FLAVIA Says It All "Out Loud"
Let FLAVIA set fire to your world with her brand new EP "Out Loud" that just dropped today. This award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer, is for sure someone to be psyched about. After a life of roaming the world, FLAVIA now splits her time between Los Angeles and Paris, giving her lyrics a unique perspective that only experiencing new cultures can provide. She exudes strength, love, and confidence wrapped in velvet. Her latest EP delves into sexuality and fluidity - that can help anyone take on the world with a smile tugging on the corner of their lips and a glint in their eyes.
The first track off the EP "Switch" is our favorite with a daring vibe that drips confidence and sex. It starts the EP with an eclectic shock to the system or a bang you could say. FLAVIA, who recently came out at pansexual and polyamorous, sings the things so many fear to say out loud. She doesn't shy away from letting the light shine on their truth with this progressive EP. With entrancing vocals and drippy electronic backing tracks, it is like hot skin in snow. For any soul struggling to find music that they see themselves within the LGBTQ+ community, this EP might just be the glass slipper you have been looking for. But of course, those not in the community will also find relatable lyrics and intoxicating sounds to vibe with.
The other songs on "Out Loud" all have a message to get across under the layers of playful sounds. "Them" shows how easy it is to change a few words and show respect to those non-binary individuals who so commonly lack representation and respect within the music business, as FLAVIA told us:
"My hope was that "Them" could help uplift the voices of the T in LGBTQ+ that is so often wildly underrepresented in popular media. I want to use my platform as an artist to continue to raise awareness for the trans community."
Her song "Blue" feels like falling into a crush, fantasy, and curiosity brimming before it blooms. It highlights the power of any crush but especially the first one that causes a person to realize they may be apart of the queer community:
"Blue" is the first song I ever wrote about a girl. It marks the beginning of my Queer journey of self-discovery, acceptance, and love."
Then there is "Gay For a Day", the baby gay anthem that is painfully relatable, awkward, and honest to the core. The track is relaxed and the perfect song to get ready to - whenever we get to go places again. IRL nobody has rainbow flags in their bios, so it's up to your gaydar and chance on if it's going to be a bust or not.
"Gay For A Day" is sort of the sequel to "Blue"...what unfolded next shall we say. As a serious baby gay and noob to the queer dating scene, I had been opened up to a whole new world and was like a kid in a candy store...but with absolutely zero gaydar.”
"'Out Loud' is about being unapologetically yourself. Whether it pertains to gender, sexuality, or first crushes outside of the heteronorm. It's really about freedom. Freedom to explore the depths of your own boundaries, and to be LOUD and PROUD of who you are. It's a celebration of queerness and the LGBTQ+ community which I am so incredibly grateful to be part of. I discovered my own queerness in the last 5 years, and it was truly the greatest gift - a rediscovery of my own identity. As a pansexual woman, I feel so lucky to love people for who they are as opposed to what gender they identify with."
"Out Loud" is a self-aware EP with love, acceptance, and respect at the core of its purpose and creative lyrics, pop vocals, and dance beats decorating the edges. It fills a gap in the music scene effortlessly and is sure to be on all your playlists soon. Get to know FLAVIA better below.
What does authenticity mean to you?
Authenticity to me means speaking out about the things that people are afraid to acknowledge or talk about, but that so many of us think, feel, or go through on a daily basis. Be it liberating female sexuality, talking openly about polyamory, queerness, periods, and the mental struggles we go through on a daily basis. As a society we’ve become so preoccupied with “seeming perfect” on social media; only portraying aspects we deem positive about ourselves, airbrushing or modifying our skin and faces, that we often lose touch with our authentic ourselves.
What do you hope people take away from Out Loud your new EP?
Out Loud takes you on a journey through the stages of sexuality I went through over the last 5 years of discovering my Queerness. “Blue” is about my first crush; the beginning of my Queer journey. “Gay For A Day” is about the comedically tragic events that occurred after my aforementioned self-discovery: falling for every straight girl insight. The #1 rule in the non-existent Lesbian handbook. My Gay-dar was shockingly atrocious. In “Them” it was the first time I dated a Trans/Non-binary person, I learned so much about myself; the stereotypical gender roles I had created for myself, and most importantly I became impassioned in standing for and raising awareness for Trans rights. And alas, “Switch” this song is pure self-love, confidence, and utter debauchery. So what do I want people to take home? “You” is forever changing, please be patient and kind to yourself throughout the process, I kept trying to put myself into a tiny box and “figure out” who I was. Then one day I realized, I’m never going to have it figured out, nor would I want to. The minute I do, it’s all over; no more growth, learning, and discovery. That’s the fun part! So love the ‘you’ that you’re in now, and the ‘you’ after that. And along the way, don’t let anybody let you love yourself less. Basically, be YOU: Out Loud and out proud. ;) See what I did there?
