Watch Bright Light Bright Light’s camp new video for You Want My in this exclusive premiere
Exclusive: The Welsh "gay pop one" also shares the inside goss from working with icons including Cher, Kylie Minogue, and Elton John
By Dale Fox
The video for Bright Light Bright Light‘s new single ‘You Want My’ has just dropped, showcasing the Welsh singer-songwriter’s musical prowess in this fabulously camp 80s-inspired spectacle.
Premiering exclusively with Attitude, the US-based star is excited to share the stunning video for his new single, which is about “sexual dynamics and taking control.”
‘You Want My’ comes from the upcoming album Enjoy Youth, out 17 May, a “glittering electropop, 90s house and HiNRG synthpop” bonanza, featuring collabs with Beth Hirsch, Berri, Ultra Naté and more.
Bright Light Bright Light also discusses the inspiration behind the track, a sneak-peek into his upcoming Mighty Hoopla 2024 performance, and dishes the inside stories on some of the biggest stars he’s worked with.
Tell us about ‘You Want My’
For me, it’s a song about feeling powerful and liberated. I wrote it with Ian Masterson (who’s written for Dannii Minogue and Bananarama). He sent me the instrumental to write lyrics to, and in the chorus there was this little drum sounds that sounded like it was saying ‘sex’, so I took that as the starting point and wanted to write a song about sexual dynamics and taking back control. Also, the way I say ‘sex’ at the start and end is inspired by Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her as she tries to seduce Bruce Willis.
On the track you sing ‘You want my sex’. Whose sex do YOU want?
Michael B Jordan, Jonathan Bailey or François Arnaud would be great thanks.
Who are your musical inspirations?
So many: George Michael, Grace Jones, Madonna, Ace Of Base, Erasure, Sylvester, Goldfrapp, Kate Bush … basically the people who helped me see many more colourful worlds as I was growing up in a Welsh coal mining valley, and then helped me keep dreaming.
What can we expect from your Mighty Hoopla performance?
High camp. I’ve been DYING to be on that lineup for ages. I cannot f***ing wait!!!
Which acts are you looking forward to seeing at Mighty Hoopla?
AGNES! I love the last album so much. Alison Goldfrapp – The Love Invention is my favourite album of the last year. Jessie Ware, Rachel Stevens and omg, SHAZNAY! One of the best songwriters the UK has ever produced.
You’ve worked with Elton John, Cher, and Kylie. Do you have any fun anecdotes about your experiences with them?
Elton and I used to go record shopping together on tour. I bought him George Michael’s Faith in Hamburg and he bought me the Phil Spector Christmas album, as he knew I didn’t have it.
I actually didn’t meet Kylie when we did Hyde Park together, but I DID meet her last year at her Tension album playback in NYC. I was wearing a red suit (obviously) and she came into the crowd and we danced together for ‘Tension’ and ‘Padam Padam’, which was absolutely WILD.
Cher’s an icon. We didn’t get much time together but I did buy her an Elvis record with her favourite Elvis song on to thank her for having us and we had a really sweet moment.
Can you tell us about your new album Enjoy Youth?
I have a song with Richard X! And Ultra Naté! I’m so proud of this album. It’s a dancefloor-forward album that’s really aiming to bring joy. Things are rough at the moment. There’s so much hellscape in the news cycle, so I really want to remind people to allow themselves joy where they are able to find it.
How much does queerness feature in your work?
Well Fun City has 12 LGBTQ+ guests on it so I’d say … a bit? I’d say it’s pretty integral. I don’t have a label or a publisher or a manager, so it’s really me driving the project because I love making music, so the music is very much an extension of who I am. I’m really proud of being gay – after decades of shame and insecurity – and I really want the songs and shows to help be safe spaces for queer people. If the work and especially the shows help queer people feel connected and represented, that’s everything to me.
Who are your Welsh icons?
Shirley Bassey, Bonnie Tyler, Catherine Zeta Jones, Tayce. Camp? ME? It’s been amazing over the years to have people like Cerys Matthews, Marina, Super Furry Animals, Tom Jones and Luke Evans put Wales in the public consciousness. I’d like to be the ‘gay pop one’!
‘You Want My’ by Bright Light Bright Light is available to stream now.