, not going to be very accepting. The song happened and it was therapy for me. I didn’t have plans of releasing it, but after I started seeing how my close friends and colleagues began to react to it, I felt that I had to.
You wrote this song before telling your parents you were queer. How’s your relationship with them today?
Still not good. I actually told them two years ago, on Christmas Day, I had no expectations, but I invited them to therapy. However, there were no conversations afterward and it disconnected them even more. Now it’s not even a “How are you?” Before, I was the pride of the family — Viña del Mar, all the awards — and now, they feel like they lost a son. It’s tough.
They’ve also been clear and vocal about not supporting my new single “Closet.” Their side of the story is that I’m influencing people to do something wrong. I couldn’t fight any more. But now I know that it happened this way for some reason, and [my story] is helping people feel that they are not alone. It’s 2024 but apparently, we still need to have these conversations.
Your friends and colleagues have been very supportive.
Mau & Ricky came to my defense and called me when the song came out to tell me that God loves me. I cried so much. Lele Pons and Guaynaa came over too. I’ve been super blessed. After the song was released, I was locked in my childhood room… I just stayed there. The amount of messages and love that started coming in through DMs really helped me. The first couple of nights, I couldn’t sleep — but it was such a beautiful thing to go into my DMs and see how strangers were connecting with the song. The effect is crazy. Even if all of this is happening, I feel very happy. I’m proud.
What do you expect your music be like moving forward?
I just want to do music with purpose. I want to be more honest on that side. If I fall in love with a guy, I’ll sing about that, but it’s more about purpose. I feel that I can make an impact when talking about different topics. From all of this process, I want to be transparent and real. You realize in music how important authenticity is. It’s really about connecting.
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With fall just around the corner, there’s no better time to update your autumn playlists with new music from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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From Charli XCX & Troye Sivan’s amped-up new remix to Demi Lovato’s touching new ballad, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Charli XCX feat. Troye Sivan, “Talk Talk (Remix)”
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The best remixes are the ones that take the concept behind an original song and completely transform it into something new. Charli XCX and Troye Sivan accomplish exactly that on their thrilling rendition of “Talk Talk,” keeping a handful of memorable melodies from the original song while completely recontextualizing the track into a sweaty, bouncing club banger. Their vocals pair perfectly together as they talk their way into their respective lovers’ beds, making the hype around this remix much more than just talk (talk).
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Demi Lovato, “You’ll Be OK, Kid”
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In many ways, Demi Lovato’s new documentary Child Star is an opportunity for them to speak to their younger self. With the documentary’s accompanying song “You’ll Be OK, Kid,” Lovato takes that idea to its literal conclusion, singing a lullaby-esque melody to a younger, less-experienced Demi. She warns her former self to be wary of “sharks in the water” and “thorns on the roses,” but concludes with assurance that ultimately, things will work out.
Joy Oladokun, “I’d Miss the Birds”
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Joy Oladokun is ready to move on. On her stunning new single “I’d Miss the Birds,” the pop-folk singer-songwriter pens a bittersweet farewell to the city of Nashville, a place that has simultaneously helped her become the person she is, while also being the place that she has entirely outgrown. Throughout her brutally-honest track, Oladokun makes clear all the things she won’t miss, before admitting that leaving somewhere you’ve called home for so long is never easy. “But it doesn’t mean I should hang ’round and suffer,” she determines.
Arca & Tokischa, “Chama”
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What happens when you take two of the most fascinating experimental pop artists in the game and put them together on one song? You get something like “Chama,” the entrancing new single out courtesy of Arca and Tokischa. Throughout this pulsating anthem, the duo trade sexed-up verses in their native Spanish, which the shifting, percolating beat constantly switches, morphs, speed, slows and intensifies, making “Chama” yet another slice of thrilling music courtesy of two artists intent on changing things up.
Soccer Mommy, “Driver”
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If Taylor Swift was admitting she might be the problem with “Anti-Hero,” then Sophie Allison (a.k.a. Soccer Mommy) is thanking her lover for sticking around anyways on “Driver.” This classic, guitar-and-drum indie-rock track sees Allison embracing her role as the indecisive, spaced-out girlfriend, waiting for her partner to bring her back to Earth. It’s simple, effective, and a testament to Soccer Mommy’s staying power as a rock artist that she keeps you listening throughout this easy-to-enjoy single.
Pale Waves, “Thinking About You”
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Speaking of effective rock vibes, Pale Waves is here to once again prove just how good their new era sounds. “Thinking About You” follows previous singles like “Perfume” and “Gravity” in its ’90s goth-rock-meets-pop inspiration, as frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie finds herself stuck on a past relationship no matter how hard she tries to move on. The soft guitars and Baron-Gracie’s top-tier vocal sends “Thinking About You” to new heights for the band.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
Grab that Freddy Krueger sweater, queue up the Halloween music and wipe the cobwebs off your Jason hockey mask. Spooky Season is approaching, and to help get those spines tingling, the Boulet Brothers are gearing up to release a new musical project.
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On Oct. 4, the Boulet Brothers will release The Boulet Brothers Halloween House Party via PEG Records. The seasonal six-track EP finds Dracmorda and Swanthula Boulet combining their love of Halloween and horror with the retro musical sounds of ‘60s pop, surf music and psychobilly – with a modern twist, naturally. The first taste of the project, “All Hallows’ Eve,” is out now.
“We are both obsessed with classic vintage Halloween decorations, sets, costumes, parties, music, etc., and this EP is our love letter to all that gory goodness,” says the duo.
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A couple years ago, the Boulet Brothers broke down their 10 favorite horror movie soundtracks of all time for Billboard – and naturally, John Carpenter’s Halloween score was one of them.
