Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 480

Where
to go?
EASTERN REGION
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ASBURY PARK, NJ
GEORGIE’S
810 5TH AVENUE
PARADISE
101 ASBURY AVE.
PHILADELPHIA (SQUARE)
WOODY’S
202 S 13TH ST
UBAR
1220 LOCUST ST
TRANSMISSION
1330 S WALNUT ST
TAVERN ON CAMAC
243 CAMAC ST
TABU LOUNGE
200 S 12TH ST
KNOCK BAR
225 S 12TH ST
BALTIMORE
LEON’S OF BALTIMORE
870 PARK AVENUE
DRINKERY
203 W READ ST
WASHINGTON DC (NW)
GREEN LANTERN
1335 GREEN COURT NW
JR’S BAR & GRILL
1637 17TH ST NW
LARRY’S LOUNGE
1836 18TH ST NW
NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR
900 U ST NW
NUMBER NINE
1435 P ST NW
PITCHER’S DC
2317 18TH ST NW
THE DIRTY GOOSE
913 U ST NW
TRADE
1410 14TH ST NW
DUPONT ITALIAN KITCHEN(DIK)
1637 17TH ST NW

LGBTQ+
& A Minority
or Woman
Business
Owner?
Make NYC your
next customer.
Find out how the Department of Small Business Services
can help you get certified.
Call 311 or visit
nyc.gov/getcertified

Brian had his HIV under control
with medication. But smoking with
HIV caused him to have serious
health problems, including a
stroke, a blood clot in his lungs
and surgery on an artery in his
neck. Smoking makes living with
HIV much worse. You can quit.
CALL 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
#CDCTips
HIV alone
didn’t cause the
clogged artery
in my neck.
Smoking with
HIV did.
Brian, age 45, California

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
DWORLD UNDERWEAR PARTY @ ICE PALACE
NICKY DOLL @ REFLECTIONS FIRE ISLAND PINES

week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
NEW YORK, NEW YORK @ SONY HALL
THE INVASION STONEWALL
THE SHERRY VINE VARIETY SHOW @ INDUSTRY

GET BACK
TO FAMILY
Get the facts. Get the vax.
To get the facts about COVID-19 vaccines, visit nyc.gov/covidvaccine.
Visit nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692)
to find a vaccination site to get your COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe,
effective and will help us all get
back to the people and activities
we have missed.
Health
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc
Commissioner
week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
Health
BATTLE HYMN @ RUMI EVENT SPACE
Bill de Blasio
Mayor
Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc
Commissioner

getoutmag.com week in pictures
ADONIS LOUNGE
>> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
LIPS
QUEENS AT THE YARD @ QUEENS YARD
TRISH @ 3 DOLLAR BILL

NYC, A New Way To Vote This June!
Learn more: voting.nyc
Rank up to five
candidates, instead
of voting for just one!
Vote Early: June 12 - 20
Primary Election Day:
June 22
Vote
in the June
Primary
Election!
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week in pictures >> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
SUPER FLY @ MONARCH
5/19/21 10:59 AM

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BY BEN NELSON
DRIVE ‘N DRAG
GottMik, Rosé And a Bevy Of Other Drag Race Favorites
Season 13 finalists GottMik and Rosé will be among the celebrity queens
performing in Drive ‘N Drag Saves 2021, playing live at Randalls Island Park
in NYC, Pride Weekend, June 25-27. They join the other super queens of
RuPaul’s Drag Race—Season 10 winner Aquaria, the luminous Asia O’Hara, the
incredible she-hulk Kameron Michaels, the seductive Violet Chachki, and the
spicy Vanjie—on their mission to save the world.

