Photo courtesy of Clarissa Villondo

My journey during the pandemic has been wild. My original plans for 2020 were to release some singles, a couple videos, and hit the Pride Festival circuit. Me and several other queer indie artists planned a show for May to kick off the season. Of course, that all went out the window when COVID hit.

Being forced to go back to the drawing board freed up space in my mind to find new sources of creativity. I got a huge wave of inspiration at the top of 2020. I started writing a ton of music that would eventually turn into the EP I’m putting out later this year. These songs are different from anything I released previously. They feel more authentic and personal.

Socially, I got closer to a number of queer musicians. I founded the playlist Queer&Indie with J GRGRY. That was a huge breakthrough for me. It’s important to have a community of artists to lean on. We’re cheerleaders for one another and I know there’s always someone to support me when challenges arise. I appreciate the camaraderie, especially during this isolating time.


Personally, the weirdest pandemic change was relief from any form of social anxiety. With the whole world being turned upside down, I guess I have no more fucks left to give? With there being so much tension and chaos in the world, I think the dam containing all my nerves and stress burst and now I feel freer. I’m not getting bogged down by negativity. Life’s too short, you only live once, etc.

During the pan, I started doing these cardio dance classes on YouTube. Can you say game changer?! I used to dance around my room a lot in high school and hadn’t accessed that part of myself in a very long time. I’m not going to pretend I’m good at it, but it’s been a huge source of joy and fun for me. You might even see some choreo in the “Ruthless” video…

Speaking of “Ruthless,” it’s the first single from my EP and coincidentally about reclaiming your agency after experiencing trauma. The original inspiration was heartbreak, but as I write this post now, I’m realizing the parallels with my personal growth throughout the last year. It’s funny how that all worked out.

I can’t wait to see everyone in person once we’re safely on the other side of this thing. Maybe I’ll try out some new dance moves.