“Growing up, it was the first horror soundtrack that invaded my brain. It was instantly recognizable, but it was bone-chilling. There was something about those high-pitched piano notes: It was so simple and so easy to get stuck in your brain and terrifying at the same time,” said Drac Boulet.
“It has one of those magical qualities,” Swan Boulet told us. “When I hear that classic theme from Halloween, it transports me back to trick or treating, the season of the fall, everything about Halloween that I love.”
The Boulet Brothers Halloween House Party EP arrives just a few days after the season six premiere (Oct. 1) of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula on AMC+/Shudder. Check out the tracklist below.
Boulet Brothers
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Requiem for Halloween
All Hallows’ Eve
Ghost Train
Nosferatu Beach Party
Trick or Treat
The Vampire Song
Former president Donald Trump said a lot of outlandish (and demonstrably untrue) things during his Tuesday night (Sept. 10) presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, from claiming people were aborting babies after they’re born to saying immigrants were eating people’s pets in Springfield, Ohio. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, […]
On Sept. 11, 1999, Chely Wright’s “Single White Female” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Shaye Smith wrote the song, the lead single and title track from Wright’s set that Tony Brown, Buddy Cannon and Norro Wilson produced. Wright was born on Oct. 25, 1970, in Kansas City, Mo. She followed her […]
As Chappell Roan dealt with backlash to her comments on toxic fan behavior over the last month, the singer says a huge number of fellow female artists have offered her their support.
In a new cover story for Rolling Stone, Roan said that a number of her fellow pop girls reached out to her and offered their words of encouragement. The list of singers included Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Hayley Williams, Katy Perry, Lorde, Muna, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Mitski. “I’m not trying to name-drop,” she explained. “I’m trying to tell you there are girls who are good people, who are helping other girls out. I’m name-dropping them because people just need to know that people are good people.”
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Roan specifically thanked Sabrina Carpenter during the conversation, saying that the pair had a long heart-to-heart about their similarly huge years and the implications that has on their mental health. “We’re both going through something so f–king hard … she just feels like everything is flying, and she’s just barely hanging on,” Roan said. “It was just good to know someone else feels that way.”
The “Pink Pony Club” singer did point out that she’s noticed a worrying trend among the artists reaching out to her. “Not a lot of boys have been like, ‘Let me know if you ever want to talk about it,’” she said, before revealing that a few — including Orville Peck, Troye Sivan and Noah Kahan — have offered her their support.
One living legend who has supported Roan throughout her career also reached out — Sir Elton John. The “Rocket Man” singer told Rolling Stone that he felt “protective” over Roan. “She is kind, innocent and wonderful. She is not ‘Chappell Roan’ off stage – a bit like me,” he said. “She is one of those people who I felt like I have known for a long time.”
Roan added that as much as audiences like to pin the toxic fan discussion on her, she is far from the only artist feeling this way. “I don’t want to be agoraphobic. That’s [how] most of my peers [feel]. Every f–king artist is on this page,” she said. “Everyone is uncomfortable with fans. Some people just have more patience. I f–king don’t.”
Elsewhere in her interview, Roan revealed a number of specific instances of fans being inappropriate with her, including a fan kissing her without consent and a stalker showing up to her parents’ home in Missouri. “[Fans] need to see me as a random b—h on the street,” she said. “You can’t yell at a random b—h who’s on the sidewalk that you don’t know. It’s considered catcalling or harassment.”
Chappell Roan caused a stir earlier this year when she rejected the White House’s invitation for her to perform at a Pride event in June. Now, the singer is saying that had she attended, she would have done much more than just perform.
For the latest cover of Rolling Stone, Roan told the publication that she originally intended to accept the White House’s invitation to the event — but she planned to protest the Biden administration’s involvement in Israel’s attacks on Gaza instead of performing one of her songs.
“I had picked out some poems from Palestinian women. I was trying to do it as tastefully as I could because all I wanted to do was yell,” she said. “I had to find something that’s tasteful and to the point and meaningful, and not make it about me and how I feel. I don’t know if I’ll ever get that close in direct sight of the president ever in my life. This is my shot.”
While Roan said that her publicist ultimately talked her out of her protest (saying, “You f–k with the president and the government, your security is not the same, and neither is your family’s”), she firmly stands by her decision not to attend the event. “I’m not going to go to the White House because I am not going to be a monkey for Pride,” she explained, before criticizing the administration’s walked-back statement about gender-affirming surgery for minors. “Thank God I didn’t go because they just made a huge statement about trans kids.”
When performing at Gov Ball, Roan took a moment during her show to tell her audience that she refused the White House’s invitation to perform, dedicating her song “My Kink Is Karma” to the administration. “We want liberty, freedom and justice for all,” she said. “When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”
The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer also dispelled a rumor that her distaste for the Biden administration’s treatment of Palestinians and trans youth meant that she was a supporter of former president Donald Trump. “I saw a couple of TikToks where they were like, ‘So she’s pro Trump?’ It is not so black and white that you hate one and you like the other. No matter how you say it, people are still going to be pissed for f–king some reason,” she said.
The singer later told the publication that she was supporting Kamala Harris’ bid for the White House this November. “Right now, it’s more important than ever to use your vote, and I will do whatever it takes to protect people’s civil rights, especially the LGBTQ+ community,” she said. “My ethics and values will always align with that, and that hasn’t changed with a different nominee. I feel lucky to be alive during an incredibly historical time period when a woman of color is a presidential nominee.”
Jennifer Hudson will accept the first-ever Elizabeth Taylor Rowdy Activist Award for her ongoing support for people living with HIV, and for the LGBTQ+ community. The award will be presented at The Elizabeth Taylor Ball to End AIDS fundraising gala on Sept. 26 at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hudson, who will […]
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