Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 430 August 7, 2019

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ISSUE #430
AUGUST 7 2019
COVER
KRISTINE W
PHOTOGRAPHER
KORBY BANNER
PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD
MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM
DESIGN AGOTA CORREA
AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM
CONTRIBUTOR THOMAS WHITFIELD
THOMASTALKSABOUT@GMAIL.COM
CONTRIBUTOR IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@IANMICHAELINWONDERLAND
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO
@EILEENSHAPIRO3
NIGHTLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER WILSONMODELS
JEASO86@HOTMAIL.COM
The publications of MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT, getoutmag.com or any
other related print or Web publications or social media accounts, their images,
quotations or articles should not be construed to be an indication of the sexual
orientation of anyone portrayed therein.
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BY IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@ianmichaelinwonderland
I love drama just as much
as the next homosexual—and
by drama, I mean the theatre.
(Obviously.)
I saw my first Broadway show
when I was 11 years old: My
grandparents took me on a road
trip from Iowa to New York (yes, a
road trip), and my favorite part of
the whole trip was getting to see
Oklahoma! I loved everything about
it: the costumes, the songs, and—
yes—the drama of it all.
I even did some acting in school: I
took advantage of every play and
musical that Knoxville High School
put on, and even booked some good
roles in college. (Playing Bazzard in
The Mystery of Edwin Drood was a
highlight.)
Since moving to New York, I’ve seen
my fair share of fabulous shows:
Follies, Venus in Fur, Hamilton, Fiddler
on the Roof and Book of Mormon,
amongst my favorites. So, when my
friend Giovanni asked if I wanted to
go see King Kong before it closed, I
bought tickets for my boyfriend and
myself quicker than a giant monkey
running through Skull Island.
I got dressed in a pair of linen dress
pants and a navy lace t-shirt with 3D
flowers on it. Dressing up a little for
theatre is one of my favorite parts, a
tradition that seemed mostly lost on
all of the t-shirts and jeans that sat
around me. (Of course, a phone went
off at least twice during the show as
well.) My boyfriend dressed more in
character in a floral shirt and hat that
looked ready for safari on Skull Island.
King Kong may have met mixed
reviews, but I loved the experience.
When you first see a 20-foot-tall
gorilla come on the stage, weighing in
at 2,000 pounds and operated by God
knows how many puppeteers (not to
A Little Bit Dramatic
mention three voodoo puppeteers in
the voodoo box), you can’t help but
gasp out loud.
Christiani Pitts plays a strong Ann
Darrow, stronger than we’ve seen
before. She argues with filmmaker
Carl Denham (played by Eric William
Morris) that she can’t play the “damsel
in distress” because that’s just not her.
You go, girl.
There were giant monkeys; there
were living vines; there were epic
battles; and, of course, there’s King
Kong infamously climbing the Empire
State Building. What more could you
need from a musical? It might not
top the 2005 movie, which makes me
cry (every time!), but I loved every
moment of the ride.
Nominated for three Tonys (Sound
Design, Scenic Design and Lighting
Design of a Musical), I would highly
recommend grabbing tickets to King
Kong at the Broadway Theatre before
it closes on August 18. I might be
returning to Skull Island once more
myself.

THOMAS
TALKS
ABOUT: TO WALK OR
My partner and I are
very much in love,
but the sex is terrible
a lot of the time. He
isn’t doing anything
“wrong” per se, it just
seems monotonous
and boring. There are
times where I catch
myself just waiting for
it to be over. It’s been
three years, we’re
monogamous, and
definitely don’t want to
break up. I think he’s
bored too, and we’ve
discussed opening
the relationship up
to outside partners.
Sometimes I see guys
I’m really attracted
to and just want to f*
them, but when I look
at my boyfriend I don’t
get the same energy.
What’s wrong with me,
and will opening the
relationship up help?
-Male, Gay, 26
As a general rule, I only
recommend opening up
a relationship when the
relationship is already
going extremely well.
Sometimes opening a
relationship too soon
can cause additional
issues if the previous
ones aren’t solved. Are
there things you want
to try out that you’re
not? Spicing up the sex
isn’t always the answer.
It sounds like there is a
disconnect between the
two of you in bed. How
is the intimacy between
you guys outside of the
bedroom? Try being
more affectionate
overall, then try to
be more affectionate
while engaging in sex.
That might even mean
sitting next to each
other and kissing while
you masturbate. Talk
about it and come up
with a plan to reconnect
before you bring others
into the mix.
I feel totally trapped
in my life, and I don’t
know what to do.
When I was 20 I met an
older guy, who started
to take care of me. All
my needs, all the time.
Now I’m 24 and want
out, but I, like, can’t. I
dropped out of school
when I met him, I have
no job, so I have no
savings. He doesn’t
abuse me or anything,
I just want out. I’m
young and I want to
NOT TO WALK
have fun and do my
own thing. I’ve felt this
way for the last year,
but I haven’t been
able to leave. What if I
can’t support myself?
Should I just stay in
this and wait it out?
-Male, Queer, 24
You’re young and
already feeling
restricted. You’ve
created a world you
have little control over;
it makes sense you want
out. It can absolutely
be scary to create your
own life in NYC. Tons
of people move to this
city with nothing and
make it work. It might
mean taking a job you
aren’t interested in or
perhaps don’t WANT
to do. Just because you
don’t WANT to do a
job doesn’t mean you
CAN’T, though. At no
point in your email did
you mention having any
emotional attachment
to this guy. Do you
want that with him?
Some people are fine
with having someone
else take care of them,
and there’s nothing
wrong with that, but it
sounds like you want to
go out there and make
it work on your own. So
do it.
Sex/Love/Relationship advice? Send your questions to: ThomasTalksAbout@gmail.com
@ThomasWhitfield84

