Years & Years censored in Russia

Years and Years have been one of pop’s biggest success stories of the last 12 months, propelling frontman Olly Alexander to stardom and giving the 25-year-old singer a huge platform to speak up about a range of LGBT issues, from bullying to mental health.

However, some it seems aren’t so keen to promote the band’s message of love and acceptance.

Olly has revealed that the band’s recent video for ‘Desire’, which was released back in March alongside a powerful open letter from the singer about LGBT visibility, has been censored in Russia for featuring a same-sex kiss.

“Someone got in touch with me just yesterday from Russia saying that they play it, but they blur out the bit when I kiss another guy,” Olly told Digital Spy.

“It’s interesting to have a dialogue with everyone online. It’s been a really good and positive thing.”

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Russia currently bans the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality to minors under controversial anti-gay ‘propaganda’ laws enacted by President Vladimir Putin in 2013.

In the statement which accompanied the release of the video for ‘Desire’, Olly had criticised the lack of LGBT portrayals in mainstream pop, explaining that he wanted to celebrate gay love with all the gusto of his straight contemporaries.

“We shouldn’t have to feel scared about putting our sexualities and identities on display in all their beautiful, interlocking, multi-layered multi-coloured glorym” he wrote at the time,

“I want to be proud. Proud to shove it in people’s faces if I want to.”

As well as the group’s videos, Olly is certainly no stranger to making a show of LGBT pride on stage, either: Earlier this year, the singer performed while draped in a rainbow flag during a show in Warsaw, Poland – click here to watch.

Meanwhile, you can check out that ‘controversial’ video for ‘Desire’ below:

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