Boybands of the 2010s were iconic. One Direction, 5SOS, Big Time Rush, Jonas Brothers, just to name a few. They were also carefully curated to fit heteronormative views, and at its height, boxed into a heteronormative look to maintain mass-market appeal. The stark contrast between boys curated specifically for the female gaze along with an emerging queer culture at this time rarely overlapped, especially in mainstream media.
Backstage reimagines queerness clashing in the shadow of heteronormativity. A boyband who, while maintaining their desired appeal, secretly longs for something else. Stolen moments, secret touches, and enduring the weight of an industry that demands conventionality. This editorial is both a time capsule and a reclamation of queerness. It’s an homage to men who perform a role to survive, whether in a boyband or just as a working, struggling queer, and a reminder that today’s male queerness shouldn’t be hidden or bogged down by social pressure.
Credits:
Producer: Simply Ravishin LLC @simplyravishinimmortal
Creative Director/Photographer: Oliver Barile @oliver.barile
Makeup Artist: Alex Venus @alexv3nus
Stylist: Maxwell Lloyd @maxwell.lloyd
Hair: Iryna Zirka @zirkalife
Talent: Lucas Nealon @lucasnealon, Briton David @briton.dvd, Earvin Williams @earvindirector, Nathaniel Lee @ncthaniel
Photo Assist: Samantha Derison @samzenmusic
Stylist Assist: Jaheim Huggins @jaheimhuggins
Videographer: Jay Griffin @griffvnx