SAVES PRIDE!
Perform Live at Randalls Island Park This Pride Weekend
“Suit up, find your sidekick, and come along for one helluva new adventure as
we werq to rid the USA of COVID and Trump,” says Aquaria.
“This last tour has been pretty incredible,” reflects the show’s producer,
Brandon Voss. The springtime production of Drive ‘N Drag Saves 2021
launched in San Francisco on May 7. Over 200,000 fans had the opportunity
to experience a live drag show featuring their favorite RuPaul’s Drag Race
stars from the safety of their vehicles. “Our wildly popular stage shows have
proven that drag show must go on, even through a pandemic!”
In the new springtime edition, audience members were eventually allowed to
ditch their cars and enjoy the show from 8 x 8, socially distanced party patios.
The VIP patios are much closer to the stage, allowing for a true outdoor
concert vibe. “As restrictions loosened, we were able to adapt the show to be
even more interactive than previously,” Brandon Voss continues. “We lit up
parking lots with a new kind of drag extravaganza that New Yorkers will be
sure to love.”
Drive ‘N Drag Saves 2021 will make its grand finale during New York’s Pride
celebrations. As always, the live production will feature festive décor, concert
style stage and lighting, Jumbotron screens and sound pumped from the
stage. Multiple shows will run all weekend long. Food and beverages will be
available via gourmet food trucks and limited edition merchandise featuring
all the fierce queens will be available, too!
Drive ‘N Drag Saves 2021 tickets are available now on
VossEvents.com. Prices start at $75 for two people.

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
MRBSTYLES
-AKA MOISES BAEZ-
Releases All-Gay Salsa Video “Ay! Que Bueno”
New York
based, Puerto
Rican, LGBTQ
salsa artist Moises
Baez--known by
his stage name
Mrbstyles--has
recently released
the very first allgay
salsa single
and video titled
“Ay! Que Bueno.”
Moises became
recognized for his
unique style as a
Latin salsa singer,
choreographer
and professional
salsa dancer.
Born and raised
in Boston, Moises was introduced
to the cultural expression of salsa
at age 11 and began performing
professionally
with a team
dance group at
age 14. When he
was 21, Moises
launched his own
dance program
called “Out Salsa
Boston,” offering
salsa dance to the
gay community of
that famed city.
Moises will be
performing at
Yonkers Pride
and then he’ll
be leaving for
Spain for a dream
singing adventure.
He’s pursuing his
dream to become
what he calls a gay Ricky Ricardo.
He’s high spirited and a blast to
talk to.
INTERVIEW
Hello, Moises. So tell me a little about
yourself.
I am a gay, Puerto Rican male raised in
Boston. I was a professional salsa dancer
and now I’m singing songs. I am the first
openly gay male salsa singer, so it’s kind
of a big deal.
What about your career makes you
stand out, aside from singing salsa?
I just released a video called “Ay! Que
Bueno,” which is a song about fast love.
In the music video, we spoke about gay
culture. It’s a Wizard of Oz type video
where it goes from black-and-white to
color. Everybody in the video is gay, and it
was shot in Puerto Rico. At the moment,
I’m working on my album, just finishing it
up. So after Ricky Martin, the next one to
come out that does gay Latino music is
me. Because I sing salsa, I’m like the first
of my kind. Not to brag or anything, but
when Madonna came out with “Vogue”....
It’s kind of like that, but it’s salsa.

I heard that you were going to go on
a fab singing adventure.
Yes, at the end of this month, I am going
to Spain for this huge singing platform
that I will be part of.
Congrats. How do you plan to
celebrate Pride?
This Saturday, I’m performing at Yonkers
Pride. It’s my first onstage performance
since I
released
my single,
so I’m really
excited
about that.
Otherwise,
I’m going
to go to
celebrations
like
everybody
else.
How long
have you
been living
in New
York?
I’ve been
here since
2015. I had a
dance studio
in Boston
called “Out
Salsa”, for
the gay
community.
I got to
a point
where I outgrew it. So
I moved to New York
to be a soloist and I
started living the dream
of a dancer in New
York, and then, with
this whole pandemic,
everything stopped...so
I started singing.
Before that, you were never a singer?
Professionally, no....just karaoke.
Everyone told me I had a beautiful voice
and I should sing. Ever since I was little, I
wanted to be a singer, but I was afraid to
come out as a gay singer.
Why were you afraid?
Just because I was getting rejected
when I tried. It’s also different when
you’re Latin.
Ricky Martin
is Latin, but
he was in the
closet until
2010. To be
openly gay
and sing music
like that... it’s
still really hard.
A lot of people
still judge, so
somebody has
to break that
wall down.
Where do you
hope to be in
five years?
Blessing the
world with
music.
Who is your
favorite
influence?
I look up to
Marc Anthony,
and I also look
up to people
that were trend-setters,
like Prince or Michael
Jackson. Basically, what
I want to do is what Desi
Arnaz from I Love Lucy
did...only gay. I want a TV
show, the music, the big
band...that’s what I want
to do.
PHOTOS BY YLVA EREVALL @YLVAEREVALL
MAKEUP & FACE: JUAN PABLO RAMIREZ @THEFACESIMAKEBYJP
WARDROBE: IRVING RAMIREZ

