On the song, he said, “The song came to me one day while I was driving. It was partially inspired by an ex-boyfriend of mine, who is now a very good friend. He was one of the first people who actually knew me and loved me despite my weirdness.”
Regarding the music video for “Real Me,” he said, “I wanted the lyric video to be special, because I knew there wouldn’t be an official ‘story’ video. So I spent hours researching to find someone I felt could do a great job. Gundars Magone of Riff Dogs Dogs Entertainment not only listed to what I wanted, but took it a step further into a realm I didn’t really think about. I’m very pleased with the video and very excited about how it turned out.”
He continued, “‘Real Me’ is being used in Del Shores’ new film A Very Sordid Wedding which premieres on March 10. Sordid Lives was actually the first LGBT film I’d ever seen so to be involved with its sequel is a huge honor to me. I love this series.”
When asked what motivates him each day, he responded, “I want to be the guy LGBT youth can look up too. I have a younger cousin who recently came out and she sent me this wonderful message about how I inspire her, to be her true self, and that she knew others who felt the same way. It’s the only reason I do what I do.”
One of his proudest professional moments involves the singer Tiffany. “I had a conversation with the singer Tiffany about my last EP Love, where I included a song she’s recorded ‘If Love is Blind.’ She told me that she’d listened to the EP and that she liked it. She’s my idol. It meant the world to me.”
The out artist listed Mika and Katy Perry are at the top of his list of dream collaborations. “Both of them are doing their own thing. They’re not afraid to be themselves and I love that. That’s what ‘Real Me’ is all about – what I’m all about as a person and as an artist. What you see is what you get. I don’t believe in changing yourself to sell records or get people to like you. Tiffany is also right up at the top. As an artist I’ve followed her career since I was a child. One of my earliest memories was dancing around my bedroom to ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ which I would play over and over and over again on a little Rainbow Brite record player. I still listen to it all the time. Funny story, last time I was home I was singing it to myself and my father heard and shouted from the other end of the house ‘Okay, Kenny! It’s been thirty years! Choose a new fucking song!'”
For his fans, he concluded, “I hope, in addition to being something that makes you dance, that the lyrics resonate as well. No matter who you are or what you like, there’s someone out there for everyone. Don’t change yourself just because you think it’s what will make your significant other happy. It’s all about you.”
