Pump up your playlist with these recent releases that range from a raunchy country romp to disco-tinged dance/pop to a bluesy holiday ballad.
First up is sexy-talking, raunchy rapper/singer Dixon Dallas, who recently dropped his latest country-tinged single, “Something To Feel.” As we know from his previous releases, Dixon isn’t a shy one when it comes to desire. Featuring a moody, guitar-led arrangement, the lyrics for “Something To Feel” frame a bold, sensual affair. From the chorus:
Don’t be shy, I like it rough; It ain’t enough
Until I’m screaming your name
Don’t make me beg unless you want it
You know I ain’t ashamed
Dixon is actually the gay-singing country music alter-ego of rapper Jake Hill, who made a splash this summer with his viral country hit, “Good Lookin.” Since his debut, he’s garnered over 28 million listens on Spotify alone.
In an interview with Pride.com, he side-stepped the question of whether he’s actually gay, saying: “No, I haven’t disclosed my sexuality. I could be gay. I could be straight. I could be bi. At the end of the day, I feel like it doesn’t matter. There’s no law that says I can’t write a song about getting my booty cheeks bounced off of.” Follow Dixon Dallas on Instagram here.
Virtuoso pianist Micah McLaurin pivots from classic piano to dance/pop with his disco-tinged anthem, “MOONS.” The new single – Micah’s debut as a vocalist and pop composer – represents his past and present coming together on an airy, euphoric track that features disco-era strings and a kick-ball-change beat.
“‘MOONS’ was first inspired by my love of disco and how, in the disco era, they used complex harmony and made it accessible and infectious,” shares Micah about the new track. “Great chord changes give me butterflies, and I wanted the lyrics to reflect that feeling.”
The new release follows his acclaimed instrumental standards album Diamonds and is the next step in Micah’s journey of finding his voice after growing up in a southern, religious family who believed in homeschooling and sent him to conversion therapy.
The companion video for “MOONS” is a glittering, high-gloss burst of fashion-forward camp inspired by the work of visionary queer filmmaker and photographer James Bidgood. Follow Micah McLaurin on Instagram here.
Nashville singer/songwriter Sam Williams explores how the holidays may not be the most wonderful time of year for everyone with his new single, “I Hate The Holidays.” The bluesy, somber track explores some of the darker memories that the holidays can stir up, especially as you get older.
The song is a moody contrast from the cheery music typically associated with winter festivities, ditching jingle bells for sad guitars and wistful lyricism:
I hate the holidays and all the ways they make me feel alone
Somewhere along the way the magic faded and turned to stone
“The holiday season has always been a little tough for me, but more so after losing a lot of my family,” shares Williams. “It can’t be a time of celebration for everyone… really cold weather and seeing perfect holiday cards kind of bother me so I made this record. I believe just knowing other folks feel things you do, too, can help a little bit. Nonetheless, I hope everyone has a beautiful season in spite of pain and holds their loved ones close.”
The simplicity of the music video creates a subtle sense of melancholy without distracting from the song itself. Follow Sam Williams on Instagram here.
3 gay artists for me to enjoy! Sam Williams is Hank Williams Jr. son. Which is pretty cool if you ask me.