DIMITRI
LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018
REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
KEEP
ASPIRING.
Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used
to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you.
Featured patient compensated by Gilead.
Watch Dimitri’s story at BIKTARVY.com

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
This is only a brief summary of important information about
BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare
provider about your condition and your treatment.
(bik-TAR-vee)
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side
effects, including:
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV)
infection. Your healthcare provider will
test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1
and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get
worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do
not stop taking BIKTARVY without first
talking to your healthcare provider,
as they will need to check your health
regularly for several months, and may
give you HBV medicine.
ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill,
once-a-day prescription medicine
used to treat HIV-1 in adults and
children who weigh at least 55 pounds.
It can either be used in people who
have never taken HIV-1 medicines
before, or people who are replacing
their current HIV-1 medicines and
whose healthcare provider determines
they meet certain requirements.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take
a medicine that contains:
dofetilide
rifampin
any other medicines to treat HIV-1
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side
effects, including:
Those in the “Most Important Information
About BIKTARVY” section.
Changes in your immune system.
Your immune system may get
stronger and begin to fight infections
that may have been hidden in your
body. Tell your healthcare provider
if you have any new symptoms after
you start taking BIKTARVY.
Kidney problems, including kidney
failure. Your healthcare provider
should do blood and urine tests to
check your kidneys. If you develop
new or worse kidney problems, they
may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.
Too much lactic acid in your blood
(lactic acidosis), which is a serious but
rare medical emergency that can lead
to death. Tell your healthcare provider
right away if you get these symptoms:
weakness or being more tired than usual,
unusual muscle pain, being short of
breath or fast breathing, stomach pain
with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue
hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded,
or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
Severe liver problems, which in rare
cases can lead to death. Tell your
healthcare provider right away if you
get these symptoms: skin or the white
part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “teacolored”
urine, light-colored stools, loss
of appetite for several days or longer,
nausea, or stomach-area pain.
The most common side effects of
BIKTARVY in clinical studies were
diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and
headache (5%).
These are not all the possible side effects
of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider
right away if you have any new symptoms
while taking BIKTARVY.
You are encouraged to report negative
side effects of prescription drugs to the
FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or
call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Your healthcare provider will need to
do tests to monitor your health before
and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Continued on next page.
Please see Important Facts, including important warnings, continued on the
next page and at BIKTARVY.com.

REAL BIKTARVY
PATIENTS
ZACH
D’EVA
HUGO
CHAD
NIKKI
DIMITRI
Meet a few of the extraordinary people who take BIKTARVY.
Watch their stories at BIKTARVY.com
Featured patients compensated by Gilead.
IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY® (CONTINUED)
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider if you:
Have or have had any kidney or liver
problems, including hepatitis infection.
Have any other health problems.
Are pregnant or plan to become
pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY
can harm your unborn baby. Tell your
healthcare provider if you become
pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to
breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can
be passed to the baby in breast milk.
Tell your healthcare provider about all
the medicines you take:
Keep a list that includes all prescription
and over-the-counter medicines,
antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal
supplements, and show it to your
healthcare provider and pharmacist.
BIKTARVY and other medicines
may affect each other. Ask your
healthcare provider and pharmacist
about medicines that interact with
BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to
take BIKTARVY with all your
other medicines.
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or
without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION
This is only a brief summary of important
information about BIKTARVY. Talk to
your healthcare provider or pharmacist
to learn more.
Go to BIKTARVY.com or call
1-800-GILEAD-5
If you need help paying for your
medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for
program information.
Please see Important Facts,
including important warnings,
above and at BIKTARVY.com.
BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, and LOVE WHAT’S
INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021
© 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0413 04/21

