Following in the tradition of other dance classics, one of the fall’s most buzzed-about tracks just became an anthemic plea for gay inclusion.
Released in September, Galantis and Rozes’s “Girls on Boys” has been hailed by music critics as a “feel-good anthem ready to heat up your last days of summer” and an “accessible and euphoric offering.”
Though writer, actor and director Jake Wilson is a big fan of Galantis, he told HuffPost he was bothered by the fact that the song references both “girls on boys” and “girls on girls,” but makes no mention of same-sex love between two men.
“I love Galantis and love the song even more, but I was shocked to hear that there wasn’t a gay reference in the song,” he said. “So clearly I had to take it upon myself to remedy the situation.”
The result is “Boys on Boys,” a spirited cover, which hit YouTube Oct. 25, featuring gay-specific lyrics. Shot on location at Nowhere Bar in New York and featuring soulful vocals by Broadway’s Tamika Lawrence, the video follows a shy, naive-looking gay man (Sam Digiovanni) who finds bliss on the dance floor amidst handsome revelers of all shapes and sizes.
Wilson, who is based in Los Angeles, said he “couldn’t be happier” to tap back into his musical theater roots for “Boys on Boys,” which had been viewed over 16,000 times as of Thursday afternoon.
Shooting the video at Nowhere Bar, a popular gay watering hole in Manhattan’s East Village, was a place where “most of the boys in the video have actually been to on a wild Friday night,” Wilson added, which “made the acting all the more real.”
“I’m so lucky to have so many cool and beautiful friends that I can text to take part in a music video,” he added, “and two days later, they are shirtless, dancing on a table.”
Lawrence, who has appeared in the musicals “Come From Away,” “Matilda” and “The Book of Mormon,” echoed Wilson’s sentiments.
“I am excited that Jake has so thoughtfully and cleverly put together a remix that celebrates pride and openness for the gay community,” she told HuffPost. “I am truly honored to have sung on the track and I hope everyone enjoys what we have done.”
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