GAYLETTER

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.

Keiynan Lonsdale is 28 years old and originally from Western Sydney, Australia. Currently he lives in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. He is an actor, dancer, musician, and sometime model. When he was in high school, he was cast in an Australian television series called Dance Academy. He played a gay character named Ollie Lloyd. At the age of 21, he moved to L.A. to audition for shows during the infamous pilot season. “I basically knew that there were certain opportunities that I would be right for in the States, especially as a young black kid,” Lonsdale told us. That trip led to roles including a character in The Flash TV series, a part in the The Divergent Series film franchise, and also as the love interest in the adorable 2018 mainstream romantic dramedy Love, Simon. Lonsdale also released his first album (Rainbow Boy) in May, 2020. When asked what all these experiences have been like for a kid from a small town in Australia, he told us it’s been “the ride of a lifetime.”

Lonsdale tells us his life motto is “to create.” He loves making music far more than acting: “I have the most fun doing music. It’s music! It’s just more freeing for me personally.” He thinks acting can be fun too — “It can be incredibly playful” — but he dislikes sitting around on set all day. Lonsdale credits his success to his mother: “It’s crazy to have come from where I did. My mum worked really hard. She’s a single mum of six kids. She worked three jobs to feed us. There’s no male support there financially either. I said to my mom, ‘I want to dance. I want to be on stage. I want to go around the world, travel, perform, and be the best I can be.’ She was like ‘Okay.’” It was this unconditional support that got him to L.A. at such a young age.

He stays motivated by connecting with loved ones. “I can tend to work myself to the ground and not spend enough time on things that matter and that are truly valuable in life outside of the go-go-go.” He’s faced resistance to being open about his sexuality. “I’ve had teams advise me to not be myself. When I used to have acne, I had managers who said ‘when you get your acne fixed, I’ll consider helping you with your music career.’ I’ve witnessed a lot of shaming.”

In a partner he’s looking for “independence. A strong sense of self, and transparency about the things that you’re aware you have to work on.” When it comes to dating, being famous has not necessarily been that helpful. “It can help with the DMs, but you still have to make smart decisions. I would say for me, I’d much prefer to not have any celebrity. Then I would know when someone is interested in me, because they felt a vibe with me at the club instead of for other reasons.”

He’s been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix, an artist whose work he’s only recently started to explore. “It’s just what feels right. Sometimes you start to gravitate towards someone’s message at a different point in your life. That’s where I’ve been at.”

Lonsdale’s latest release is a song called “Gay Street Fighter.” He wrote it for his younger self. “I felt pissed off that there weren’t thousands of songs that played on the radio with this message. All I needed to know growing up was that gay and cool were one. I needed to know that I would be safe and happy and accepted. I’ve had enough experiences now and enough time with myself that I’ve finally come to the point where I’m like, ‘how dare anyone tell me that my way of being as a human is not the coolest fucking thing in the world!’”

Listen to his latest album Rainbow Boy.

To see the rest of the feature pre-order a copy of GAYLETTER Issue 12 here.