a&e features
Years & Years’ frontman Olly Alexander talks life, love, anger and ‘Palo Santo’
Elaborate concept album/film project revealed unexpected inner emotions


Years & Years lead singer Olly Alexander says he decided early on to be open with fans and the press, a decision he doesn’t regret. (Photo courtesy High Rise PR)
Years & Years
‘Palo Santo Tour’
With Cyn, Tunde Olaniran
Thursday, Oct. 11
8 p.m.
The Lincoln Theatre
1215 U St., N.W.
SOLD OUT
Olly Alexander is slightly out of breath when he gets on the phone. The out frontman of the British synth-pop group Years & Years has had a busy few months promoting the group’s latest album “Palo Santo.” The band isn’t stopping anytime soon as they embark on a North American tour, which already has sold-out dates including the Lincoln Theatre on Oct. 11.
Years & Years, which rounds out its trio with group members Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen, first hit the music scene with its 2015 breakout hit “King.” Since then, Years & Years has continued to pump out danceable hits including “Sanctify” and “If You’re Over Me” (which hit the top 10 in the U.K.) from “Palo Santo,” which hit No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 1 on the U.S. Top Dance/Electronic Albums Billboard chart. A short film, narrated by Judi Dench, about a dystopian world controlled by robots, also accompanied the group’s sophomore effort.
Alexander has also been busy as an advocate for mental health and LGBT issues. The 28 year old opened up about his struggles with mental health problems, which he began to experience as a teenager, to the public. He’s also been candid about being an unapologetically gay pop star. Always on the move, Alexander caught up with the Washington Blade and talked about the new wave of LGBT pop artists, his love for Rihanna and his thoughts on masculinity — all while hailing a taxi in London.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Years & Years’ sophomore album is called “Palo Santo.” The first album is called “Communion.” What is it about that spiritual/religious imagery that connects with you?
OLLY ALEXANDER: I guess it’s always been something that fascinated me my whole life. When I was a kid my family moved around a lot. We moved to a house that was right next to a church and I used to play in the church yard. I think it was a way in to spiritual imagery which I think is so powerful. From my own life, I’m not religious. I also worked in this shop when I was 14 that sold spell books and candles and gem stones. So I’ve kind of always been fascinated by it.
BLADE: “Palo Santo” has the same upbeat pop beat that was on “Communion” but the lyrics are darker. Did you intend for the album to be an emotional release or did you only see that when you finished the album and looked back?
ALEXANDER: Making music is always an emotional release for me. Throughout the songwriting process I don’t really have much of a gauge on the overall themes. It wasn’t until the album was done that I realized looking back it had this more confessional and angrier tone to it than the previous stuff I’ve written. That happened naturally, I think. When I think about it I was 19, 20, 21 when I was writing the songs on the first album. Everyone changes over the course of however many years. The music on the second record was from 26, 27 and you’re always growing as a songwriter.
BLADE: The album seems very personal to you, specifically. Did you have to convince your bandmates to let you take the lead on this?
ALEXANDER: I’ve always been the lyricist and I’ve always written songs from my perspective. So we’re used to working that way. Although, I’ve definitely had a few conversations with Mikey and Emre where I’m like, “Look this is the way I want to do it. This is how I think we should make the song.” We have a few arguments but then they usually back me up.
BLADE: What’s one thing you learned about yourself after completing the album?
ALEXANDER: One thing I learned is I had all this pent-up anger. I would never describe myself as an angry person. I avoid confrontations at all costs. I always practice peace and kindness. I realized I had crushed all this anger inside of me and it was kind of like clawing to get out. That was mainly towards ex-boyfriends, my dad. All the big ones. I learned I’m not quite as good at letting go of my anger as I thought I was.
BLADE: The video component of “Palo Santo” looked like it could have been an episode of “Black Mirror.” On the flip side, what would your utopia look like?
ALEXANDER: Full of trees and nature. We’d all live in harmony with animals. We’d have equality and world peace. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen “Zeitgeist” but in one of the “Zeitgeist” movies they have templates for Utopian cities. There’s no money and everyone has their own role in society. They grow their own food and it’s like local and sustainable. Oh, and dolphins. We could swim with dolphins and they’d talk to us.
BLADE: One of your last tweets said that “It’s been 107 days since I met Rihanna.” Is that how you measure your life now?
ALEXANDER: Yeah, exactly. I have B.R. which is Before Rihanna and then A.R. which is After Rihanna.
BLADE: Is there anyone else that you haven’t met yet that you’d freak out over?
ALEXANDER: Plenty of people. Mariah Carey. Definitely Beyoncé. I would be a nervous wreck. Also Janet Jackson for sure. Joni Mitchell as well. And Stevie Wonder. Those are all my heroes.
BLADE: You’ve mentioned that you’re a book worm. Any recent reads that have inspired you?
