This week, singing superstar Todrick Hall graces the cover of the Pride Issue of Billboard magazine. Now, the 35-year-old sensation is ready to celebrate.
In a post on his Instagram page, Hall showed off the official cover, while reflecting on his achievement. “Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe that I’d someday see my face on the cover of @billboard magazine,” he wrote. “I am completely blown away! I don’t believe there could possibly be a more important time for a proud out black man to grace the cover.”
The star went on, reminding his fans to not give up on their hopes, pointing to himself as an unsigned artist appearing on the cover. “Chase your dreams, visibility is everything,” he said. “Don’t measure the value of your gift by the short sighted homophobic and racially fueled views of a manager or producer, it’s not your job to help them see the fire and beauty in you. YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS TO BELIEVE IN YOU, PERIODT.”
In a second post, Hall also took a moment to show fans a quote that didn’t make it into the article aimed at higher-ups in the music industry. “If you, as a manager, represent a gay or black artist and you don’t give them the same amount of attention and resources as you do your white and non gay artists, you and your team should take a moment and consider the reasons why,” he wrote.
Hall pointed to Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” as a song that, while progressive in 2007, shouldn’t be the example for LGBTQ representation in music. “It’s 2020 and now I want to hear ‘I kissed a girl and I LOVED it'” he said. “The fact that we as gay people have to rummage through literally millions & millions of pop songs searching for something with a non specific pronoun to play at our weddings is sad.”
He also shouted out a few of his fellow queer artists, including Kehlani, Adam Lambert, Sam Smith and Lil Nas X, for their contributions to pop culture as queer people, while making clear to those reading that “it’s time” that those artists be recognized for said contributions.
Check out both of Hall’s posts below, and read Billboard’s latest cover story here.
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Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe that I’d someday see my face on the cover of @billboard magazine. I am completely blown away! I don’t believe there could possibly be a more important time for a proud out black man to grace the cover of such a highly revered and respected magazine. I have gone through so much and fought so hard to try to prove myself in a world where there are hardly any outlets for a voice like mine to be heard, and seeing my face representing femininity and masculinity, the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color on the COVER of a music industry magazine when I am an unsigned artist is truly mind blowing. Just a reminder to chase your dreams, visibility is everything. My message & music is for everyone, but this pride month and in the midst of everything going on in our country I would like to dedicate this to the new generation of queer people of color. I see you, I hear you, I am you and I stand with you. Don’t measure the value of your gift by the short sighted homophobic and racially fueled views of a manager or producer, it’s not your job to help them see the fire and beauty in you. YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS TO BELIEVE IN YOU, PERIODT. Go chase your dreams and stop waiting for hall passes and permission slips. The world is ready to hear YOUR story & finally ready to hear it from YOU. Thank you @taylorswift & @theebillyporter for your kind words, I honestly cannot believe this is real. #happypride #blacklivesmatter #nojusticenopeace Photo: @vijatm Make-up: @lipsticknick Hair: @cesar4styles Wardrobe: @marcosquared @ashtonmichael Airbrushing: @sketchairbrush
A post shared by TODRICK (@todrick) on
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Part of my billboard quote that wasn’t put in the article but that I want the entertainment industry to hear: “If you, as a manager, represent a gay or black artist and you don’t give them the same amount of attention and resources as you do your white and non gay artists, you and your team should take a moment and consider the reasons why. I think that every music manager in the financial and political position to do so should be taking steps towards getting people on the radio who’s target demographic is not aimed at white tweens from middle America. If you don’t see the importance of a little gay boy or girl getting to hear pronouns that reflect same sex love on the radio for once the way straight identifying people have heard since the radio was created then I firmly believe you are on the wrong side of musical history. There are much more important accomplishments in music than charting (no offense @billboard lol), winning grammy’s and selling out tours. While I like Katy Perry’s song “I Kissed a Girl and I liked it” and thought it was somewhat progressive for it’s time, it’s 2020 and now I want to hear “I kissed a girl and I LOVED it!” Not because I was being crazy one night and did something wild and kinky for the boys I was trying to impress, but because I simply loved someone who is the same sex as me and it’s no big deal. The fact that we as gay people have to rummage through literally millions & millions of pop songs searching for something with a non specific pronoun to play at our weddings is sad. I want to hear “Honey” by @Kehlani on the radio, I want to live in a world where @AdamLambert wouldn’t be basically blacklisted for kissing a boy on stage while it’s “cool” & “edgy” for Madonna and Britney (who don’t identify as queer) to do the same, I want to exist in a space where @samsmith’s new albums get played as much as they did when people assumed they were singing about a woman when they sang “Stay with me” (their album has been delayed but my fingers are crossed for it’s equal success story) and I pray that @lilNasX gets the same record breaking response if he someday decides to sing about a boy he’s fallen for. It’s time.”
