Neon Trees singer: ‘Are we ready for an actual gay popstar?’
By Nick Levine
Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn has asked whether the world is ready for “an actual gay popstar”.
As reported on Monday (March 24), the 30-year-old singer comes out as gay in a new interview with Rolling Stone that is now available to read in full online.
In the interview, the singer acknowledges the impact made by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ gay rights anthem Same Love – before hinting that he is ready to use his platform as an out gay singer and speak up for LGBT rights himself.
“I’ve gotten tired of kind-of gay or straight people being pop culture’s gay [spokespeople] – like Macklemore,” he says. “It makes me wonder, ‘Are we ready for an actual gay pop star and not just the safe straight guy saying it’s OK?’ I appreciate the fact that Michael Stipe was able to just be who he was, and it rarely overshadowed the music.”
During the interview, Glenn also explains that he does not want the world to reduce him to a stereotype now he has come out. “I’ve always made jokes off and on because I do wear extravagant things, especially onstage,” he says. “I also want the world to know I’m not gay just because I wear a glitter suit.”