5 minute read
ME BEING ME
ME BEING ME
Music sensation and this month’s cover star Jason Kwan on being unapologetically himself.
By Rachel Badham
“The prejudice I faced made me consider what I wanted to do with my music – it made me realise that I don’t want to make easily digestible music. People have challenged me on why I have to be so overtly queer and Asian, but it’s not that I’ve chosen to label myself these things. They just are my identity, and I’ve chosen to celebrate them and not dilute myself for public consumption.”
Model, performer and rising glam rock star Jason Kwan has embraced his identity in a society which told him not to, and is sharing his talent with the world by creating fiercely queer music which places Asian LGBTQ+ narratives in the spotlight. After “finding strength in the darkness” and channelling his experiences into his artistry, he has become a leading light for many marginalised LGBTQ+ people, demonstrating that everyone deserves a chance to feel at home in their identity.
Jason Kwan
After moving to the UK at 14 to escape homophobia in Hong Kong, Jason is no stranger to the prejudice LGBTQ+ people of colour face on a daily basis, but has found the Covid-19 pandemic has amplified the already entrenched racism in the region: “In 2020, the way I was approached as an East Asian person in London has been very hostile. There’s a lot of passive-aggressive and explicit racism, and it’s because of the way Covid is perpetuated to be the fault of the Chinese, which is ridiculous.
“It’s particularly worrying for older generations of Asian people and more vulnerable people like sex workers, queer people, homeless people – it’s been difficult to feel safe.” And for Kwan, alongside thousands of other LGBTQ+ people of colour, his experiences of racism are continuously intertwined with overt homophobia.
He recalled his recent attendance at the 2021 BRIT Awards, saying: “I walked out in this gorge jumpsuit, big fluffy pink coat and heels, but before I left I had to prepare myself. I was like ‘I am ready to ignore the abuse I’m about to get because I know it’s coming’. I walked out of my house and there was a seven-year-old who instantly started making fun of my heels – it’s quite sad to see homophobia in someone so young.
“It was still worth it because I’m not going to tone down who I am for the sake of their comfort”, and it is this fighting spirit which is at the core of Jason’s music. Despite facing years’ worth of prejudice, he has “found a home” in the East London cabaret scene: “I’m part of a Pan-Asian cabaret performance collective called The Bitten Peach and all we do is platform Asian performers – it’s been amazing to find my community and I’m proud that I’ve not had to compromise any parts of my identity to make my career easier.”
“I was booked to perform at Pride in London – they offered me a 20-minute slot and that’s a big opportunity, but I turned it down because I do not support racist organisations and structures, and I stand in solidarity with the black colleagues who have experienced racism”
Now, Jason’s visibility has given other queer people of colour hope during difficult times: “I’ve had followers message me, and they all tell me where they’re from – like ‘I live in this country where it’s super homophobic’, and they say the music has helped them. I write my music for myself as a therapeutic way of dealing with my own emotions but if it can inspire someone or give someone else their solace then I’m definitely going to keep putting out songs. To be able to connect with people without knowing them is one of the most powerful things about music.”
His heart-wrenching yet uplifting track, Give Me Up To Love, was the first song he wrote for his upcoming EP, and truly encapsulates the essence of Jason’s message: “It’s about giving up all the things in my life that were holding me back and loving my music and loving love itself. Lady Gaga is someone who is so able to blend dark emotions with liberation and empowerment, the same as Queen and Grace Jones – they’re artists who are not afraid of the darkness. The only way I can work through my emotions is to find strength in the darkness and own my past and my experiences.”
Kwan now hopes to continue striving for equality and liberation through his work, and calls for structures that uphold racism within the LGBTQ+ community itself to be dismantled: “I was booked to perform at Pride in London – they offered me a 20-minute slot and that’s a big opportunity, but I turned it down because I do not support racist organisations and structures, and I stand in solidarity with the black colleagues who have experienced racism – it’s important for us as performers and attendees of Pride to hold organisations accountable.”
He also hopes to see more support for grassroots Pride organisations “like UK Black Pride, Trans Pride and Non-binary Pride – there’s so many Prides we can be attending without corporates interfering.” Alongside his ongoing youth work with the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT) to support and empower young LGBTQ+ people who are experiencing homelessness, Jason is currently “exploring different sounds” alongside writing his classic stadium rock ballads, with new projects on the way shortly.
Despite the discrimination Jason has faced and continues to grapple with to this day, his art has been his therapy and has allowed him to flourish into the inspiring and unapologetic person he is today: “My music stems from my hardships, and a lot of this has to do with my identity and how I navigate the world as a queer Asian person living in London. But I’m just proud to be performing full stop. I’m proud to be existing.”
