A Lesson in Kindness from Myylo
As 2018 (#20GayTeen) came to an end I was a full-blown gay pop addict. I had joined Twitter in order to connect with musicians from the LGBTQ community as well as fans of this music. One of the great things about joining Twitter was on top of keeping up with gay pop stars I was also being introduced to more gay pop stars on a weekly basis. I soon learned through Twitter what a tight knit community they all were and how all these gay pop stars and their fans were all about supporting one another and lifting each other up which is not always the case with pop stars and their fans on social media. Too much of the time you see stars throwing shade at one another through veiled posts and the fans pitting their favorite pop star against another pop star. Yet the more gay pop stars and fans of gay pop I followed the more those people would help introduce me to even more openly gay pop stars.
Such was the case in discovering Myylo. I discovered Myylo through Q Review which is a great site dedicated to Queer musicians. I had started following them on Twitter and they recommended me their playlist on Spotify. It was through said playlist that I heard Jonesing by Myylo. The song was catchy but what stuck out was Myylo's personality. The way he sang certain lyrics, the inflection in his voice at various moments and the strong sense of humor and warmth that shined through made him jump out immediately. As I have said before having singing and songwriting talent is great, but you need more than that when it comes to pop music. In pop music it's just as important for a performer to have a strong personality that comes through in their music because that's what helps make the music and the artist special.
As I started listening to Myylo's other songs it became obvious that all his music was infused with his quirky personality & charm and it made his songs all the more endearing and memorable. He also came up through the Nashville country circuit, which meant he had a very strong singer/songwriter foundation on which he built his pop songs on. You could also tell that despite the glossy production that the meat of his songs came first from a guitar and that he accessorized the production later. He also wasn't afraid to use the 'He" pronoun as often as possible either which is always a plus for me.
Now I found out Myylo was coming to D.C. thanks to Spotify's wonderful concert calendar, which shows you all the acts that you follow and listen to that are coming to your area to perform. Myylo was listed as coming to D.C. on March 7. At this point going to see another gay pop star live was a no brainer for me. I definitely wanted to go, but when I tried to buy tickets I got pretty confused. The event was being sponsored by Sofar Sounds, which I had never heard of, and I couldn't find where the venue was for the show either on their web site. In fact, I couldn't find tickets or pricing or a phone number to call!
I just couldn't figure this out at all so I posted on Twitter about my struggle to find tickets for the show and tagged Myylo in the post. I had posted about Myylo a few times before and he had responded in kind to all of them and so it was with this post as well. He told me where I could get tickets and that's when I began to learn what Sofar Sounds was all about. You don't actually buy tickets initially, instead you put your name in a lottery. Then if you get picked for the lottery you can buy tickets to a show that will be held at a secret location that is only revealed a few days before the concert. The location can be anywhere from a restaurant, gym or an apartment. If you are not picked out of the lottery you are put on a wait list and you are not told the location of the concert.
I ended up not getting picked and I was put on the wait list. I figured that was the end of that. Then I received a text message on Twitter from Myylo! He asked me if I was able to get tickets and I told him that they had put me on a wait list. He responded by saying he might have a few extra tickets and would get back to me. The next day he said he could get me in and when I asked how much the tickets were he told me that they were on him! That just blew me away. I couldn't believe he would do that for me. I thanked him so much for extending that generosity to me and I told him I would be sure to buy his merchandise when I arrived for the show.
I had read an interview with Myylo shortly beforehand where he discussed kindness and how kindness is so underrated especially in this day and age. He said that kindness can really take you far and if inspiring others to kindness is his biggest contribution in life than he would be more than happy with that. Right before the show I learned his birthday was the day of the concert and I decided I was going to pay his kindness back. I ended up getting him a birthday card with a subway gift card inside since I figured he was traveling all across the country and could use a gift card to a place that serves food up and down the whole country.
