Troye Sivan Poses For ‘Billboard,’ Talks Pride & ‘Bloom’
Troye Sivan is having a very good week. The 23-year-old is preparing to dominate the charts with his Ariana Grande-assisted “Dance To This,” which dropped yesterday. A vibey anthem, it is showing signs of becoming the biggest single to date off his forthcoming Bloom. The pair are currently sitting near the top of the charts on US iTunes and are picking up steam on streaming services. That’s not all though. Today (June 14), the “My My My!” crooner graces the inaugural Pride Issue of Billboard. Posing for a sun-kissed shoot with Ramona Rosales, he delivers some very chic looks and showcases his platinum locks in a field. It’s whimsical and another gorgeous photoshoot for the hitmaker who covered Dazed and a slew of other publications this spring.
In an interview with Mickey Rapkin, Troye shared some details about his sophomore LP ahead of its August 31 release date. In particular, he opened up about how writing it differed from working on 2015’s Blue Neighbourhood. “Before, I had to write so much more just to find these moments where I felt like I got what I wanted. Whereas this time, everything fell into place a lot easier,” he explained. “I just had much more of a vision. I wanted it to be, like, a love letter.” When pressed on who the letter was addressed to, he expanded. “A love letter to a bunch of things.”
He also talked about having his label’s support to be himself on track’s like the anthemic title track (which many assume is an ode to bottoming). “I’m lucky enough to exist in 2018 where I have a record label that’s like, ‘Write whatever you want to write.’ I don’t have to hide anything,” he said. “I’m honored to have this opportunity to write an album about my relationship, but in the process, be writing an album that I’m hoping is going to mean more, because I didn’t have albums like that growing up. Just by the nature of who I am, the idea of writing openly and not watering stuff down for a straight audience … If I’m being honest about my life then, you know, I am writing about nights like [ones in] ‘My My My!’ or ‘Bloom.’”
Another track on the LP that speaks to his experiences is the album opener “Seventeen.” An ode to some of his earliest experiences with men while underage, he previously opened up about rewriting the chorus. However, he is still prepared for the cut to cause a stir. “I’ve rehearsed the backlash and the response a million times in my head,” Troye said. “I’m worried because I don’t want to ever come across that I’m condoning that or anything like it. But I felt, greater than all of those worries, a responsibility to tell that true story – of the curious gay kid who puts himself in some kind of shady situation to find a connection, like all of us crave.”
In the issue, Troye also talked about coming out and his first Pride parade. In particular, he revealed that his parents accompanied him. “They were like, ‘Oh, we’re 100 percent coming,’” he said. “Even though it was mildly embarrassing – I walked in the parade with my parents and my [two] brothers and my sister – it was cool because I realized that they weren’t just tolerant of their gay son, they were stoked and proud.” A lot has changed since that first parade. And now, he is in the midst of a momentous year. Looking back on it all, he reflected on how far he is come. “In front of a big group of people, in front of cameras, to be in my body and be in that moment, I feel the way that I’ve always wanted to feel – like a real pop star who is not holding anything back.”
The feature also includes commentary from previous collaborators including tour-mate Dua Lipa and Boy Erased director Joel Edgerton. Read through it all and check out some exclusive video content here and scroll through a gallery of photos from the shoot up top! While you’re at it, revisit Troye’s glamorous “Bloom” video below!
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