BY LARRY OLSEN
Kristine W
Returns to the Dance Floor
The Queen of Club
Music Releases
New Album
Billboard Magazine named
her the #8 Greatest Dance
Artist of All Time and the #3
greatest from the Last Decade
(trailing only Madonna and
Beyoncé).
Through nearly 25 years in
music, Kristine W has proven
herself a lasting talent,
consistently delivering songs
that touch hearts and souls
and compel bodies to find
the mighty groove out on the
dance floor.
Her latest single, “Stars,”
released last year, was her
17th #1 single, tying Kristine
with Mariah Carey for the sixth
most Billboard #1s. It was also
included in the magazine’s
“Best 100 Dance Songs of
2018,” coming in at #25, smack
in the middle between Ariana
Grande and U2.
At long last, Kristine is
preparing release her longawaited
studio album, and she
spoke with us first!
> > > > > INTERVIEW
We have been waiting so long
for a new Kristine W album! Have
you decided on the album’s first
single?
We are still debating what song
to be released first! Actually,
technically, the first two singles have
already been released. I released
“Out There” and “Stars” early to
give fans some music while I worked
on this project, because I knew it was
going to be a much bigger project
than anything I’ve done before.
Are you ready to reveal the
album’s title?
I am keeping that a surprise for
now! I can give a hint, though. The
title is a word that I have heard so
frequently during the time of the
album’s creation that it literally
named itself.

How would you describe the sound?
Eclectic. It combines house and electro
with some R&B and jazz sprinkled in. It is
not the same production of my previous
albums. On this one, I really focused hard
on the songwriting. I also worked quite a
bit with Dutch producers.
Is there a main message?
The running theme is the desire for
relatability. It is based on feelings we all
have to deal with along life’s journey.
You have encountered several
challenges over the last few years.
I have! I have been dealing with a
divorce, major illnesses in my family, the
growth of my children… Sometimes it has
felt like I’m watching my own life play out
like a drama! It is all encompassed in the
album.
You have always been a
survivor, including beating the
crap out of cancer.
I would not say I beat the crap out
of cancer. It left a few dents in me!
But as I sing in my song, “Stars”:
“My cape is a new one, and I am
superhuman, my mask is pulled
off now, I will make it somehow.”
We are all superheroes, even if
only in our own minds.
Do you hope to turn a page
with this album? Do you see this
as the start of a new chapter in
your life?
Definitely. I can use change.
Something different. Different
is good. With this album, I think
I have created something very
different and meaningful that my
fans will enjoy.
Is there a particular song on the
album that really speaks to you?
At this time, the song really
speaking to me is “Next to
You.” It has that house and
jazz combo that I feel are the
roots of my musical being. But
truly, I feel close to so many
songs on this album. They are
like my kids! Which has been a
problem, because I often become
protective of them, which is why it
takes me so long to get an album
out! They never seem perfect
enough.
You’re perfect to us, Kristine.
That is so sweet, honey. I can’t
tell you how much having the
support of all of my fans through
these challenging few years has
meant for me. I hope this new
album empowers people, lifts
them up and lets them know they
are not alone. We are facing life’s
challenges together!
PHOTOS BY: KORBY BANNER
Visit KristineW.com.

BY RANDY BENIZZI
PHOTO CREDIT: MICHELE MARTINOLI
Raph Solo Drops His ‘Jasmine Petals’
First Single from His New Album, ‘LIFE’
Out singer-songwriter Raph Solo is serving a large scoop of “LIFE” this
summer, his new album of retrospective ballads. Recorded in London, the
album features a mix of the sexy singer’s past hits, including “Rich in My
Heart” and brand-new songs including “Jasmine Petals,” the album’s first
single, releasing to YouTube today.
It’s a contemporary classic pop song where Raph likens flower buds falling
off a tree to relationships. “What starts sweet and lovely on the tree often
decays, and when the tree finally releases the bud, that’s when real growth
to the tree occurs. Such is often the case with people and love,” he says.
We spoke with Raph to learn more.