ISSUE #480
COVER 1:
TOMMY
SCALA
PHOTO CREDIT:
RICK STOCKWELL
@RICKSTOCKWELL
COVER 2:
MODELS LEFT
TO RIGHT: JAVIER,
DORYIN & JULIO
PHOTO CREDIT:
WILSONMODELS
PUBLISHER MICHAEL TODD
MIKE@GETOUTMAG.COM
DESIGN AGOTA CORREA
AGOTA@GETOUTMAG.COM
CELEBRITY INTERVIEWER EILEEN SHAPIRO
@EILEENSHAPIRO3
CONTRIBUTOR TERRON AUSTIN
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.
All Content © Copyright 2019
MJT/GOOTH ENTERTAINMENT
25-21 45TH STREET ASTORIA, NY 11103
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE ENTERTAINMENT EST. 2009

HAPPY
PRIDE!
@RICKSTOCKWELL
PHOTO BY RICK STOCKWELL
Model: Tommy Scala

@JWILSON77
PHOTO BY
WILSONMODELS
Models left to right:
Javier, Doryin & Julio

GET OUT MAGAZINE
BY TERRON AUSTIN
JUNE 2021 PRIDE ISSUE STORIES
MOBIfest RETURNS WITH
BIG FREEDIA & MORE
Now in its fourth year of virtual
empowerment, MOBIfest returned at
the top of Pride Month with a worldwide
exclusive featuring live performances from
the likes of reigning New Orleans bounce
music queen Big Freedia, hip hop/dance
& EDM artist Cakes Da Killa and Grammynominated
R&B sensation Asiahn. If you’re
unfamiliar with the movement, MOBIfest
serves as an annual interactive wellness
festival focusing on culture, community
and health presented by Mobilizing Our
Brothers Initiative (MOBI). Through the
virtual experience, MOBIfest celebrates
the voices of Black gay and queer people
of color in the arts, entertainment and
media. Driven by a series of curated
social connectivity events for the Black
LGBTQ+ individual, this year’s show was
jam-packed with star power. If you missed
it, head to Mobi-NYC.com to catch the
replay and prepare to join in the various
experiences planned throughout Pride
season and the rest of the year.
LAUGH YOUR WAY TO
LOVE THIS SUMMER
Dating during a pandemic was quite
a challenge. However, this summer it
might finally be time to see the light at
the end of the tunnel on the quest for
companionship with UpDating, a wave
of dating in the spotlight that’s officially
made its return after being paused by the
COVID-19 outbreak.
In a nutshell, UpDating is a weekly
comedy show that puts singles onstage
on their first date in front of a live
audience. By the way, you’re blindfolded,
too! Equal parts game show, blind date
and a unique way to mingle with the other
single people watching, this phenomenon,
which began in 2018, could be the golden
ticket to finding love and laughter in what
just a few months ago felt like such a
hopeless pandemic era.
Here’s how it works: The show’s
organizers take your info, interests,
Instagram handle and your recollection
of a funny first date and connect you
with other singles who might be a good
match via their website UpDatingShow.
com. Once selected, you’re blindfolded
onstage, where you have no choice but
to be yourself. In-house comedians and
the viewers would then get to ask both
you and the potential mate questions
that might bring you closer together by
the end of the night. Even if you aren’t
a match made in heaven with someone
onstage, there’s bound to be someone to
take home from the audience.
Word on the street is this humorous route
to romance has developed a massive
waiting list of singles vying to be featured
in hopes of linking up with someone
special. So, whether you’re tired of
swiping left and right on Tinder, waiting
for the arrows to strike and the sparks
to fly on OKCupid, perusing the local
options on Jack’d for a quick fix, or if you
simply decided to work on consistent selfcare
with your own two hands during the
quarantine, the goal now to enjoy single
life in the city is to never be afraid to try
something new.
PRIDE PROGRAMMING
TAKING CENTER STAGE
After a year of being relegated to binging
on food, booze and TV, you might be
itching to hit the streets in a major way
during summer 2021. Now that we’ve
conquered some of our quarantine blues,
one thing remains for sure--representation
matters like never before in the realm of
entertainment, so what better way to see
ourselves living out loud, live and in color,
than on our television screens and home
theaters? There’s a robust lineup of new
series, documentaries and films that have
more than captured our attention and our
queer eyes.

