The road to self-discovery and acceptance is never paved with roses but is full of thorns. Throughout history, many have taken this difficult journey and failed. Yet some soldiered on and achieved the freedom to be true to themselves and love who they wanted. Regardless of any outcome, those who have taken the step into this challenging road are heroes we should all celebrate.
In our first edition of Profiles of Pride, we are featuring the fast-rising singer-songwriter Riley Lynch.
Riley landed a spot on the national television show The X Factor when he was fifteen and, from then, garnered a loyal following, which according to him, were primarily teenage girls. So, when he took the road to self-discovery and tried various labels that most accurately correspond to his identity, he recognized the challenges of coming out with a fanbase as he had. Eventually, he chose to identify as queer, but the road that led him there was challenging.
Riley's journey through the years.
"It definitely wasn't pretty, simple, and overnight," Riley said in an interview at the APM office in Hollywood. "I was kind of wanting to please everybody, so that was like an additional layer on top of that."
Despite the difficulties, however, his music gave him the means to express his identity.
"You can really see that progression through my music," Riley said. "Without music, it would have been more difficult."
Watch the interview below.
Riley is active in the LGBTQ+ community and uses his platforms to amplify the community's message. He recently curated Cage Riot's Pride 2023 Spotify playlist, which includes music from some of his favorite artists that inspired him in his career.
Riley also just released his latest single, "Sober at the Party," produced by Ron Geffen.
"It's a party song about not being able to party like I used to," Riley said." It's about my experience leaving drinking behind."
Listen to "Sober at the Party" on your preferred streaming platform.
Riley is playing on June 29th at Bar Lubitsch in West Hollywood to promote his single.
Follow Riley Lynch on social.