Friday 28 June 2019

Aaron Porter


Everything is moving at such a fast pace these days, that by the time you’ve written something its already out of date. With David BowieMade Me Gay I made a conscious decision to only cover the period between 1916 and 2016; maybe one day I will produce an updated version covering the years following, but for now these ludicrously sporadic blog posts will allow me space to write about new – and, above all, interesting - LGBTQ acts I discover.

London-based singer Aaron Porter has just issued his third single, Sorry, an upbeat R&B /pop song that documents a painful breakup, Sorry juxtaposes the defeat of a failed relationship with the euphoria that comes through standing up for oneself and finally saying no.

“How many times can you be apologised to before the word sorry starts to lose its meaning?” Aaron asks. “I wrote Sorry at a time when I refused to accept another apology from my ex, a bunch of roses couldn’t cut it by that point. Words without intent are literally just a bunch of meaningless letters. If you mean it, prove it.” This latest single follows the earlier successes BOY (which Gay Times called “a queer slice of R&B, dance-pop perfection”) and I Wanna Let Love. Music trade magazine Billboard was suitably impressed: “On his debut track “Boy,” up-and-coming pop singer Aaron Porter shows off every sensual trick in his arsenal.”

Aaron’s songs are all based around his life and the things he has learnt to deal with from heartbreak to sexuality to his internal struggle with showing who he really is and the effects of toxic masculinity. His approach to songwriting is forever changing as he discovers new elements to his creativity and new sources of inspiration. Raised by a single mother who helped develop his passion for music when she sang along with her son to Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Prince, young Aaron was accepted to The BRIT School to study musical theatre for his A Levels. Moving to London, he began working as a professional dancer, exploring the burgeoning fashion and music scenes and building a second family around himself of young LGBTQ creatives.

Since his first single – which singer Adam Lambert also included on his Pride playlist for Apple - he has been on the road, playing shows across the UK and Europe and is lined up to play Flat Iron Square in London on 6 July as part of the capitol’s annual Pride festival. Called “A role model for LGBTQ youth” by Gay Times, Aaron says that “It’s practically human nature for people to put things or people in boxes, [but] I urge you not to do so to me. I’m out here just doing me; I probably won’t fit your mould and honestly don’t plan to.” This young man is going to go far.




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