ALEXANDER: One of the books I found super inspiring recently is “Aliens & Anorexia” by Chris Kraus who wrote “I Love Dick.” I was like “Wow, this woman’s voice is incredible.” I just wanted to read more and more. That kind of inspired me lately. And “The Vegetarian” by Han Kang is amazing.
BLADE: You’ve been very open about mental health and your sexuality. When you first started Years & Years did you want to be an advocate for LGBT and mental health issues or did it just happen?
ALEXANDER: I really had no idea that would be something I would end up doing. It did just kind of happen. Luckily, I’d already been through an intense mental health journey before I was in the public eye. I learned some tools to cope with my emotions and things I was going through. One of those tools was to be very honest about almost everything. So I just applied that to being in interviews and being with fans. Then I saw the response that me being open about my mental health had and it had such an intense reaction. I realized that people were so desperate to speak out and once that started happening I realized that this started feeling really meaningful. I want to be able to help in some way and make some change. I was like, “This could be a way that I could do this and help some people” so it just kind of snowballed from there.
BLADE: Is it ever strange to know so many people know such intimate things about you? You’ve mentioned issues with your father and coming out.
ALEXANDER: It is quite strange but I think it’s worth it. I’ve felt like I’ve built this foundation at super speed to withstand the attention especially around my personal life. But I feel much more like I can withstand that sort of attention now. And seeing firsthand how being open about stuff encourages honesty in other people, I feel like it’s worth it in the end. Sometimes it’s a bit weird but then life is weird for everyone isn’t it?
BLADE: I attended your concert at 9:30 club in D.C. a few years back. I remember people in the crowd kept saying they loved your dancing which you do on stage and in your videos. What is it about dancing that’s so integral to your performances?
ALEXANDER: I’ve always loved being that boy at the school discos who is dancing when no one else is. When I was in my early 20s going out the club I lived for going out and the weekends. I would meet so many new people and see my friends out. It was like a gay initiation in lots of ways. It was a real scene and I knew everybody. I think that kind of gave me a love for dance music. Also, just as a performer I start to respect actual dances. I’m wishing in another life that’s what I would have pursued. It’s such a pure form of expression.
BLADE: At the British GQ Awards you made a powerful speech about masculinity and gender stereotypes. For you, what’s your definition of a “man”?
ALEXANDER: I guess I’m trying as much as possible not to define what it means to be a man. I know that sounds like a cop-out. I think we have to be so careful around language because words are all we’ve got. It’s kind of essentialist to think there’s one definition because there’s just so many. I would encourage people to figure it out for themselves.
BLADE: There was a time a few years ago when LGBT artists weren’t as prominent as they are now. There was maybe Tegan and Sara and that’s it. But now there’s you, Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, Hayley Kiyoko. Did you ever think this would happen or did it shock you?
ALEXANDER: Well, I think it’s a bit of both. I could never have imagined a pop landscape that included queer options. I never could have imagined that would exist when I was a teenager because I had no reference for it, really. Now, it does feel like a new wave of queer artists coming through. We’re seeing so many talented artists. I’m excited to see what happens next and how all these artists are going to continue to grow and inspire other people. I think we’re still in the early stages of the queer influx of artists. Ones who are able to be out in the beginning of their career. So I’m excited to see how it continues.

Olly Alexander says dancing comes naturally to him both in clubs and on tour. (Photo courtesy High Rise PR)
a&e features
Visit Cambridge, a ‘beautiful secret’ on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
New organization promotes town’s welcoming vibe, LGBTQ inclusion

CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Driving through this scenic, historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, you’ll be charmed by streets lined with unique shops, restaurants, and beautifully restored Victorian homes. You’ll also be struck by the number of LGBTQ Pride flags flying throughout the town.
The flags are a reassuring signal that everyone is welcome here, despite the town’s location in ruby red Dorchester County, which voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a lopsided margin. But don’t let that deter you from visiting. A new organization, Proudly Cambridge, is holding its debut Pride event this weekend, touting the town’s welcoming, inclusive culture.
“We stumbled on a beautiful secret and we wanted to help get the word out,” said James Lumalcuri of the effort to create Proudly Cambridge.
The organization celebrates diversity, enhances public spaces, and seeks to uplift all that Cambridge has to share, according to its mission statement, under the tagline “You Belong Here.”
The group has so far held informal movie nights and a picnic and garden party; the launch party is June 28 at the Cambridge Yacht Club, which will feature a Pride celebration and tea dance. The event’s 75 tickets sold out quickly and proceeds benefit DoCo Pride.
“Tickets went faster than we imagined and we’re bummed we can’t welcome everyone who wanted to come,” Lumalcuri said, adding that organizers plan to make “Cheers on the Choptank” an annual event with added capacity next year.
