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Born again music

Gay former gospel singer finds success in electro-dance pop

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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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Sports

Trans cyclist’s victory sparks outrage in conservative media

Katheryn Phillips is originally from DC

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(Bigstock photo)

On the heels of UPenn erasing the record of the first openly transgender NCAA Division I All-American swimmer and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to tackle bans on trans student-athletes, right wing media is now all hot and bothered about the latest trans woman who won a cycling championship — even though she competed according to the rules.

On Tuesday, 58-year-old Katheryn Phillips finished first in USA Cycling’s Lyons Masters National Championship race for women aged 55-59, with a time of 1:42:10, according to the official results posted by the organization. The record shows her gender as “F” for female.  

One second behind Phillips was Julie Peterson, with a time of 1:42:11 — as were three other cyclists: Mary Beth Grier, Andrea Cherniak-Tyson, and Carolyn Maddox. 

Peterson, 57, was so outraged, she told Fox News she refused to stand on the podium in second place next to Phillips. Her story was swiftly shared by the New York Post (also owned by Fox’s parent company News Corp.), the Daily Mail, Breitbart, and other conservative media. 

Both Peterson and another competitor are accusing USA Cycling of “hiding” that a transgender woman had registered to race. 

“It was hidden from us. Katheryn Phillips, KJ’s name, was not on that list. And I checked it up all the way to the point of closure when we couldn’t register online anymore,” Debbie Milne told Fox.

“If I had known, I wouldn’t have spent thousands of dollars in travel and time off work to come and do a race,” Peterson said. Fox welcomed Milne, 56, who finished seventh on Tuesday, to Fox & Friends Thursday morning. 

(Video courtesy of Fox News)

Peterson told Fox she did complain to USA Cycling officials prior to the race. Both Milne and Peterson referred to Phillips as a male, and with “he/him” pronouns. 

“To be fair to all humans, if we want to say ‘him’ or ‘her,’ he was born a biological male, that is a fact,” Milne said. “And that is the thing that makes it an unfair advantage. Whatever has happened after that is a whole different topic.”

“I said, ‘I don’t want to race against a man,’ and they quickly scolded me and said ‘Oh, you can’t call him a man,’ and I’m like ‘Well, he is a man,’ so I was quickly scolded and corrected that it is a woman and I don’t even know what to say.”

USA Cycling did not respond to the Washington Blade’s emails requesting comment. 

Phillips, who goes by Kate and by “KJ,” is a former rugby player with the D.C. Furries, who stated in the comments of a 2024 article published by Zwift Insider that she was the first out trans athlete in the U.S. to compete under the 2004 International Olympic Committee’s guidelines on trans participation. 

“When USA Rugby told me about the IOC decision in 2004, I raised my hand to be included. I experience nothing but joy when I play, ride, and race,” Phillips said. 

As the Blade has reported, the International Olympic Committee drastically revised those rules in 2021, and in March, Republican lawmakers in D.C. demanded the IOC ban trans female athletes from women’s sporting events altogether. 

The Blade also reached out to Phillips for comment but as of press time we have not received a response. She told Zwift Insider in March 2024 she does not let those who disapprove or spread hate impact her performance or her attitude. 

“I am unaffected by dissent. I love, I share joy, I am me, and I have been my authentic self for decades,” she said. It’s been reported Phillips came out in 1999, and told Zwift Insider she considers herself a lifelong cyclist. 

“I’ve been on a bike for as long as I can remember,” said Phillips. “As kids, my friends and I rode all over town, we were feral kids; no cell phones, no trackers … we just roamed, and nobody got in trouble or hurt bad enough not to ride home … Scrapes/bruises/cuts were not an issue for us. In my teens, I worked for myself as a court/legal messenger, doing all of the work via my bike until I got a car. Raced BMX as a kiddo (when I mowed lawns to cover the race entry fees), I did MTB stuff (non-racing) and Sprint/Olympic Triathlons in my 30’s, and now I’m racing on Zwift, Road/Gravel, and CX in my 50s.”

In the comments section, Phillips made clear she’s not competing to win. 

“I don’t do sports for victory, I do it because like many other women, I am an athlete to my core,” she said. “Unlike some, I am not there to WIN, I am there to do my best with the competitors and teammates I have around me trying to do the same…we are in it for the experience. I rejoice in their wins, and a lot of joy is reflected back to me when I have a good day.”

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Celebrity News

Nina West’s ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour comes to Rehoboth Beach

Drag Race’ contestant will be at Clear Space Theater Company on July 6

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Nina West (Photo courtesy of Clear Space Theatre)

Nina West, a drag queen known for competing on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is currently on her ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour around U.S. cities. 

