The much-anticipated debut album of out gay country music singer-songwriter Brian Falduto, Gay Country, was released today. The eight-track album can be listened to here and on all major streaming platforms.
Known to many as the iconic sassy gay kid from the 2003 film School of Rock starring Jack Black, Falduto has matured into a bona fide artist in the country music industry.
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He said creating his first LP album was not always an easy process.
“I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this,” Falduto (@brianfalduto) said of Gay Country. “I think it’s a testament to how much I’ve grown as I finally let myself step into this playful artistic space. I remember I used to feel silly saying that country queens like Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, and Carrie Underwood were my influences because I didn't think that was an answer I should give as a boy. But I don’t care anymore. They are my influences. If someone wants to call me the gay Shania Twain, I wouldn’t be mad about it!”
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Featured on Gay Countryis the viral lead single “Same Old Country Love Song.” Falduto’s friend and former School of Rock co-star Black (1.3M views) and influence Tate Hoskins (1.5M views) gave the toe-tapping track some TikTok love when it was first released. Throughout the album, Brian pays homage to the country stars of his youth including Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Rascal Flatts, The Chicks, and others. But Falduto said there’s something more to Gay Country than just your average country music album.
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COURTESY BRIAN FALDUTO
“Country music has always been my heart and soul, ever since I was a little kid. I’m really proud of what I’ve done here,” Falduto explained, adding. “But with this project, I wanted to return to the classic 90s / early 2000s vibe that ‘little me’ used to bop around to but could never quite see himself in. I’ve always wondered what it would have been like if smack dab in the middle of the latest Tim McGraw and Jo Dee Messina hits, a song came on the radio that normalized who I was.”
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Falduto was also quick to center the very personal nature of Gay Country.
“At the end of the day, this album was the first time I let myself have fun with two things I love so dearly: country music and being gay,” Falduto said. “I spent a long time believing those two things couldn’t coexist but I’m here to tell you that they can!”
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COURTESY BRIAN FALDUTO
You can listen to Brian Falduto’s debut album, Gay Country, here and on all major streaming platforms.