One of the group’s first projects was to distribute free Pride flags to anyone who requested one and the result is a visually striking display of a large number of flags flying all over town. Up next: Proudly Cambridge plans to roll out a program offering affirming businesses rainbow crab stickers to show their inclusiveness and LGBTQ support. The group also wants to engage with potential visitors and homebuyers.
“We want to spread the word outside of Cambridge — in D.C. and Baltimore — who don’t know about Cambridge,” Lumalcuri said. “We want them to come and know we are a safe haven. You can exist here and feel comfortable and supported by neighbors in a way that we didn’t anticipate when we moved here.”

Lumalcuri, 53, a federal government employee, and his husband, Lou Cardenas, 62, a Realtor, purchased a Victorian house in Cambridge in 2021 and embarked on an extensive renovation. The couple also owns a home in Adams Morgan in D.C.
“We saw the opportunity here and wanted to share it with others,” Cardenas said. “There’s lots of housing inventory in the $300-400,000 range … we’re not here to gentrify people out of town because a lot of these homes are just empty and need to be fixed up and we’re happy to be a part of that.”
Lumalcuri was talking with friends one Sunday last year at the gazebo (affectionately known as the “gayzebo” by locals) at the Yacht Club and the idea for Proudly Cambridge was born. The founding board members are Lumalcuri, Corey van Vlymen, Brian Orjuela, Lauren Mross, and Caleb Holland. The group is currently working toward forming a 501(c)3.
“We need visibility and support for those who need it,” Mross said. “We started making lists of what we wanted to do and the five of us ran with it. We started meeting weekly and solidified what we wanted to do.”
Mross, 50, a brand strategist and web designer, moved to Cambridge from Atlanta with her wife three years ago. They knew they wanted to be near the water and farther north and began researching their options when they discovered Cambridge.
“I had not heard of Cambridge but the location seemed perfect,” she said. “I pointed on a map and said this is where we’re going to move.”
The couple packed up, bought a camper trailer and parked it in different campsites but kept coming back to Cambridge.
“I didn’t know how right it was until we moved here,” she said. “It’s the most welcoming place … there’s an energy vortex here – how did so many cool, progressive people end up in one place?”
Corey van Vlymen and his husband live in D.C. and were looking for a second home. They considered Lost River, W.Va., but decided they preferred to be on the water.
“We looked at a map on both sides of the bay and came to Cambridge on a Saturday and bought a house that day,” said van Vlymen, 39, a senior scientist at Booz Allen Hamilton. They’ve owned in Cambridge for two years.
They were drawn to Cambridge due to its location on the water, the affordable housing inventory, and its proximity to D.C.; it’s about an hour and 20 minutes away.
Now, through the work of Proudly Cambridge, they hope to highlight the town’s many attributes to residents and visitors alike.
“Something we all agree on is there’s a perception problem for Cambridge and a lack of awareness,” van Vlymen said. “If you tell someone you’re going to Cambridge, chances are they think, ‘England or Massachusetts?’”
He cited the affordability and the opportunity to save older, historic homes as a big draw for buyers.
“It’s all about celebrating all the things that make Cambridge great,” Mross added. “Our monthly social events are joyful and celebratory.” A recent game night drew about 70 people.
She noted that the goal is not to gentrify the town and push longtime residents out, but to uplift all the people who are already there while welcoming new visitors and future residents.
They also noted that Proudly Cambridge does not seek to supplant existing Pride-focused organizations. Dorchester County Pride organizes countywide Pride events and Delmarva Pride was held in nearby Easton two weeks ago.
“We celebrate all diversity but are gay powered and gay led,” Mross noted.
To learn more about Proudly Cambridge, visit the group on Facebook and Instagram.
What to see and do
Cambridge, located 13 miles up the Choptank River from the Chesapeake Bay, has a population of roughly 15,000. It was settled in 1684 and named for the English university town in 1686. It is home to the Harriet Tubman Museum, mural, and monument. Its proximity to the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge makes it a popular stop for birders, drawn to more than 27,000 acres of marshland dubbed “the Everglades of the north.”
The refuge is walkable, bikeable, and driveable, making it an accessible attraction for all. There are kayaking and biking tours through Blackwater Adventures (blackwateradventuresmd.com).
Back in town, take a stroll along the water and through historic downtown and admire the architecture. Take in the striking Harriet Tubman mural (424 Race St.). Shop in the many local boutiques, and don’t miss the gay-owned Shorelife Home and Gifts (421 Race St.), filled with stylish coastal décor items.
Stop for breakfast or lunch at Black Water Bakery (429 Race St.), which offers a full compliment of coffee drinks along with a build-your-own mimosa bar and a full menu of creative cocktails.
