Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anthony Quaid. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Anthony, appreciate you joining us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?
Growing up in a conservative community in Louisiana, I definitely felt misunderstood as a young gay boy passionate about singing and writing pop songs. Traditional gender roles and heteronormative thinking had me believing for a long time that being attracted to men and aspiring to be the next Ariana Grande or Demi Lovato wasn’t okay for me to do as a man. Through a lot of self-work (and no small degree of support from loved ones), I’ve come to realize that my path as a queer artist is valid, and the only way forward for me is by continuing to be true to myself.
Even today, when journalists and booking agents compare my sound to other male artists like Frank Sinatra, Michael Bublé, or Shawn Mendes, it makes me feel slightly mischaracterized, since I believe my message and perspective as an artist is very different from theirs. I typically relate much more to female artists, whose emotions and points of view resonate more with my own, and who use my preferred pronouns to talk about love.
I’ve asked myself over the years, who would want to listen to a gay man sing about his love for men and struggles with self identity? Well, it turns out that a lot of people do, and that’s one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned so far as an artist. Always stay true to yourself, and don’t be afraid to share your authentic story.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I started learning piano by ear around the age of six when my grandmother taught me how to play a little tune using my knuckles on the black keys, and the rest sort of fell into place from there! I continued playing piano, as well as trumpet and cello, in grade school bands, and started composing pieces for concert band and orchestra, inspired by my early love of classical and modern film music. I didn’t begin singing professionally or writing pop songs until my college years, when I joined an acappella group and learned music production.
Now, I’m a LA-based pop/rock recording artist and songwriter who makes music with a purpose. My mission as an artist is to help spread awareness and understanding for the LGBTQ+ community, and to uplift others who may not feel empowered to be themselves. As a songwriter working with other artists, my goal is always to get to know the message or emotion that they’re trying to convey, and help capture it through uniquely crafted melodies, lyrics, and production. I believe a good song can change the world, and it can serve as a window to parts of the human experience that we may not otherwise know about.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
It might be tempting to say financial support (and that certainly doesn’t hurt!), but I believe the best way society can support creatives is by creating a safe space for people to freely express themselves, and by taking chances on artists who may not have yet achieved commercial success. In the pop music industry particularly, there is so much pressure for artists to look and sound a certain way that it can create a toxic culture of comparisons, and stifle creative freedom. I believe it’s so important for audiences, and even other artists, to keep an open mind while artists are sharing their vulnerabilities and pioneering unique types of entertainment.
Also, it has become so habitual for many (including myself) to just consume art and support artists that have been hand-selected for us by large corporations or algorithms, rather than discovering new talent for ourselves. This can make it extremely challenging for new artists to break through the entertainment industry machine, so I like to got out to local music venues sometimes to see random new shows. I also enjoy watching new indie films, and checking out exhibits at local art galleries, just to see what art I can discover. You never know what you’ll find when you explore, and when you find something amazing, it helps to talk about it! This goes such a long way in supporting artists who are looking to expand their audience and compete with large corporations.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding thing is when a listener deeply connects with my music, and shares the positive impact it had on them. Uplifting and empowering others is why I make music, so to hear that my music meant something to someone, or helped them in some way, it means the world to me. I’ve had listeners share that my songs opened their eyes to a new way of seeing themselves, or their loved ones, who’ve struggled with identity and self-acceptance. I’ve also had listeners share that my music made them feel seen and understood through other struggles in their life. One listener, I’ll never forget, shared that my song helped him to better understand his daughter’s perspective, who came out to him as homosexual, and they hadn’t been on speaking terms for a while. It’s breakthrough moments like this that give me so much joy, and make being an artist so fulfilling for me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthony.quaid/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyQuaidMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnthonyQuaid
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anthony.quaid
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5nMqwkgulwNJdzn0G3sM09?si=NBV2iFQwQJ2QR66kMOubyw
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/anthony-quaid/1512534630
Image Credits
Anthony Romano, Sean Maple, Airam Dato-on, Jenna Doolittle, Louis J. Richner, Matthew Parker