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Brendan Velasquez is Livin Out Loud |
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Tuesday, 14 April 2009
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It’s still a little weird for Brendan Velasquez to see his face on an album cover. In many respects, he still sees the kid who grew up outside of Baltimore, singing in school and idolizing Paula Abdul. Recognizing the outspoken, musically savvy pop singer who just covered one of Abdul’s biggest hits—well, that takes some getting used to.
But that’s exactly who Brendan has become. And now, at 21, he’s released his debut album, Livin’ Out Loud, a fun collection of sugary dance-pop that’s heavy on the “he” pronouns, and is set to premiere his very first music video this month. It’s taken a few years and a lot of growing pains to get to this place, but there’s nowhere else he’d rather be right now.
“I guess I always had it in me, singing a lot growing up in school plays and chorus,” Brendan says. “But I kind of lost my way when I went to high school and didn’t really believe in myself for a bit. But it’s always been there.” After trying his hand at visual arts, Brendan says he realized that music was the only way he felt he could truly express himself. But he didn’t want a flash-in-the-pan career, so instead, the teen decided to learn the science behind the art, enrolling in voice, music theory and writing classes to perfect his craft. “I feel like having knowledge really helps build that foundation of confidence when you’re an artist, and I really dove into it after I realized how dark my life was without music.”
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At 17, Brendan began what would be a nearly three-year process of writing and producing his debut CD alongside Raymon Smiley. The two could not have been better paired, as Raymon had recently started Smiley Entertainment, a company dedicated to producing and promoting queer artists. Already out of the closet for three years, Brendan was ready to write about what was on the minds of today’s gay teens.
“I never really thought of sexuality as something that would hinder me,” Brendan says. “I mean, Raymon is an amazing guy, and I’m so glad to be the first person in his company, but I’d also like to think people see me and they don’t see gay or straight. In music, it’s on more of a spiritual level, and people don’t see gay or straight when they’re hearing the lyrics or feeling the beats.”
More than just music, Brendan is also hoping to cross sexual lines with his message. Having lost his father to AIDS shortly after graduating high school, Brendan wants to use that traumatic and heartbreaking experience to open up the dialogue about HIV/AIDS prevention, particularly in the heterosexual community. “Looking back on it, I don’t want anyone to ever feel the pain he felt. It just changed my whole view on life and the topic, especially since he was straight. Whether it is a safe-sex issue or not, it’s just something I want people to know about and avoid at all costs. What good are your experiences and your stories if you can’t share and learn from them?”
For more on Brendan, check out brendanvelasquez.com
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