So no matter what you might be looking
for in Pride programming to stimulate
those senses while you celebrate
inside your humble abodes or while
attending one of many socially distanced
gatherings with your friends, continue
to strut your stuff this Pride season
because there’s a little something for
everyone just the push of a button away.
Grab your favorite snacks, kick back and
make movie nights this summer even
more memorable with some of our top
choices.
PRIDE (FX)
Following June’s season finale and the
conclusion of the beloved series POSE
comes the FX channel’s exciting new
six-part documentary series PRIDE.
Detailing the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil
rights in America from the 1950s through
the 2000s, PRIDE showcases the work
of seven renowned LGBTQ+ directors
who explore the stories that define our
nation in this special miniseries. Take a
deep dive into the battle over marriage
equality, a vanishing New York City
during the AIDS epidemic through the
eyes of 1980s videographer Nelson
Sullivan (as explained by Michael Musto,
Fenton Bailey, and Lahoma), as well
as the evolution of trans rights, plus
heartbreaking and heroic moments
through the decades. PRIDE is executive
produced by Emmy Award-winning
Killer Films and Sundance World Cinema
Grand Jury Prize winning VICE Studios.
LOVE, VICTOR (HULU)
Last summer, we fell in love with
memories of younger versions of
ourselves on the road to self-discovery
and the pubescent puppy love we
longed for through the lens of “Love,
Victor” – a Hulu spinoff of the romcom
drama Love, Simon (2018), which
is currently on Amazon Prime if you
didn’t see it in theaters pre-pandemic.
We travel back to high school in both
the film and the series with its second
season dropping June 11th on Hulu
to find out what hilarious, terrifying
and life-changing events take place for
closeted gay teens as they navigate
the challenges of coming out to their
families and friends, come to terms
with their individual sexual orientations
and ultimately find their tribe in a new
environment. Looking back on such
simpler times makes you wish you were a
kid again, right?
THE UPSHAWS (NETFLIX)
TV legend Kim Fields returns to her seat
atop sitcom royalty alongside standup
comedians-turned-actors Mike Epps
and Wanda Sykes in the Netflix original
series The Upshaws. This side-splitting
throwback series with modern views will
keep you and your loved ones giggling
with glee as a seemingly normal workingclass
African American family faces
everything under the sun to make it
work together without the blueprint to
do so. We wouldn’t dare spoil it for you,
but please be sure to pay close attention
to the hidden gem of this hilarious
series, including a unique journey of
acceptance as Epps and Fields’ TV son,
played by new Hollywood heartthrob
Jermelle Simon, prepares to make a
huge announcement about a secret he’s
been keeping. For now, we’ll just say
they got this one right, and with both
Epps and Sykes serving as executive
producers, The Upshaws are quite
literally everything we need them to be-–
fresh, funny and for the family.
LEGENDARY (HBO MAX)
Praised by GLAAD for featuring queer
talent and trans artists from the New
York ballroom scene, Legendary is
poised to bring all the grandiose magic
of ball culture right to our living rooms
yet again as season two returns just in
time for Pride 2021 on HBO Max. Last
year, the House of Balmain took the
title and a $100,000 cash prize from this
vogue competition series. Contestants
from various houses will be showcased
in all their fierceness while preparing
to walk, dance and vogue through the
categories of different balls. Get a bird’s
eye view of what it takes to win big and
see who has the guts to get the glory as
the original underground ballroom scene
gains newfound respect after decades of
influencing pop culture.

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week in pictures
>> BY WILSONMODELS / wilsonmodels.blogspot.com
CHASE BANK STONEWALL
LOCATION PRIDE INSTALLATION

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
Jennifer Nettles
Illuminates Broadway With Her Album
Always Like New
“Every night, half an hour before
curtain up, the bells of St.
Malachy’s, the Actors’ Chapel
on New York’s 49th Street, peal
the tune of ‘There’s No Business
Like Show Business.’ If you walk
the streets of the theater district
before a show and see the vast,
enthusiastic lines, it sounds like a
calling: There is certainly no place
like Broadway”--Dan Stevens
Multi-Grammy Award winning
global phenomena Jennifer
Nettles illuminates Broadway
with her album Always Like New
set to release on June 25 via
Concord Records. Jennifer has
joined forces with Grammy and
Tony winner Alex Lacamoire
(recognized for his work on
Broadway including Hamilton,
Dear Evan Hansen and In The
Heights) to celebrate the reenvisioning
of some of the
best loved Broadway tunes,
embracing modern day epics and
familiar echoes of the past.
Always Like New is brimming
with heart, adorned with vibrant
color and marinated with soulful
texture. Nettles has welcomed
Broadway back by taking songs
from a variety of great musicals
and elevating them to a dazzling
climax that will delight musical
theater aficionados and novices
alike. Jennifer and Alex have
crushed this record with their
talent and dedication, breathing
fresh life into standards in a way
that makes you want the show to
go on and on.
The album will be unveiled at a
most appropriate time. The world
is opening up and people are no
longer howling at the moon. The
release will come in time for New
York Gay Pride Week, in time to
honor the 20th anniversary of
9/11, as well as the reopening of
Broadway.
The word “superstar” only
touches the surface when
celebrating Jennifer Nettles.
She has appeared on TBS’ hit
competition series Go-Big Show
as a judge, portrayed Aimee-
Leigh Gemstone on HBO’s
The Righteous Gemstones,
and delivered a powerful
performance in Focus Features’
Harriet Tubman biopic, Harriet.

