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MUSIC: Gloria Estefan (Over)Reaches For Gay-Diva Status. Plus: New Music From Will Young, Sinead O’Connor

By John Russell February 21, 2012 at 6:09am · Updated on November 19, 2012
I really haven’t been paying attention to Sinead O’Connor’s recent bonkers behavior. There was something about anal sex and an online personal ad and a brief marriage and a suicide attempt, right? Actually I’m pretty glad that I know as little as possible about O’Connor’s personal life, because it would have colored my opinion of her new album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?—and that would have been a shame. Instead, I heard this bona fide comeback divorced of context and I’m telling you, it’s amazing. How About I Be Me is at turns moody and uplifting—totally catchy and accessible, yet with genuinely odd and intense moments. It’s a stunner. And the first single, “The Wolf is Getting Married,” is just the tip of the iceberg.   NEXT: Gloria Estfan’s video for “Hotel Nacional” is kitschier than a Love Boat marathon
As Queerty posted last week, Gloria Estefan has a new single out and she’s aiming clearly at the gay market—as you may have guessed by her recent appearances at various gay clubs. I’m not sure I can describe the video for “Hotel Nacional” better than Glen Weldon did on last week’s episode of his NPR podcast, Pop Culture Happy Hour:
How much, with her white-knuckled desperation, is [Estefan] lunging for the gays? This video includes: A) A Rocky Horror homage—the framing device is from Rocky Horror. B) Several drag queens—a brace of drag queens? A sachet of drag queens?—including one that has been on RuPaul’s Drag Race. So by the time I get to listing the cameo appearance by Susan Lucci, you can tell that I’m already gilding a lily that is pretty much made out of solid gold.
You heard the man—solid gold. NEXT: Miss Guy steps away from the Toilet  
Toilet Böys fronter Miss Guy has a new E.P. out called “Dumb Blonde.” It’s the singer’s debut solo effort and while The Toilet Böys always existed somewhere between Motörhead and Rocky Horror, the album’s title track and lead single has more of a glam-rock feel.   NEXT: An older, wiser Will Young is ready to lose himself.
I’m also kinda loving Will Young’s new track, “Losing Myself.” Young’s previous single, “Leave Right Now,” didn’t exactly make the British singer a household name in the U.S., despite a being American Idol’s outro song in 2010. It’s a lovely track that just never caught fire. “Losing Myself,” on the other hand, may have what it takes. The track offers plenty of New Wave energy and a healthy dose of soul, a combination that’s worked so well in the past for that other gay Brit, George Michael.  

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5 Comments*

  • Tee

    Absolutely adore Will Young. He’s huge in the UK, but undiscovered here. Love the new single and video.

    I think my favorite from him is his second album, “Friday’s Child”, which is 5X Platinum in the UK. Some beautifully soulful ballads between it and its various single-only bonus tracks. “Leave Right Now” is great, but also try “Your Game”, “Very Kind” (which Young co-wrote with Robin Thicke) and “Free” from the album. Then try and hunt down “Cry”, “Take Control”, “Down” and “Your Game” (Acoustic Gospel Version).

    He also did a plucky cover of Jackie Wilson’s “I Get The Sweetest Feeling” and a wistful ballad version of OutKast’s “Hey Ya!”.

    I found it refreshing that—unlike most artists—he came out during the run of his very first single, before he’d even finished recording his debut album. Equally refreshing that the British record-buying public gave him three consecutive number-one singles (nine consecutive top-five singles) and three number-one albums after doing so.

    I can’t help but think that’s a large part of the reason he’s barely been a blip in the U.S.—U.S. record companies still can’t bear to market a male pop singer who happens to be gay.

  • Caspar

    I’m surprised Will hasn’t released more in the US! Leave Right Now was massive here, but he’s had a couple of albums since then. His new one is my favourite yet, and all the singles have done fairly well here. Has the album been released in the US?

  • dsp

    Love Will Young; love his music.

    Love, love, love Gloria Estefan; the song…meh, sorry Gloria. Still love y a though.

    Sinead..not too much love from me to you but love the song.

  • James

    Gloria. Just STOP! Even in the Latin community people think you’re annoying.

  • shannon

    PLEASE TELL THIS OLD ABUELA TO GO SIT DOWN SOME DAMN WHERE….

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