Music & Concerts
Troye Sivan’s new album ‘Bloom’ buzzes with sexual yearning
Ariana Grande duet ‘Dance to This’ among record’s standout cuts
Troye Sivan previewed material from his new album ‘Bloom’ this summer at Capital Pride where he headlined. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Things continue to look good for queer wunderkind Troye Sivan. The 23-year-old pop star is out with his second full-length album, “Bloom,” the follow-up to his successful first album,“Blue Neighbourhood,” which debuted at no. 7 in 2015.
The new record traces much the same lines as the previous. His characteristic chill dance pop returns in full vigor — or rather, mellowness — on “Bloom,” but this time in bleach blond. It’s a good sound and look for the perennially boyish Australian.
Sivan first came to notoriety as a YouTuber, where he collaborated regularly with Tyler Oakley. His coming-out video, posted five years ago, has been viewed more than eight million times. Sivan makes no bones about his queerness, evidenced no less by the title of the new album. As was much commented on in the mainstream press, the song “Bloom” is a not-so-subtle reference to bottoming. It’s a bold choice of title for an album that is musically less so. Nonetheless, Sivan once again works his dream pop magic, playing it safe without becoming redundant.
Much like the previous album, “Bloom” is a mesh of loverboy lyrics and warm, ethereal synth sounds — it’s less a break from “Blue Neighbourhood” than a companion album, a slightly more energetic side B. This is not a criticism; in fact his sound is somewhat unique among his pop music contemporaries. Drawing attention to the deeply similar character of the album might say more about our expectation that artists continually do something new and unexpected than it does about Sivan’s music.
The album opens with “Seventeen,” a song chronicling Sivan’s early sexual encounters with older men. (For the record, the age of consent in Australia is 16.) The lyrics, like those of many of his songs, have a spoken quality, giving them a relatively natural flow: “And he said age is just a number, just like any other.” Or, to take an example from the song “Postcard,” one of the most subdued and compelling tracks on the album: “I sent you a postcard from Tokyo baby/You never picked it up/I even wrote it in Japanese, baby/You didn’t give a fuck.”
The lyrics have the weight of regular speech but without sacrificing musicality. Nor are they short on wit. This is one of the more remarkable things about Sivan’s music, and it gives the impression that Sivan is telling a single, continuous story over the course of an album. But songs also buzz with sexual yearning. “Lucky Strike,” an almost enchantingly catchy tune, is a good example. With the bass thumping, he sings in his whispery tenor: “‘Cause you taste like Lucky Strikes/You drag, I light.” Sivan is, of course, no stranger to innuendo or to lyrics about smoking.
The new album certainly hasn’t been short on singles: Five have been released to date, including lead single “My My My!,” “The Good Side,” “Bloom,” “Dance to This” (featuring Ariana Grande) and “Animal.” “My My My!” has already enjoyed a fair amount of radio play and is likely destined for a long afterlife of remixes. The same can be said, though to a lesser degree, for “Bloom” and “Dance to This.” The song “The Good Side” is largely acoustic break-up song and a refreshing break from synth-heavy sounds.
The music video for “Bloom,” however, is a point of interest on its own. In bright red lipstick, Sivan wears a variety of androgynous flower-inspired gowns that look like they were taken from a J.W. Anderson runway show. It’s a fun, provocative celebration of queer identity.
The Frank Ocean-inspired “Animal”strays the farthest from the herd. If anything, it indicates a drive toward more effect-heavy, quasi-psychedelic sounds. It’s by far the most adventurous track. But the joy of this album is not in shuffling through the singles — it’s in listening start to finish. With good albums, the whole is always greater than the sum of its parts. This one is no different.
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Music & Concerts
Busy season for live music in D.C.
Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring
One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.
In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.
MARCH
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.
The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.
If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.
APRIL
Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.
Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.
The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.
Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.
DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”
The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.
MAY
Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.
Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.
Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.
The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.
JUNE
Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.
Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.
Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.
Music & Concerts
Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation
International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue
The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.
Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.
The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”
The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.
“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”
WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.
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