PHOTO CREDIT: SHERVIN LAINEZ
As a singer/songwriter, she has
earned three Grammy Awards,
two with Sugarland and one for
her collaboration with Bon Jovi on
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home.”
She also has five ASCAP awards,
three ACM Awards, a CMA Award,
the Human Rights Campaign’s Ally
for Equality Award and the Artist
Impact Award from Lincoln Center.
Jennifer is a strong advocate for
the LGBTQ community, racial
equality, and women’s rights, as
well as a philanthropist. She has
also appeared on Broadway--in
Chicago in 2015. Mostly, Jennifer
is true to herself, inspirational, and
honest.

JENNIFER,
CONGRATULATIONS ON
THE RELEASE OF YOUR
NEW ALBUM.
Thank you. I am very, very
excited about it. Let me
tell you a sort of kismet
moment. We recorded the
last note of “Tomorrow”,
the last song on the
record, on March 12,
2020. It was the day that
Broadway closed. So we
literally finished recording
and everybody’s phone
started blowing up with
the news that Broadway
was closing down. It
has only closed one day
during 9/11 and it has
never closed during any
of the world wars. It is
such a significant moment
in history for this iconic
American institution,
world known. How many
songs have been written
for Broadway or about
Broadway? The fact that
it shut down the last day
of recording this album
felt so cosmic, so meant
to be, so now, thankfully,
the world continues to
open up and Broadway
is about to do so. I just
feel like this record is such
a celebratory flag to say
“Yay!!! Here we come back
to celebrate all the beauty
that we’re going to be
able to see on the stages
once again.”
GROWING UP IN NEW
YORK, IT WAS ALWAYS
EXCITING TO SEE A
BROADWAY PLAY.
It’s a big deal because it is
a high level of excellence.
Any time we get to
experience as human
beings such an exquisite
level of excellence, where
everyone is contributing
at the top of their game,
there is a sacredness to
that. So, of course, it
would’ve been a big deal
even as a New Yorker. As a
matter of fact, even more
so as a New Yorker.
IT WAS SO ALMOST
HAUNTING WHEN
BROADWAY CLOSED
DOWN.
Like a ghost town. I don’t
know if you ever went into
the theater district during
any of that time during
lockdown, it was just
weird. It was like “Bring
out the zombies”, the
zombie apocalypse.
LIKE THE NIGHT OF
THE LIVING DEAD
RESURRECTED. IN ANY
CASE, I LOVE ALL THE
SONGS THAT YOU’VE
CHOSEN. I LOVE THE
THEATER, BUT I’M NOT
A HUGE BROADWAY
MUSICAL FAN. I LOVE
PUNK ROCK. BUT I
HAVE TO SAY THE WAY
YOU ORCHESTRATED
THESE SONGS WAS SO
OVER THE TOP. YOU DID
SONGS THAT I NEVER
THOUGHT I WOULD
LIKE IN MY WILDEST
DREAMS, BUT I REALLY,
REALLY LIKED THEM.
I love hearing you say
this, Eileen, and let me
tell you why. Because my
collaborating partner for
arranging and producing,
Alex, and I and Adam
Zotovich, the executive
producer, we put so much
stock into the selection
of the songs. The criteria
we ended up using in
choosing the songs had to
be in two parts. It had to
be respectful homage to
the original composition,
but number two, it had
to expand that original
composition in such a way
that it made it reimagined,
re-envisioned, and able to
be discovered anew. That’s
where the title came from,
Always Like New, because
for me as an artist, not
only am I constantly
reinventing and evolving
myself, but also, the songs
symbolize that in the ways
that...some of them are
modern contemporary
theater, some of them are
classic, but all of them take
the original compositions
and hopefully reimagine
them in a way that allow
for their discovery.

