a&e features
Alexander the great
Years & Years frontman on his influences, philosophies and being an out pop singer
Years & Years (Photo courtesy 9:30 Club)
Olly Alexander, lead singer of British electronica-pop band Years & Years, sounds like the guy you meet at the coffee shop who talks to you in a soft-spoken tone about the book he’s currently reading. He gives no indication that Years & Years has won an mtvU award for “Artist to Watch” this year, has millions of views for their music videos on YouTube, and that this is their second-sold out show in D.C.
Years & Years, consisting of Alexander, bassist Mikey Goldsworthy and synth player Emre Türkmen, has been making waves on the music charts with their single “King” reaching number one on the U.K. Singles Chart and their new single “Shine” has already shot to number two. Alexander, 25, met Goldsworthy and Türkmen after they had decided to form a band and became the group’s lead singer and keyboardist. Now, the group will be playing a sold-out show at 9:30 Club on Sept. 19.
Calling from New York City, where Years & Years is preparing for a show before their 9:30 Club appearance, Alexander talked to the Blade about his sexuality, boyfriend and his re-found love for New Age gem shops.
Washington Blade: Lately you’ve been speaking up a lot about how you feel that gay singers should use more same-sex pronouns in their songs. Why do you think that’s so important?
Olly Alexander: Well I think popular culture influences culture. It influences everybody and we should be showcasing different kinds of relationships in our mainstream culture. Not just male and female but male and male and female and female. I think we live in a world where we all know that there are different dynamics. And I think pop music should reflect that and I think why not? Also, I just think it felt empowering personally so I think it could be empowering for other people to do it too.
Blade: Do you make a real effort to try and include same-sex pronouns in your own music?
Alexander: Yeah! I don’t want to dictate how anyone writes a song, that’s not my job at all. But I think I wanted to include it in my own lyrics so I did it in a few songs and it felt good to do that.
Blade: You’re also very open about your relationship with Neil Amin-Smith from the band Clean Bandit. Do you ever worry about people’s reactions to you as an out gay couple?
Alexander: I don’t worry in terms of like a homophobic level. That was never a consideration. I feel like that would be living in fear. I’m a big believer you should never live in fear or shame. Largely the response has been really wonderful and lovely. I think it’s been really kind of humbling for me to meet people who are so welcoming. They’re really grateful that we’ve been open about our relationship. The difficult thing is, you can imagine having a relationship that’s somewhat in the media can have its own pressure regardless if you’re a gay couple or not.
Blade: Were you ever concerned about being out and the lead singer of a band? Did you ever consider not publicly addressing it?
Alexander: I didn’t really consider that. I mean to be honest with all the music and when we made the music video for one of our earlier songs “Real,” you know the song was quite obviously about a boy and we made the video that I thought reflected kind of non-heteronormative sexuality. That was really obvious to other gay people that I was gay that I was singing about a man. So it was so much apart of the music that I would never, ever hide that. It would seem ridiculous to even try and do that.
Blade: This is the second sold-out show that Years & Years has had in D.C. But you haven’t received too much radio play in this area. Do you think that your popularity came from the Internet? What do you think about the Internet’s impact on music artists these days?
Alexander: I think definitely it came from building a following online. The Internet I think has changed the way we listen to music. It’s changed the way we all live and consume music. I think maybe radio and commercial radio used to really determine the acts that kids gravitated towards. Now I think if you can build a fan base online you can go to these places and still have people show up to your shows. It’s kind of amazing.
Blade: When Years & Years first started your sound wasn’t quite as electronic/pop as it is now. What brought about that change?
Alexander: It was just a natural evolution really. When we started we were just using instruments that we had. That was mainly guitars. We gradually began using more synthesizers and making more beats and producing on a laptop. Our tastes were changing and over a few years we discovered what music we enjoyed making and it was kind of electronic sounds. It kind of just came together gradually.
Blade: You’ve also done some acting in television and movies. You even co-wrote the screenplay for the film “The Dish and the Spoon.” Any plans for more acting or screenwriting?
Alexander: I haven’t gotten any plans at the moment. But you never know I might do it again some day in the future.
Blade: A lot of the roles you have done have been straight roles. What made you choose those particular roles?
Alexander: I just really took what I was offered. I just wanted to make some money.
Blade: You’ve mentioned before that your first job was at a New Age gem shop. Are you into New Age things like astrology or tarot cards?
Alexander: Wow, I love that you know that! I’m not so much at the moment. I used to be really into all of that kind of shit. But I went into a New Age-y kind of shop recently and bought a couple crystals. And I felt good about that.
Blade: Have you ever heard a lyric and wished that you had written it?
Alexander: Oh yeah all the time. There’s a really good Jeff Buckley lyric from a song called “Gunshot Glitter.” And the lyric is “I wanna be your lover/Lipstick my name across your mirror.” I really love a Joni Mitchell lyric in “Case of You” I remember that time you told me you said ‘love is touching souls’/surely you touched mine/Cause part of you pours out of me/in these lines from time to time” I really like that one too.
Blade: What do you want people to take away from your music? What do you think makes audiences connect to your music the way that they do?
Alexander: If they take away anything that’s kind of a win for me or make people feel a certain way. But I suppose to move someone and make them feel good or sad or make them think about something. That’s a bonus for me. We have always believe the song has to be like a good song. That’s a certain kind of science we’ve been obsessed with creating, making good hooks and structures. But apart from that we’ve really tried to do everything as authentically as possible. We write all of our own music and write every lyric and every melody. We’ve always been open and honest about that and I hope that connects with people too.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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