Troye Sivan’s long awaited and highly anticipated second album has just been released, and he’s on the cover of the September edition of OUTinPerth.
Fans have loved the string of singles from My My My, to Bloom and the Ariana Grande collaboration Dance to This. Next on the agenda for Troye is the film Boy Erased which sees him returning to his acting career.
OUTinPerth chatted with Troye about the new record and the goals he set himself when making it, and why he’s so excited about Boy Erased.
The new album Bloom is out on August 31st, the cover is a picture of the back of your head, what was the thinking behind that choice?
There’s a couple of things. First of all the back of the album is the front of my head and the front of the album is the back of my head, but for me I’ve always just felt a little bit weird about just slapping my face on an album. First of all so many people helped me and worked on the album so hard, it just feels like a real collaboration from the word go. And then there’s, I put so much time and thought into the music, it feels lazy just to slap a picture of my head on the front. So I try to keep things a little bit more mysterious, also I just love the photo so much I think it’s a really gorgeous image, so I decided to use it.
It’s very reminiscent of a Herb Ritts photo of Madonna, is a homage?
Ooh, that it is not unfortunately. I’m going to look up the image now. We were just messing around in the studio and I turned around and that photo happened, it felt like a bit of magic.
We looked for the photo last night, and it’s not online, but we’ll track down a copy for you.
That would have been really impressive if I’d referenced an image that is not available online. That would have been way cooler.
Your previous record touched on the topics of love, this album seems to be a lot of sexual. Was that something you were deliberately trying to do – make a more grown-up sounding record?
Not intentionally, I think i just sort of grew up a little bit in life. Also I think with my first album I was a little bit conscience of trying to keep things maybe a little bit milder in an effort to not alienate anybody.
With his one I just wanted to do away with that and make an album that spoke to me and people my age and talk about real experiences that I’m really going through.
On the track Seventeen, you talk having a hook-up when you were younger with someone older. Reflecting back on stepping out into that sort of space when you were growing up, what would you say to someone who was that age now and was taking their first steps into that kind of world.
I would say the be careful. Be smart. Take your time. I think one thing I remember really vividly at that time as being in a big rush and looking back on it now it wasn’t one hundred per cent necessary.
Tell about the video for Bloom, because you look having a lot of fun in that clip, but it really is challenging gender stereotypes.
Yeah, right, I think the big sort of theme visually for me through this album out this to shed any hang-ups I had from growing up in the closet. Asking myself what feels fun to me, and then answering that honestly to me, and not holding myself back.
It’s been a real challenge at times, it’s scary and I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone, but only because it felt like it was what I wanted to do. I always end up on the other side of those experiences glad that I did.
What are biggest misconception people have about you?
Maybe that I’m like… because I started online, people automatically think that I’m a super-public person. When in reality I really cherish my private life, and keep my relationships and my family and friends and partners super close.
We’re looking forward to seeing you back in front of the camera for Boy Erased. What made you sign up for this movie?
I’ve always said to everyone who works on my team that if the right script comes along I would get back into acting. Things have to work out timing wise and when I got the script for Boy Erased I said “Whatever I have to do to make this happen, I will do it. I’m going to audition.” I don’t remember the last time I wanted anything so badly. I was stoked t get it and I thinks it’s going to be a really special and important movie. I’m so excited for it to come out.
Bloom is available now. Listen to our entire conversation with Troye below.
Graeme Watson