Myylo messaged me with the address about 2 days before the show. It was right off a metro rail stop on my way home from work which made it very convenient. With google maps on my phone I wandered into a neighborhood and found that it was being held at a house. My only clue that I had arrived at the correct place was a paper taped to the door that said "Sofar Sounds." I went up and knocked on the door and at first the guy who opened it wasn't sure if he should let me in but when Myylo noticed it was me he came right up and gave me a hug and he told me he was so happy I could make it. I then presented him with his birthday gift and he was very taken back by the gesture and he loved that I wrote from Dougystyle on the envelope.
Since I got there an hour early I ended up talking to Myylo for a good 30 minutes straight! We talked about the music industry, The LGBTQ community and music history. I learned a little more about the promotional side of the industry from him while I think I kind of blew him away with my knowledge and passion for music history. I also told him that openly gay artists like himself were helping to create and foster a community and space for LGBTQ people in music that has never existed before and how thankful so many of us were for that. He told me that this was something he had never even considered when he first became a musician. He said he was just worried whether people would accept him as an openly gay artist, but that recently he was starting to understand that being openly gay was inspiring LGBTQ music fans and that he did have a platform and responsibility he never thought about before.
Eventually many of his friends showed up and they were all very kind and welcoming just like Myylo. It was easy talking to them just like it had been with Myylo and again this is something I had not experienced at rock or alternative concerts I had attended in the past. Eventually the show began and Myylo was 1 of 3 acts that night and he was scheduled last. Once he got up it was just him and a guitar in the middle of a living room and he killed it!
As I had suspected his songs really worked just as well in this stripped down unplugged setting as they did on record with the full on glossy production. It was obvious too what a great storyteller Myylo was as he went into the background of each song. His stories were pretty entertaining due to his quick humor and sharp eye for detail and each story really did enhance my understanding and appreciation for his songs. Myylo got genuine laughs during his stories and even during his songs when his quirky humor came out. During Cyborg when he sings "Elton John is my great grand daddy. I'm a rocket man" lots of people chuckled. Later in the song when Myylo sang "you still call me on my birthday, I guess that's a sign" and then in a low whisper he said "I'm a Pisces!" the audience erupted with laughter. It was clear Myylo had a gift and knew how to keep an audience entertained.
After he was done I bought his tour T-Shirt that said Myylo and took a photo with him holding my pride flag. Then I helped him load his car up with equipment and gave him a hug at least 2 more times. So yeah I'm basically a Myylo groupie at this juncture lol.
It was a wonderful evening and one I'll never forget much like the previous gay pop shows I had recently attended. Still this one was special because I got to make a genuine connection with an openly gay pop star and I could tell how happy and grateful he was that I had come to see him live. I feel like with Sofar Sounds a lot of people sign up for the shows just to experience a Sofar Sounds show not necessarily because of who is performing. The upside is for acts just starting out you get a ready and open-minded audience willing to hear your music and there is little financial risk. Plus as I said earlier the audience definitely enjoyed Myylo and he definitely picked up a few new fans. Still I got the feeling I was Myylo's biggest fan that night because I had come not for the Sofar Sounds experience or because I had been friends with him in college but because I genuinely loved his music and wanted to see him live just like I had wanted to see Troye Sivan, Kim Petras, Years & Years and MNEK live. I think he was incredibly moved by my enthusiasm for his music.
When I think back on that night the word that keeps popping up in my head is kindness. The way Myylo not only let me come to the show for free, but also took the time to talk to me and indulge me for 30 minutes as I talked about music and the LGBTQ community is something he didn't have to do but he did and that really touched me. Then I think about how his kindness inspired me to pay it forward with a gift card for his birthday and how kind all his friends were to me as well. When I really think about it I realize that kindness is something that applies to these LGBTQ musicians and their audiences in general. Both the fans and musicians are so grateful to have this platform and to share their stories with others and they do not take it for granted. They are here to lift each other up and not tear each other down and I think that's one of the most wonderful things about this current wave LGBTQ music.
Myylo is right kindness is underrated and sometimes overlooked, but it's so important to remember as we go through this life. At the end of day how we treat others is how we will be treated in return and most importantly how we will be remembered. So thank you Myylo for reminding me that sometimes a small act of kindness can mean the world to somebody else.
