We’re all on a journey. For some of us it’s a planned effort; we know where we want to be in five years time and have a pretty clear Gantt chart laid out in our heads for how we’re going to get there. For others (and I include myself in this camp), the journey is a little less certain. We might have some approximate, back of a cigarette packet, future aspirations but we’ll meander on the way, get distracted by other things and maybe end up at a different place than the one we first thought we might want to get to. To my mind, both journeys are valid.
It would appear from the accompanying press release to the wonderful track, The Girl Who Fell, Queera Nightly has been on a more demanding journey than many. All the steps travelled by the Californian based artist, musician and drag performer seem to now be bearing fruit. You get a real sense of triumph over adversity; here’s an artist in a happy place who’s keen to celebrate that fact with us all. Let me tell you more?
Raised in a highly religious household, Queera struggled to understand their identity growing up, often wondering where they fit in. And, reading between the lines that led to a fair bit of anguish on Queera’s part. “I’ve worn different masks throughout my life: the devoted follower, the politician, the wayward soul.“, they say. “At times I felt more at ease behind a mask, safe from people’s judgement of who I really was. I thought that that would keep me safe, but it only made me feel more and more alone. I felt confined to a box of who I could be.”
‘The Girl Who Fell’, the lead single and title track from Queera’s forthcoming album, explores that mask-wearing dilemma in all of its glory. With a bouncy indie-pop beat, jangling guitars and a dose of French chanson from the 1960’s, this is a tune that offers a compelling narrative flittering between social constraints and personal freedom. Past shadows are reflected upon from the current position of strength.
And what a strong position that currently is. I ask Queera how 2021 has been so far and am struck by the overwhelming positivity. “2021 has been off to a great start!“, they say. “My partner and I have been having so much fun making art, doing photo shoots, and filming music videos and creative projects. We design and build everything ourselves. It’s a lot of work but we are growing with each project and I’m proud of the work we’ve done. My First EP is releasing in March and I’m so excited to finally be able to share it. My music has always come from a very personal place, so it can be kind of scary, but I couldn’t be happier.”
Just to whet your appetites for that, I’ll bring you a bonus track today as well. Just a few days ago, Queera added to The Girl Who Fell by releasing the follow-up track. ‘First Temptation’ gives additional insight into the journey that Queera has been on.
Where do you want to be in five years time?
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