Bright
Light Bright Light drops Fun City,
a collection of meticulously crafted '80s-inspired pop that was designed
for the dancefloor... ...speaks directly to the LGBTQ+ community with
messages of pride, empowerment, self-ownership and love. STREAM
& WATCH VIDEO HERE
BRIGHT
LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT OPENS THE GATES TO ‘FUN CITY’ PROVIDES
“A MUCH-NEEDED DANCE ESCAPE” ON NEW ALBUM, OUT NOW
Metro
Weekly Scene
Alba Classic
Pop Magazine “Offers its own buoyant beat to dance through
pain and trouble.” - Rolling Stone
“Bright Light Bright Light has established himself as a purveyor
of pulsing,
electro-pop anthems that lean into glittery nostalgia.” - Huffington
Post
“...Studio 54-worthy...” - Paper Magazine
“A much-needed dance escape.” - Billboard
“Promising a celebration of LGBTQ+ history.” - FLOOD Magazine
“Bright Light Bright Light is making pop music with a purpose.”
- New Now Next
Bright
Light Bright Light (the performance alias of NYC-based international
pop star Rod Thomas) drops Fun City, a collection
of meticulously crafted '80s-inspired pop that was designed
for the dancefloor (literally...he recorded nearly all the vocals
on the empty dancefloor of Manhattan gay bar Bedlam) but which
speaks directly to the LGBTQ+ community with messages of pride,
empowerment, self-ownership and love.
The album has been released on his own label YSKWN! (in partnership
with Megaforce Records and The Orchard) and features an intoxicating
list of stars from the LGBTQ+ music world including (in alphabetical
order by first name) Andy Bell (of Erasure), Big Dipper,
Brendan MacLean, Caveboy, The Illustrious Blacks,
Initial Talk, Jake Shears, Justin Vivian Bond,
KAYE, Mark Gatiss, Madonna’s famed backing vocalists
Niki Haris & Donna De Lory, and Sam Sparro.
Bright
Light Bright Light 'I Used To Be Cool'
Channeling
the energy of the queer trailblazers that influenced him like
Sylvester, Erasure, Scissor Sisters and Hercules & Love Affair,
Rod hopes ‘Fun City’ will examine the ways marginalized people
stay strong, focused and creative through times of social and
political hardships. The album title itself is a historical
reference to a quote said by NYC mayor John V. Lindsay who on
his first day in office in 1966, amidst a crippling transit
strike, said "I still think it's a fun city.”
Tracks like “Never Be Lonely” (feat. KAYE) and “This Was My
House” (feat. Niki Haris, Donna De Lory & Initial Talk) celebrate
the LGBTQ+ community and its safe spaces, while "It’s Alright,
It’s Ok" (feat. Caveboy) explores self-identity and self-pride,
and “Saying Goodbye Is Exhausting” with Justin Vivian Bond examines
the loss of a loved one. And of course there is room for some
carnal dancefloor fun, romance and lust on tracks like the Jake
Shears-collab “Sensation” and the Big Dipper-assisted “Love
Song”, as well as the self-reflected ode to getting older and
cherishing your 15-minutes-in-the-sun “I Used To Be Cool”.
Bright
Light Bright Light also got to collaborate with a long-time
idol of his, Andy Bell of Erasure, on the standout track “Good
At Goodbyes” which is being worked at radio and will be given
an accompanying remix EP later this fall. Of the collab, Rod
said “the music reminded me of more sentimental, sun-kissed
queer classics like Shirley Valentine and The Birdcage, so I
wrote this track about holding onto the past, half painfully
but half delightfully, savoring memories of a love you're really
not ready to say goodbye to yet. Andy's voice is such an iconic
voice, I thought he'd be perfect as his voice has soundtracked
so many generations.”
To celebrate the album’s release, Bright Light Bright Light
(threw) a virtual
record release party from Manhattan’s queer hot spot Club
Cumming (featuring a cameo by venue founder Alan Cumming himself).
Using the magic of the internet and channeling decades of queer
history and community, Rod will video in appearances from many
of the artists who contributed their talents to ‘Fun City’,
as well as cameos from a variety of other amazing guests including
RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Jujubee (US) and Crystal (UK), Ana
Matronic from Scissor Sisters, Pennsylvania state representative
Brian Sims, YouTube star Andrew J Duffer, singer Mykal Kilgore,
H from multiplatinum pop group Steps, Jawbreaker filmmaker
Darren Stein, and more. The event will also raise money for
the Ali Forney Center who combats LGBTQ+ homelessness in NYC,
and the Club Cumming’s Community Chest. STREAM
HERE
‘Fun City’ Track Listing
1. “Touchy” (feat. Brendan MacLean)
2. “I Used To Be Cool” - VIDEO
3. “Sensation” (feat. Jake Shears)
4. “Good at Goodbyes” (feat. Andy Bell)
5. “You Make It So Easy Don’t You” (feat. Sam Sparro)
6. “It’s Alright It’s Okay” (feat. Caveboy) - VIDEO
7. “This Was My House” (feat. Niki Haris, Donna De Lory & Initial
Talk) - VIDEO
8. “Never be Lonely” (feat. KAYE)
9. “These Dreams” (feat. The Illustrious Blacks)
10. “Love Song” (feat. Big Dipper)
11. “Next To You" (feat. Mark Gatiss)
12. “Saying Goodbye Is Exhausting” (feat. Justin Vivian Bond)