What does vulnerability as an artist mean to you?
Vulnerability often means doing the exact thing I’m terrified to do. Whether it’s baring my heart and soul to the world on stage, in a song, or on social media, that is vulnerability, that is strength. As an artist, I feel that it’s my duty to be open and honest with my fans and listeners. I share my most precious secrets and intimate parts of myself with the public in the hopes that even one listener out there can feel more inspired, courageous, or less alone.
Do you have a favorite lyric from the EP?
Oof. Wow. It’s so hard, it’s like asking me to pick a favorite child, they’re all so different. Here are a few of my favorite lines and why.
Switch - “Can’t turn it off like a pig to the trough I come back for this nightly subscription” - it’s gritty, it’s weird, it’s real.
Them - “Don’t need a label when I’m lying on their skin, ask me who I’m with I’m with them”
“Love is love no matter what just teach before you touch speak up for what you want”
Also, “I’ll be the 9 to your 6”, lol self-explanatory.
Blue - “Hungry for your loving, lips from heaven I could sing I’ve never been touched before” - These new feelings for a woman for the first time, unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was new and exciting.
“You don’t know your power girl, I’m in your web” - FUN FACT: This line was inspired by a Fiona Apple’s lyric that the girl I wrote it about has tattooed on herself. “I do not struggle in your web because it was my aim to get caught”.
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colours. So it’s nothing to do with someone’s physical appearance or aesthetic. To me, beauty and authenticity are best friends. I think it’s so beautiful when someone is unafraid to be themselves, despite societal norms or popular opinion. I think beauty is kindness, beauty is love, beauty is helping an old lady with her groceries, beauty is giving your lunch to a homeless person, beauty is planting trees, and making dinner with friends and loved ones. Beauty is all around us.
Was it freeing to come out as pan and polyamorous? What was the process like for you?
Yes yes yes. Freeing and terrifying. It’s weird, I don’t even know what or who I was afraid of, I think it’s just that you get so used to being a certain way in your own mind for so many years, and so switching gears, and stepping outside of that can feel scary. But more than anything, liberating and empowering. I came out as Queer first to my family and friends, before announcing it publicly to the world. Naturally being the dramatic artist that I am, I had to do it through the release of my music video “Til I Die” with a female love interest and LOTS of confetti. Strangely, coming out as polyamorous was even scarier. People are so confused about what being poly even means, and so naturally people’s imaginations run wild. But it’s truly such a beautiful relationship structure. It’s simply the ability to love more than one person. And how that manifests itself differs from person to person, but it’s changed my life positively in more ways than I could count. Once again, I came out as poly through the release of a single of mine called “Does She Like It Rough?”. My art is my safety blanket when being vulnerable. It gives me the strength to be authentically myself.
How do you make the world a better place?
I try, I try, I try my best. And constantly. It’s a never-ending uphill battle. But we have to work hard. Activism is so important to me and a huge part of my music, artwork, and life. Most of my songs talk about a cause that’s important to me be it anti-bullying, mental health awareness, LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, Black Lives Matter, Trans Rights, the environment, or being KIND. Music is the revolution, and I feel it is my calling as an artist and songwriter to write about, and discuss important issues made more digestible through music. Music has the power to heal the world and bring us together. Aside from in my art, I’m constantly learning, educating myself, volunteering, donating, helping others, buying local, minimizing my own carbon footprint, doing my best to protect the environment…it’s never-ending but we have to be committed to making the world a better place, or it never will be.
What does fluidity mean to you?
Fluidity is loving and accepting that you will be forever changing and growing, and with that so may your sexual preferences, gender identity, and gender expression. That’s okay, and that’s beautiful.
Anything else you would like to add?
Whether you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community or not, I hope that you see a part of yourself in this EP, I hope you dance, I hope you cry, I hope you find acceptance and forgiveness, I hope it gives you courage to be yourself, I hope it makes you feel sexy and confident. But I most of all hope that it makes you feel love for yourself.
I dedicate this EP to all the beautiful people in the LGBTQ+ community. For all that you’ve overcome to get to where you are today, I’m so proud of you and I love you.
This one’s for you. <3
Talent: FLAVIA @FLAVIASPEAKS