IF YOU WERE EVER TO
TELL ME THAT I WOULD
THOROUGHLY ENJOY A
SONG LIKE “OH, WHAT
A BEAUTIFUL MORNIN’
”, I WOULD HAVE SAID
THAT YOU’RE CRAZY.
BUT THE WAY YOU DID
IT, IT WAS ALMOST LIKE
IT WAS A BRAND NEW
SONG.
I love hearing that, and
also, here’s the thing:
People are very specific
about their musical taste.
Just like you were saying
you would’ve never
thought that you would
like that, people say that
about musical theater,
country music, just fill in
the blanks, according to
what their taste might be.
But to hear you say that, it
has so much significance
for me because again, that
feels like we’ve achieved
what we set out to do,
which was take the songs
and respectfully reimagine
them. The good thing is
I’ve been hearing on both
sides of the coin, because I
have people who are super
precious about musical
theater. I mean they are
protective, but they are
like, “Oh, my God, we
love this record.“ To hear
them say that, those that
are so super protective of
the form and genre, and
to hear you say that, who
really comes from another
background and taste, that
to me is super rewarding.
So, thank you.
TRUTH. VERY
REFRESHING AND I
ALMOST WANT TO SAY
INSPIRING.
Yeah, let it be inspiring
because that’s what music
is supposed to be. I feel
like I’m winning today,
Eileen.
YOU’VE DEFINITELY
WON WITH THIS
ONE. THE FACT THAT
YOU’RE RELEASING
THE RECORD AT SUCH
A MONUMENTAL TIME,
DURING PRIDE WEEK, IT
JUST FITS.
I think it fits in so many
ways. I think obviously
within the Broadway
community, the gay
community is such an
intricate part. For those
two communities to hold
hands physically in the
form of this album is a
beautiful part of its release,
for sure.
I THINK--FROM THIS
INTERVIEW AND THE
LAST INTERVIEW WE
HAD--THAT YOU ARE SO
GENUINE AND I KNOW
YOU WILL ANSWER
THIS HONESTLY. WHO
SELECTED THE SONGS?
WERE THEY FAVORITES
OF YOURS OR DID
SOMEONE CHOOSE
THEM FOR YOU?
The way that Alex and
I collaborated on this
project was really serving
the song and serving the
music.
INTERVIEW
That for us was the highest
goal. Some of them, for
example “Oh, What A
Beautiful Mornin’ ” and
“Sit Down, You’re Rockin’
the Boat”, “Wouldn’t
It Be Loverly?”, even
“Tomorrow”, but especially
those first three...They
were always for me in
my own head as a writer,
singer and composer,
that I heard those vocal
melodies anyway. So, for
years I have been singing
them with a back beat,
which made them feel for
me as a vocalist that they
were super accessible,
different and celebratory.
Starting with those three
really as a foundation as
we started to expand into
those arrangements, we
realized what was making
those arrangements work.
It’s what I mentioned to
you earlier, which was that
dual inspiration of serving
the original, but in a way
that made it completely reenvisioned,
with respect.

