{"id":108511,"date":"2019-11-22T18:25:21","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T23:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/international-pop-star-wils-loses-his-record-deal-for-being-gay-starts-over-with-empty\/"},"modified":"2019-11-22T18:25:21","modified_gmt":"2019-11-22T23:25:21","slug":"international-pop-star-wils-loses-his-record-deal-for-being-gay-starts-over-with-empty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/international-pop-star-wils-loses-his-record-deal-for-being-gay-starts-over-with-empty\/","title":{"rendered":"International pop star Wils loses his record deal for being gay, starts over with \u2018Empty\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

International pop star Wils loses his record deal for being gay<\/a>, starts over with \u2018Empty\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n

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\"Wils\"<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Courtesy: Wils<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In 28 states in the U.S., LGBTQ people can be fired for who they are. Transgender Americans face this threat in even more states. And, in fact, all around the world LGBTQ people are at risk of employment discrimination – a very pertinent issue that prevents LGBTQ people from achieving full equality.<\/p>\n

Wils, an out gay<\/a> pop artist now living in Los Angeles, had been performing to tens of thousands of people per concert while he was signed to a major Singaporean record label. When he told the record label he wanted to come out <\/a>as gay<\/a> though, they deleted his social media channels and, effectively, ended his career<\/a> when by dropping him as a client and erasing his fan base.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, Wils is starting over as an independent artist in the U.S. He welcomes the challenge – and the newfound anonymity that\u2019s come with it – of rebuilding his career and sharing his story so that other LGBTQ people can be inspired to persevere.<\/p>\n

GLAAD spoke with Wils about his new single, \u201cEmpty,\u201d overcoming employment discrimination, and finding love (or, at least, trying to). Check out our conversation, below:<\/p>\n

Tell us a bit about your story coming out as a gay<\/a> man<\/a> in Singapore, being let go from your former music label, and rebuilding your career in Los Angeles?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"WilsAs I\u200c grew up, I\u200c felt so lost. I\u200c loved my family so much, but I\u200c couldn\u2019t share the most important part of me with them. I\u200c was terrified of letting them know I\u2019m gay<\/a> because I\u200c was worried that they\u2019d stop loving me for who I\u200c am. I\u200c didn\u2019t know who to turn to. I\u200c felt like I\u200c couldn\u2019t be overly affectionate or expressive or have too much fun because it would reveal my identity. I spent so much time worrying about my sexuality and people discovering it because I didn\u2019t want them to stop loving me.<\/p>\n

I\u200c was let go from my previous label after I\u200c came out to them. They removed my social media before I\u200c could let my fans know. I was really upset because I\u200c wished that we could have made a difference to many other\u2019s lives, especially when, in many parts of Asia, being gay<\/a> is still not widely accepted.<\/p>\n

Rebuilding my career in Los Angeles feels like I am starting from zero again.\u200c\u200c No one knows me here. I went from having performed in front of 40,000 people to audiences of 15 people. But it isn\u2019t the number of audiences that I perform to that counts. If my song touches one person\u2019s heart and changes their life for the better, that\u2019s what matters.<\/p>\n

Your new track, \u201cEmpty,” tackles the loneliness of hookup culture. Why did you want to explore that topic?\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Sometimes we feel the need for a deeper connection beyond just the physical body, you know? It\u2019s easy to get a spark, but it\u2019s hard to keep a flame.\u200c\u200c Sometimes, you just wish to get to know someone better. There\u2019d be times when you have a deep connection in a hookup, and you\u2019d wish for that to last. It sucks that ghosting has become quite a norm, too. It’s awkward when you see someone you\u2019ve hooked up with, but they won’t even make eye contact with you in public.<\/p>\n

In the U.S., more than half of LGBTQ Americans live<\/a> in states where they can still be fired for being who they are. Why is it important for you to speak out about how this sort of discrimination in the workplace still exists around the world?<\/strong><\/em>
I\u200c believe that anyone, regardless of their sexuality, deserves\u00a0a chance to excel in their workplace. In Asia, workplace discrimination based on sexuality is still not widely discussed. In reality, people are getting fired because of their sexuality. And these people just want to perform their best. Like anyone, they deserve to be rewarded based on how well they do.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important for me to speak about this sort of workplace discrimination so that this issue is brought to light. It is very difficult for anyone to have to hide their identity to protect themselves from getting fired. It\u2019s like living a double life and that\u2019s super hard. Your work life is ultimately part of your life. If you feel comfortable and safe in your workplace, you\u2019d perform so much better instead of worrying about having to be fired because of who you are.<\/p>\n

What advice do you have for someone who\u2019s been fired for being part of the LGBTQ community?<\/strong><\/em>
Firstly\u2026 what a mother-flying-piece-of-jerky, whoever did that to you. You belong in a workplace that will embrace you for who you are, where you can excel. Go, honey, and flourish in an environment that deserves you. Don\u2019t look back.<\/p>\n

What support systems have gotten you through having to rebuild your career and fanbase, and also through navigating that \u201cempty\u201d loneliness of trying to find love?<\/strong><\/em>
DJ Ben Harvey! if it wasn\u2019t for you, my voice wouldn\u2019t have been heard to make a positive difference for us. Thank you for listening to me amidst your busy schedule. Thank you AWAL (A World Artists Love) for giving me and Independent artists the platform to share our music with the world.<\/p>\n

My friends are the poke-fun, silly sort. Sometimes a 1 am, 1-on-1 catch-up beer is necessary. We\u2019d be the ones falling off stools from laughing. We talk about how we\u2019ll never get used to rejections. Having real talks with friends makes it so easy to just be. There\u2019s just no bullshit and we go straight to the point about how we feel. We laugh. We can relate to how it can be hard to find a date that lasts these days.<\/p>\n

\"Wils<\/p>\n

What\u2019s changed about your music and also about you as an artist since you came out as gay<\/a>?<\/strong><\/em>
LA\u200c and NYC\u2019s music scenes are getting me into more synth, EDM, and futuristic sounds, for sure. Artistically, I\u200c feel like I’ve explored so many new areas that add spice to my music. I can express anything I\u200c feel and there\u2019s no more holding back.<\/p>\n

Do you think celebrities have the power to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance? And do you think they have any sort of responsibility to do so?<\/strong><\/em>
Of course! Celebrities could help shape the way people think with their voices and influence. Yes, I\u200c think every celebrity has the responsibility to make a positive difference with their voice, if they can. A sentence from them can help positively change someone\u2019s life forever.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s are your ultimate goals for your life and music career now? Where do you hope it goes from here?<\/strong><\/em>
My ultimate goal for my life is to empower people to be truthful to themselves and find joy in the littlest things in life.<\/p>\n

My goal for my music career is to bring so much joy and happiness to people with music. Building a community for people to feel loved, connected, and bonded. Making Asia a more inclusive continent for our LGBT\u200cQIA\u200c friends. Asking Elton John and Ellen Degeneres to sit for a cup of boba with my Asian Mom and Dad. I\u200c hope my parents will be proud of me for the decision I\u200c made to come out to make a difference for others.<\/p>\n

I hope that I\u2019ll get to meet a kickass manager and record label that believe in my vision to foster a positive change in culture, to find joy, to bring smiles to other people, and to always remember that the difference between a sad moment and a happy one is just one more little thought away.<\/p>\n

Follow Wils on Instagram, here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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November 22, 2019<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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