REIGEN
He likes attention and is “trippin’ on E” but New York pop upstart Reigen also married the man of his dreams. Interview by Marc Andrews.
A New York pop star in the making.
DNA: One name only? Is Reigen the new Cher, Madonna or Prince? Reigen: [Laughs hysterically] Cher, Madonna and Prince are royalty to me. The truth of it is my last name is Miller, which is just so common.
Tell us a little bit about your background? I was born in Houston, Texas and I’ve been in NYC since I could choose.
Are you a real New Yorker then? I know I can’t claim it, but that’s why my song goes “Dance like you’re a real New Yorker…” I’m in awe of the energy and passion in this city. It’s home. Where do you see yourself fitting into the pop scene? I would love people to feel happy when they hear my music. I would love to bring together a diverse group of people. I am a huge fan of top-40 radio and I would love to be on it. As for how I fit, I’d love to be seen as the no-real-relation brother of Robyn or Kylie Minogue. Why is dance music so important to gay
men? Such a great question! Throughout our history we have escaped on the dance f loor, often from serious threats outside. I think about the walk to Studio 54 in the ’70s and people having to closely watch their backs in the streets, the police an added threat. Then I imagine entering this magically lit room filled with love and music. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s a part of my soul and I love to go out and see people dancing for their lives. I think that life is meant to be enjoyed and gay people know how to party, right?!
Who were your influences growing up? I grew up on Destiny’s Child, James Brown and Spice Girls to name a few. I’m also from Texas so I remember singing along to [country singer] Garth Brooks a lot as a kid. My first ever concert was the alternative band Eve 6 with my older brother. I remember trying to inhale the pot smoke around me to get a second-hand high. It didn’t work [laughs]. Your music has an experimental edge but also a fun 1980s vibe - is that a fair appraisal? I love that appraisal! A lot of my music is set in the early 1980s and the pop music transition from disco to new wave. Nineteen-eighties synths speak to me.
Talk us through your track Trippin’ On
E. This literally began as a joke. I would sing this hook because I thought it was ridiculous. Then one day I heard the “looks wild to me” clip that’s featured in the track and I started
producing the music for it. It was still a joke until friends heard it and encouraged me to make a full song. It’s such a fun song to perform – to me it’s about freedom and fun. People go crazy for it live!
Good Love is your latest track. What was
the inspiration? I had been steeping myself in the excitement and hope in the earliest days of disco, especially thinking about the 1970 party in NYC called Love Saves The Day. It was the first bloom of a new era and it was invite-only and it would have been so exciting to be there. I wanted to capture the feeling that something wonderful is just about to happen. With this inspiration in mind, writing the actual song was very easy. I was on Tumblr and saw the words “good vibes” and the words and melody just dropped out of my mouth and I produced the track in about an hour. Is there an album’s worth of material ready to go? You guessed it! I have a bunch of material and can’t help but write new material almost everyday. Do you feel your music has a queer edge to it? I write about topics that interest me and I think our gay history is fascinating. One of my goals as an artist is to bring together a diverse group of people, so I hope anyone could relate to it, but there is a fun, party vibe in queer culture that I’m drawn to.
When did you come out? When I was 16 and it was actually amazing. I’m from a very diverse area in Houston and my family is filled with really kind, beautiful people. I had a very normal growing-up experience, teenage
“It was the first bloom of
a new era… I wanted to capture the feeling that something wonderful is just about to happen.” romance, drama, etc. I’m incredibly lucky and grateful. I hope more and more people will have that experience. I think that’s happening.
Are you currently attached? Yes! I’m actually married to my dream man. We are celebrating our three-year anniversary in one week. What qualities do you look for in a partner? My husband likes to laugh, is very patient, a great listener and very calm. I can literally wake him up with random ideas at three in the morning and he doesn’t mind… and he’s Italian. Are you more a briefs or boxers kind of
guy? I need support. So is Reigen ready to be a chart slut or do you prefer to be more underground?
Slut. I like attention [laughs].