Get the latest gossip

The New Rebels: These Diverse Country Artists Are Embracing Their True Selves In Their Music

Diverse country artists including Chris Housman, Tiera Kennedy and Frank Ray are increasingly embracing their identities in their music.

When independent country singer Chris Housman attended high school in a rural Kansas town of just 200 people, he bought a copy of the gay cowboy movie Brokeback Mountain, smuggled it to a friend’s house under his shirt and viewed it at a later date. He’s no longer hiding, instead proclaiming his identity in his debut album — Blueneck, due May 31 — which features songs such as “Drag Queen” and “Bible Belt,” owning his God-given traits with the same fervor that more traditional country artists might apply to their Southern roots or small-town heritage. And Stoney Creek artist Frank Ray released “Uh-Huh (Ajà),” his first radio single to sonically feature his racial heritage, employing Spanish lyrics alongside the English phrases in a production that sounds a bit like “Despacito” without the hip-hop elements.

Get the Android app