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Born again music

Gay former gospel singer finds success in electro-dance pop

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14 years ago

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Chris Willis, who’s single, averages about 40 weekends a year traveling. (Photo by Marco Ovando courtesy BIG Management)

Paris is apparently a lucky name for singer Chris Willis.

The Ohio-born singer/songwriter had a great run in contemporary Christian music in the ‘90s; one of his biggest gigs was working as a backup singer for gospel legend Twila Paris on her seminal 1993 “Beyond a Dream Tour” though later he established himself as a go-to session singer and had his own gospel album out.

Later in Paris, France he collaborated with French producer/DJ David Guetta and the two enjoyed an unusually rich partnership that resulted in the No. 1 dance hits “Love is Gone”, “Give it All You Got” (both 2007) and “Gettin’ Over You,” a 2010 collaboration with Fergie and LMFAO.

Now Willis, who essentially rebuilt his music career from scratch after coming out around the new millennium, is branching out solo once again. His hit “Louder (Put Your Hands Up)” was a No. 1 hit in 2010 on the Billboard dance chart. Last year’s “Too Much in Love” went to No. 4. Last month it went to No. 1 on the DJ Times Dance/Crossover chart.

They’re both on his latest EP “Premium: Songs From the Love Ship, vol. 1,” which dropped in November. He’s planning two more installments and spends about three weekends a month on the road, performing 30-minute sets in dance clubs all over the world. He’ll be in Washington on Feb. 21 for a media blitz, though no performances are planned.

He remembers a pivotal turning point during a break in performing on a cruise ship in the late ‘90s — the feelings are eerily similar to those shared by many other gays who grew up in evangelical Christianity.

“I was always thinking, ‘How do I reconcile this with what I hear in sermons and what I read in the Bible,’” Willis, 43, says during a phone interview from his Atlanta home. “All those years living in the closet I tried to pray it away and lived with all this doubt, guilt and shame. I couldn’t reconcile the process either. It felt odd in a way because to a degree, I always had a certain sense of peace in my soul. I had to really learn to adopt a philosophy that there are no mistakes and for whatever reason, this is the hand I’ve been dealt. I started to realize that nothing positive was ever going to happen unless I accepted it.”

Despite the inner struggle, Willis says he enjoyed his years in Nashville working with gospel acts like Paris, Mark Lowry, Amy Grant and others (he’s also cut vocals for Dusty Springfield, Ricky Martin, Kelly Rowland and Quincy Jones). He considers several of Grant’s former back-up singers such as Donna McElroy, Vickie Hampton and Kim Fleming, dear friends who helped him network wildly in the ‘90s.

“I have such respect for those years and that time,” he says. “It was a great grooming period for me and though it was tough personally and internally, I learned to take the good with the odd and bad and embrace and appreciate the whole pie.”

After moving to New York, he started to rebuild his career almost from scratch. He had “almost no contact” with people from his Nashville years and says there’s almost zero crossover between the gospel and electro/dance industry brass. Never mind that the industry paradigm was, of course, crumbling around him — he did one album for Warner Brothers that was shelved. His second, an eponymous 1996 release, did modestly well on Star Song, in imprint eventually bought by EMI.

Willis met Guetta in Miami in 2000. They clicked musically and Willis is featured on the title cut to Guetta’s 2002 debut, “Just a Little More Love.” It was only a modest international hit but it was the start of the second major phase of Willis’s career.

Despite his successes — Willis says clubgoers all over the world know his songs and sing along when he makes appearances — it’s still a highly competitive field.

“I can make a great impact in the electro market but on the charts, you’re up against the latest remixes from Beyonce or Rihanna and it’s really intimidating,” he says. “As an artist, it obviously makes me a little nervous, but I love making music and taking that risk and chance. And you know, I tend not to pay so much attention to the charts. It’s a great way to avoid being disappointed. I’m just happy to be able to work and travel and I have many loyal supporters who help keep me going.”

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Bars & Parties

Mixtape Sapphics hosts holiday party on Dec. 13

‘Sugar & Spice’ night planned for Saturday

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8 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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(Photo by New Africa/Bigstock)

Mixtape Sapphics will host “Sapphic Sugar & Spice: A Naughty-Nice Mixtape Holiday Party” on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at Amsterdam Lounge.

This is a festive, grown holiday party for queer women and sapphics 35 and older at Revolt’s Christmas pop-up. There will be music, joy, and an optional White Elephant.

This is Mixtape Sapphics’ first-ever holiday party — a cozy, flirty, intentionally grounded night created just for queer women and sapphics 35+ who want real connection, festive joy, and a warm place to land at the end of the year.

Tickets start at $13.26 and can be purchased on Eventbrite. 

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Calendar

Calendar: December 12-18

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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8 hours ago

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December 12, 2025

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Friday, December 12

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 12 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. To RSVP, visit the DC Center’s website or email [email protected]. 

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. 

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For more details, go to Facebook. 

Saturday, December 13

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. 

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. D.C.’s queer community will gather for good food, laughter, and community. For more information, email [email protected]. 

Sunday, December 14

SADBrunch will host “HokiSlay Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Throw Social. This festive affair brings fierce performances, over-the-top holiday looks, and more sparkle than a tinsel explosion. Expect powerhouse lip-syncs, laughter, and cheer hotter than your spiked cocoa. Cake Pop will host the event. Tickets cost $28.52 and are available on Eventbrite. 

Monday, December 15

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Tuesday, December 16

Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather and discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Self-Defense Class with Avi Rome” at 12:30 p.m. Rome is a proud member of the LGBTQ community and a full-time martial arts instructor with 25 years of teaching experience. He holds a Fifth Degree Black Belt in Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do and is the director of the studio’s Adaptive Tae Kwon Do program for students with special needs. He has also run numerous self-defense workshops for various groups and situations. For more details, visit the center’s website. 

Wednesday, December 17 

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected]. 

Thursday, December 18

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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Egypt

Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’

Game to take place on June 26

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1 day ago

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December 11, 2025

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(Photo by fifg/Bigstock)

Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.

The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”

“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.

The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.

Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’

The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.

“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”

“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.

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