With previous shows in Key West, Fla., New York, and hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the tour is staying put in Provincetown, Mass., from late July to early September. It will make a stop at Clear Space Theater Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as part of a summer cabaret series on July 6. 

Andrew Levitt has been performing as Nina West for 25 years, who got her rise from starring in “Drag Race” Season 11, where she placed sixth and won Miss Congeniality, a title awarded to the contestant who is regarded as the kindest and most helpful one of that season. 

West has toured “Hairspray” on Broadway as Edna Turnblad, starred in a couple of feature films and published a children’s book titled ‘The You Kind of Kind.’

Levitt said he wrote this show in response to attacks from the government towards the LGBTQ community. 

“‘Sugar in the Tank’ is a big old gay fabulous summer musical,” Levitt told the Washington Blade. “The show is a response to the darkness that I think has fallen over a lot of people in the country and it’s hopefully trying to bring a little bit of light and a little bit of joy.” 

“Sugar in the Tank” is a Southern euphemism for gay, often holding a negative connotation. Levitt said he wanted to “reclaim and embrace” queerness in times when some people want to take that away. 

Levitt said he knew he would be traveling to predominantly queer destinations like Key West and Provincetown for these shows and that was always at the forefront of his mind when writing “Sugar in the Tank.” 

This will be Levitt’s first time in Rehoboth Beach. Clear Space Theater is considered Delaware’s second-largest professional non-profit theater and the state’s most prolific producer of professional theater. The space seats just 170 patrons and Levitt said he loves the intimacy of a small venue and that it’s his favorite way to do a show. 

“Stages like this size are the perfect size for me because it allows for me to really showcase my talents,” Levitt said. 

Levitt founded the Nina West Foundation in 2015 to uplift and sustain the central Ohio LGBTQ community, which has raised more than $3 million for various organizations. He said he makes activism part of the entertainment in his career. 

“That’s the nuance of what drag is. We can be ridiculous for fun and we can be serious but it’s all wrapped up into one thing,” Levitt said. “I think that can be the power of it.”

Levitt said West is so much more confident now than when he first started performing as her. He didn’t know where his voice belonged in the community in the past, but because of those who came before him in this art form, he has learned to harness the power of the stage and the power of the wig to be able to tell stories. 

“I really love my community. I love queer people. I love who we are and what we represent,” Levitt said. “Knowing our history and knowing that we’ve been through a lot, I’m really thrilled that as a queen, I can use my voice and my platform to help try to better our community, not try to speak for everyone but try to lend voice to people who desperately need it.”

Levitt’s advice to young queer artists is to not give up on yourself, surround yourself with supportive people and allow yourself the opportunity and space to fail, to ask questions, and to not give up. 

“Our young people have got to be told they matter,” Levitt said. “Oftentimes, people are told that they don’t matter, that their voice doesn’t matter, that they cannot make a difference and I want to remind every single person who’s doing this that they do matter, they can make a difference, their voice is intrinsic to who we are as a community.” 

If Sugar in the Tank was a drink, it would be a Bahama Mama or Sex on the Beach, said Levitt, because they are delicious, juicy, and sugary, just like the show. 

“I just want everyone to know that they should come to ‘Sugar in the Tank’ and experience a show that’s built on joy and levity and silliness and fun and come have some fun with me and show me the fabulous love of Rehoboth Beach,” Levitt said. “I can’t wait.”

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Out & About

Celebrate the Fourth of July the gay way!

LGBTQ events planned for Friday

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(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Rainbow History Project will host “Pickets, Protests and Parade Exhibit Tour” at 7 p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This event honors the courage, resilience and resistance of D.C.’s gay community. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hyatt Centric Arlington (1325 Wilson Blvd.). This fun event is ideal for meeting new people and community building. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Xavier Entertainment DC will host “Cowboy Carter Afterparty” at 10 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. There will be fireworks, parades, and patriotic fun. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Mezcal Amaras will host “Sha Boing Boing Showdown” at 6 p.m. at Snappy’s Small Bar (3917 Georgia Ave., N.W.). Get ready to test your hotdog eating abilities. Tickets start at $12.51 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Illusions Drag Queen Show will host “Drag Queen Dinner Show” at 7 p.m. at 2323 18th St. N.W. Guests will be treated to the very best celebrity drag impersonations in entertainment. Tickets start at $12.97 and are available on Eventbrite

Thurst Lounge will host “A Thirsty Cowboy Afterparty” at 5 p.m. DJ Apollo will be performing. For more details, visit Thurst’s website

9:30 Club will host “Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA” at 9 p.m. The DJ will play plenty of disco hits from the 70s and 80s. Tickets cost $45.30 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.

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