Olly Alexander, the 28-year-old lead
singer of Years & Years, said in a recent interview that writing
Palo Alto, his band's just-released second studio album,
taught him he has “all this pent-up anger” toward ex-boyfriends
and his father.
Alexander has previously said that he
never came out to his father because they “don't really have a
relationship.”
“One thing I learned is I had all
this pent-up anger,” Alexander told LGBT weekly the Washington
Blade. “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.”
Alexander was also asked about the
growing number of LGBT artists.
“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?” the Blade asked.
“Well, I think it’s a bit of both,”
Alexander answered. “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.”