Jamie Irrepressible on queer new album Yo Homo: ‘It’s about our experience of our sex lives’

Ever since Jamie Irrepressible – the Yorkshire born-and-raised creative force behind The Irrepressibles – released his debut album, Mirror Mirror, in 2009, he has enchanted listeners with his blistering music that captures the realities of being queer.

In the years since, Irrepressible has release three more records, as well as songs such as ‘In This Shirt’, ‘Two Men in Love’, and ‘The Most Beautiful Boy’ – which became the soundtrack to Netflix’s hit series Young Royals – while collaborating with music legends such as Royksopp. He even became part of the fabric of LGBTQ+ history, performing his song ‘Two Men In Love’ at the UK’s first ever gay wedding.

Now, after a string of singles, the musical polymath is preparing to release his fourth studio album, Yo Homo. Filled with highly emotional themes and symphonic soundscapes, the record promises to be on of 2024’s most anticipated releases, filled with a celebration of homosexual desire, sexuality and art.

To find out more, we caught up with Jamie Irrepressible to chat about the record, the explicitly queer music video for ‘Ecstasy Homosexuality’, and who his favourite LGBTQ+ artists are.

Tell us about your new album Yo Homo – what can we expect?

It’s an album by and for the queer community about our experience of our sex lives. Sometimes intense, often joyful and even comical it’s nice to have a bit of fun with an indie record. My previous releases were always honest and openly homosexual, but also about love and loss. But it’s the sexual aspect that makes us homosexuals homo. So it’s about that experience emotionally, with comments on our unique experience away from hetreonormaitivity. Some tracks are more expansively queer, of course, like ‘Yo Homo’. But I don’t write for people whose life experiences are different to mine; that’s for them to do. We need diversity of voices in queer music. It’s important to remember to fully represent the L G B T Q and I. We need to see ourselves in music in all our differences as well as what unites us in order to fully feel seen – which is essential for our empowerment.

The music video for ‘Ecstasy Homosexuality’ was directed by Container Love, and you’ve worked with so many other creatives across your career. How involved are you in the process of making these videos?

None of the videos represent my experience, feelings or the story of the song. They are different outlooks. But this is the wonder of allowing a director to express themselves through their medium in response to music. It’s exciting to see them transform through the eyes of the directors.

“It’s beautiful when a song lives on in the hearts of others” – Jamie Irrepressible

You’ve been writing songs about the queer experience for nearly 15 years. How would you compare your experience releasing music now to back then?

It was very difficult back then but it’s still difficult now. Platforms like YouTube are heavily influenced by conservative religious considerations in what they will show to adult audiences, which is of course a very religious political thing and not online freedom. They will however readily give a big platform to right-wing extremists like the current Republican candidate. This makes up at least half of today’s content. The same goes for Facebook, where it’s impossible to reach queer audiences these days. The influence of the USA’s extreme-Right balance weighs the scales heavily and influences social media internationally. I believe we need European social media companies to balance this out as US politics is influencing the way we see ourselves.

How did you come to perform your song ‘Two Men In Love’ at the UK’s first gay wedding?

We were just asked by a fan who was involved in the 1st UK gay wedding to come and perform the song. He’s a politician from the UK Labour Party and a gay man. I’d written the song about the man I was in love with at the time, which was one of the longest relationships of my life. I loved him dearly, but sadly it came to an end, so it’s beautiful when a song lives on in the hearts of others.

You’ve announced a tour in support of Yo Homo. What can people expect from your live show?

It will be a dance-y, energetic, indie rock show all about queer joy. There’s a long history of indie rock being a place for those othered in our society, so we’re bringing it home.

Finally, who are some of your favourite LGBTQ+ artists?

One of the first out artists in music I listened to was Stephin Merritt, who is the singer from The Magnetic Fields. I also like The Hidden Cameras, Perfume Genius and Owen Palette, but there are so many now. Love a bit of Mykki Blanco and Le1f too

The Irrepressibles new album Yo Homo! is out 27th September and available to pre-save here.