The Cambridge Yacht Club (1 Mill St.) is always bustling but you need to be a member to get in. Snapper’s on the water is temporarily closed for renovations. RaR Brewing (rarbrewing.com) is popular for craft beers served in an 80-year-old former pool hall and bowling alley. The menu offers burgers, wings, and other bar fare.
For dinner or wine, don’t miss the fantastic Vintage 414 (414 Race St.), which offers lunch, dinner, wine tasting events, specialty foods, and a large selection of wines. The homemade cheddar crackers, inventive flatbreads, and creative desserts (citrus olive oil cake, carrot cake trifle) were a hit on a recent visit.
Also nearby is Ava’s (305 High St.), a regional chain offering outstanding Italian dishes, pizzas, and more.
For something off the beaten path, visit Emily’s Produce (22143 Church Creek Rd.) for its nursery, produce, and prepared meals.
“Ten minutes into the sticks there’s a place called Emily’s Produce, where you can pay $5 and walk through a field and pick sunflowers, blueberries, you can feed the goats … and they have great food,” van Vlymen said.
As for accommodations, there’s the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay (100 Heron Blvd. at Route 50), a resort complex with golf course, spa, and marina. Otherwise, check out Airbnb and VRBO for short-term rentals closer to downtown.
Its proximity to D.C. and Baltimore makes Cambridge an ideal weekend getaway. The large LGBTQ population is welcoming and they are happy to talk up their town and show you around.
“There’s a closeness among the neighbors that I wasn’t feeling in D.C.,” Lumalcuri said. “We look after each other.”
a&e features
James Baldwin bio shows how much of his life is revealed in his work
‘A Love Story’ is first major book on acclaimed author’s life in 30 years

‘Baldwin: A Love Story’
By Nicholas Boggs
c.2025, FSG
$35/704 pages
“Baldwin: A Love Story” is a sympathetic biography, the first major one in 30 years, of acclaimed Black gay writer James Baldwin. Drawing on Baldwin’s fiction, essays, and letters, Nicolas Boggs, a white writer who rediscovered and co-edited a new edition of a long-lost Baldwin book, explores Baldwin’s life and work through focusing on his lovers, mentors, and inspirations.
The book begins with a quick look at Baldwin’s childhood in Harlem, and his difficult relationship with his religious, angry stepfather. Baldwin’s experience with Orilla Miller, a white teacher who encouraged the boy’s writing and took him to plays and movies, even against his father’s wishes, helped shape his life and tempered his feelings toward white people. When Baldwin later joined a church and became a child preacher, though, he felt conflicted between academic success and religious demands, even denouncing Miller at one point. In a fascinating late essay, Baldwin also described his teenage sexual relationship with a mobster, who showed him off in public.
Baldwin’s romantic life was complicated, as he preferred men who were not outwardly gay. Indeed, many would marry women and have children while also involved with Baldwin. Still, they would often remain friends and enabled Baldwin’s work. Lucien Happersberger, who met Baldwin while both were living in Paris, sent him to a Swiss village, where he wrote his first novel, “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” as well as an essay, “Stranger in the Village,” about the oddness of being the first Black person many villagers had ever seen. Baldwin met Turkish actor Engin Cezzar in New York at the Actors’ Studio; Baldwin later spent time in Istanbul with Cezzar and his wife, finishing “Another Country” and directing a controversial play about Turkish prisoners that depicted sexuality and gender.
Baldwin collaborated with French artist Yoran Cazac on a children’s book, which later vanished. Boggs writes of his excitement about coming across this book while a student at Yale and how he later interviewed Cazac and his wife while also republishing the book. Baldwin also had many tumultuous sexual relationships with young men whom he tried to mentor and shape, most of which led to drama and despair.
The book carefully examines Baldwin’s development as a writer. “Go Tell It on the Mountain” draws heavily on his early life, giving subtle signs of the main character John’s sexuality, while “Giovanni’s Room” bravely and openly shows a homosexual relationship, highly controversial at the time. “If Beale Street Could Talk” features a woman as its main character and narrator, the first time Baldwin wrote fully through a woman’s perspective. His essays feel deeply personal, even if they do not reveal everything; Lucian is the unnamed visiting friend in one who the police briefly detained along with Baldwin. He found New York too distracting to write, spending his time there with friends and family or on business. He was close friends with modernist painter Beauford Delaney, also gay, who helped Baldwin see that a Black man could thrive as an artist. Delaney would later move to France, staying near Baldwin’s home.
An epilogue has Boggs writing about encountering Baldwin’s work as one of the few white students in a majority-Black school. It helpfully reminds us that Baldwin connects to all who feel different, no matter their race, sexuality, gender, or class. A well-written, easy-flowing biography, with many excerpts from Baldwin’s writing, it shows how much of his life is revealed in his work. Let’s hope it encourages reading the work, either again or for the first time.
a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.





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