So when those songs
did that and they did it
so well, we knew that
everything else we chose
for this album had to
meet that criteria at that
level or it was going to
be left behind. That really
became our mantra and
our calling card for this
whole record. Does it
stand up? There were
some songs that seemed
too close to the original,
for example. They weren’t
reinvented enough.
We really spent a lot of
time choosing. Those
three songs that I had
mentioned were some
of my favorites off the
top, but then there were
others that Alex brought
to the mix in a way that
when we did them, they
really came to shine--like
“Anyone Can Whistle”.
We wanted to make sure
that in our respectful
repertoire, we had
Sondheim represented, as
musicians respecting his
mountain of fantastic work.
Listening to “Anyone
Can Whistle”, I heard this
guitar part that almost
sounded like “Blackbird”
by The Beatles. The
acoustic guitar part had
that “Blackbird” vibe to
it. So, all the things in
my world that overlap in
Alex‘s world are what you
hear in this record in terms
of those two influences.
What you hear is a super
strong orchestrator,
musical arranger, for all
of these musicals and my
background as a singer/
songwriter and musician
on that side. So that’s
really how we chose all
of the songs, considering
how they wound up
expanding and evolving.
THERE IS NOT A BAD
ONE IN THE BUNCH.
There are a lot of classics
and then there’s a handful
of contemporary ones
as well, like “Wait For It”
from Hamilton and “You
Will Be Found” from
Dear Evan Hansen. We
wanted to make sure we
represented some of the
current ones as well.
YOUR WORLD EXPANDS
WAY BEYOND THE
AVERAGE MORTAL.
DO YOU EVER STOP
COUNTING YOUR
GRAMMYS?
Well, it’s easy to stop. I
just get to three. I would
love more. Let’s be honest.
And beyond that, I enjoy
storytelling across the
board and I love the
performing arts. If I’m
doing it as a songwriter, if
I’m doing it as a vocalist,
if I’m doing it in TV and
film or on the theater
stage or on the concert
stage, whatever it is, I
love storytelling and I love
music most specifically as
my first love.
WHERE DO YOU
FIND THE TIME FOR
EVERYTHING, I MEAN
YOU’RE A SINGER,
SONGWRITER, ACTOR,
ACTIVIST, MOTHER....
Even I don’t know. I
think something that
I’ve definitely seen over
this pandemic is, good
God, how we all learned
about ourselves. We
have learned shit about
ourselves that we wish
we didn’t know. We’ve all
had way too much time
on our hands. But also,
the downward pressure
that we’ve all experienced
this year. The ambiguous
loss, the tangible loss,
the fear, the anxiety--for
me, I have learned that
I’m quite accustomed
to being much healthier
when I have a certain
amount of output and
a certain amount of
input. Creatively, from a
performance perspective,
from a chemical
perspective, I am just used
to running at a certain
gear, and to have stopped
that...Just to put it bluntly,
it fucked me up. So, where
do I find time for it? I just
look at it as a big dance
and I just try to step in at
the right cue. I say “Yes”
to only the things that fill
my heart in the right way.
I keep reinforcing to the
universe, “This is the kind
of stuff I want to come my
way.”
KIND OF LIKE “THE
SECRET.”
Very much. Let’s manifest
it.
SO THE ALBUM IS
COMING OUT ON JUNE
25 AND IT WILL BE SOLD
AS VINYL, CD AND
ONLINE?
I don’t think they did
cassette, but I heard
among the young kids
that that’s becoming a
new thing again. Where
they are going to play, I
don’t know. We didn’t do
cassettes, but we did vinyl
and CD and of course
the digital source of your
desires.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE
YOU TO RECORD THE
ALBUM?
You see, we didn’t do it
all at one time. We did it
over the course of a year.
We would go in and out,
depending on the projects
that Alex and I had.

So I would say cumulatively
it was maybe three to four
weeks of actual studio time.
SINCE EVERYTHING IS
FINALLY OPENING UP,
WILL YOU BE TOURING
IN SUPPORT OF THE
ALBUM?
That is what I’m hoping.
It’s a very specific album in
terms of the orchestration.
So being able to support
that with instrumentalists,
I’m looking at now trying
to decide whether this is
a symphony tour kind of
thing or sourcing musicians
from local orchestras,
depending on where I go.
I’ve never had an album
this richly orchestrated. All
that is to say is “Yes,” and
I’m looking into the best
ways to do so.
SO, IS THERE ANYTHING
YOU’D LIKE TO TALK
ABOUT THAT I HAVEN’T
COVERED?
Yes. As of note, I would like
to point out that the only
duet on the album--which
is “It All Fades Away” from
Bridges of Madison County-
-is a duet that I do with
Brandi Carlile, who is loved
and is one of your own in
the LGBTQ community. It
is such a standout to me
on the album, for a number
of reasons. Number
one is vocally, Brandi is
unsurpassed, and number
two, the song itself is a love
song, so for two women
singing this song, a lot of
times we definitely don’t
see (at least I haven’t) two
women doing a love duet
in popular music, much less
in theater music. So I think
that song in particular is a
standout, and I would just
love for people to be able
to note that and celebrate
it.

> BY TYLER WYNN
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