INTERVIEW
What inspired your new
single, “Jasmine Petals?”
It’s inspired by the power of
goodbye. The song is about
letting go of what no longer
serves us. It’s about reflecting
on what was, what is and
deciding on what we want to
be.
It’s reminiscent of the old
Boyz II Men song, “It’s So
Hard to Say Goodbye to
Yesterday.”
We live and love, and it’s
OK to lose sometimes.
That’s what makes the
tragedy of life’s unfortunate
circumstances beautiful. We
have the power to turn it
around. Whatever it is, we
are still here, which means
we have survived, and that’s
something to be grateful for.
Where did you shoot the music video?
It was filmed in a French period mansion
in North London.
It’s a beautiful location! You use a lot
of symbolism in the video. What is the
significance of the golden violin?
If you notice, I play it blindfolded. It is
my way of reminding people that we
don’t always see clearly everything that is
happening in our lives. Sometimes we go
through life blinded.
What about the gun?
A gun is one of the quickest ways to end
life. No
matter
how bad life gets, we can always choose
to put the gun down.
Why did you choose “Jasmine Petals”
as the first single off your new “LIFE”
album?
It was the main song I found myself
singing to. It became a big part of me.
What do you hope fans take away
from “Jasmine Petals” and the “LIFE”
album?
Celebrate yourself. Celebrate your life.
It’s your story. Write it. If you didn’t like
something that happened yesterday, try
your best to not repeat it tomorrow.
Raph Solo’s “LIFE” and “Jasmine Petals”
are being released globally through Angel
King Musique and are available on Apple
Music, Spotify, Amazon as well all other
online retail outlets. For more information,
visit raphsolo.com.

photos / GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
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BY SHANE GALLAGHER
Yanni
Burton
Dances in
the Desert
PHOTO CREDIT: COURTNEY CHARLES
Yanni Burton’s latest single, “End Up
Missing,” is an inspiring summer dance
track he wrote about the passion, lust
and excitement of a new relationship,
and what happens when it fades.
“I have wasted so much time looking
for someone to complete me when Mr.
Right was in front of me all along,” the
New Yorker reflects. “We tell ourselves
we need that special someone to
complete us when most of the time all
we need is already with us.”
Produced by Lars Soderberg (Lauv,
Adam Rickfors, Black Eyed Peas’ Printz
Board), “End Up Missing” is Yanni
Burton’s third independent single
release this year.
“I wrote ‘End Up Missing’ at a time
in my life when I was staying out
late, meeting new people, being
stupid with friends and getting lost
in dance music,” Yanni explains.
“It’s all about me being young and
trying to figure out my love life
and emotions: what’s new, real and
worth committing to.”
“I’ve always been a hopeless
romantic,” he adds.
When it came time to start thinking
about the music video, Yanni knew
he wanted to reach outside his
comfort zone with a conceptual
video that depicted the idea of
growth and new beginnings.

He thought it might be
fun to create an artistic
dance film in the desert
of California’s Joshua
Tree National Park.
“I had in mind that the
dancers would both
emulate the growth
of trees and also
represent the growth
of human emotion and
sexual experience, and
how that looks in a
purely physical form,”
Yanni explains.
The video features
several incredible
dancers and Yanni. He
is not a trained dancer,
but that doesn’t
stop him from also
appearing, nearly nude
and in a leotard.
To prepare his body
both physically and
mentally, he trained
for three rigorous months in the gym and at
Barry’s Bootcamp, here in Chelsea.
Yanni Burton grew up in Adelaide, Australia,
a small town that also happens to be the
birthplace of pop singer Sia. For college,
he attended Juilliard, where he studied the
double bass. In fact, he holds a bachelor’s and
master’s degree in orchestral performance and
is producer and general manager of NYC’s
Salome Chamber Orchestra.
His hope today is to be a voice
for other LGBTQ independent
artists trying to make it in the
music industry. He feels it is
important they share their
voices and ideas to the world.
“By sharing our true selves,
we give perspective and
knowledge, and hopefully the
world can all learn from it and
move forward,” he explains. He
stays true to his experiences,
even when they involve intimacy
with another man, because
he finds they are the most
relatable songs he produces,
for both gay and straight
audiences.
Yanni Burton’s “End Up Missing” is
available on Apple Music, Spotify and all
digital platforms. Visit yanniburton.com.