Meet Steve Grand.
Photo by Joem Bayawa / Via Facebook: SteveGrandArtist
Steve's kinda just your all-American country boy.
He's got a great pair of suspenders, and a pretty killer look.
And oh yeah... he might just be the first gay male country star.
He released his first music video and song, "All-American Boy," to his Facebook page with this emotional message:
He writes: "time to be brave. the world does not see change until it sees honesty. I am taking a risk here in many ways, but really there is no choice but to be brave. To not tell this story is to let my soul die. It is all I believe in. It is all I hold dear. We have all longed for someone we can never have... we all have felt that ache for our #allamericanboy
first original song and music video. I gave everything for this. If my story makes even a couple people feel less alone in their aching, all the blood, sweat, tears, and soul I put into this project makes it worth it. Thanks for watching."
The video follows Steve's character, who meets a handsome all-American guy around a fire.
They have a few drinks together.
And Steve's character is totally hooked.
Singing all about his all-American guy.
They go swimming together.
And Steve's character is totally in love.
And even though they kiss...
His all-American boy wants to stay just friends.
It turns out to be a sad story of unrequited gay-straight attraction, but Steve's story touched a nerve among viewers so far.
Steve writes of his decision to make the video: "I fought with who I was for most of my life. In every way a young person can fight with himself. But starting today... I'm laying it out there. I'm done playing it safe."
"I don't have a manager or a label or any sort of funding other than the tip money I make playing piano..."
"I feel like music industry people wouldn't like the idea of me “pigeonholing” myself by telling this story as I have. But I don't believe the world sees change until it sees honesty. So I went in on my own."
"I went all in. There is no Plan B. I'm nervous/excited/horrified/anxious about the implications [...] the choices I am making (and have made throughout my journey of discovering myself as a man and as an artist) will have on my future."
"But then I remind myself I never really had a choice. This is the story I've been aching to tell [...] most of my life... it is what I hold dearest to me."
