Elliot James Reay Who Knew Dancing Was a Sin?

70 ISSUES OF GNI MAG, AND 10 YEARS OF ME, DANIEL MAY

It is kind of wild to say out loud, but here we are. GNI MAG has officially reached its 70th issue. Even more unbelievable than that, I, Daniel May, have now been part of this journey for a full ten years. A whole decade. If I am being honest, I never imagined I would end up running and editing Northern Ireland’s only LGBTQ+ publication. Yet somehow, through a mix of passion, chaos, community, and a lot of learning, this magazine and I found each other. And what a journey it has been.

When I first got involved with GNI MAG, it was purely in a sales capacity, Issue 18 with Jake Graf had just been released. The move from Johnston Press and The News Letter was daunting but exhilarating. For the first time, I was working for a publication that actually related to my life as a gay man and that meant something.

At its core, GNI MAG is about giving a platform to the stories that matter to our community. That has never changed. From day one, we’ve focused on spotlighting queer artists, performers, thinkers, and change-makers, while also tackling the hard conversations around identity, equality, and representation. At the heart of every issue is our community. Real stories, honest voices, queer joy, queer pain, and everything in between.

What has changed over the years is the scale, the reach, and yes, the responsibility. Running GNI MAG is more than a job. It’s a commitment, a calling. It’s about carving out space in a world that often overlooks us. It’s about celebrating queer brilliance while amplifying voices that too often go unheard. I never set out to be a magazine editor, let alone the editor of the only LGBTQ+ publication in the region. But when the opportunity was presented to me back in 2018, another one of those “WTF?” moments, I knew I had to take it on and keep it alive.

I have to give huge credit to Tony Day, whose brainchild this magazine was. Although he moved on, he remains a vital part of the GNI family and a trusted confidant. His design skills over the past seven years have kept the magazine looking fresh and inviting. He’s always there when I need his opinion or creative eye, and that means the world.

Across these 70 issues, we’ve grown in countless ways. We’ve interviewed global icons and rising stars. We’ve reviewed theatre, music, and art that challenge the norm. We’ve told love stories, profiled drag royalty, and celebrated Pride events from Belfast and beyond. We’ve stood by our trans siblings, supported queer youth, and honoured the elders who paved the way. And through it all, we’ve remained unapologetically ourselves.

I want to take this moment to thank every single person who has contributed to this magazine. Whether you wrote a feature, appeared in our pages, passed a copy to a friend, or shared our content online, you are the reason GNI MAG is still here. In a media landscape where independent outlets are struggling, where print is shrinking, and queer spaces are being erased, the fact that this publication continues to grow is a testament to all of you.

I also want to acknowledge the forward thinking businesses who continue to advertise with us and proudly offer their services to our LGBTQIA+ audience. It may sound surprising, but there are still thousands of businesses here in Northern Ireland that shy away from visibly supporting our community. Some worry their brand will somehow be harmed by association. That mindset baffles me. Inclusion does not divide or damage, it strengthens, expands, and enriches. Every LGBTQIA+ person wants and needs the same things as everyone else: to be seen, respected, and treated with dignity. So I applaud those businesses who recognise the value of true inclusion and who actively engage with our community. You are helping move us all forward.

So here’s to 70 issues filled with pride, protest, and power. Here’s to ten years of me, learning and growing right alongside this community. And here’s to whatever comes next. We’ll meet it with colour, courage, and love.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Let’s keep building something beautiful.

With love, Daniel May

Here Are A Few Quotes

From Our Columnists And Customers

Being a Travel Columnist for GNI has given me a voice when I felt insecure and lacked any local community friends. GNI has given me so many opportunities and allowed me to share my passion for travel and wellness with our readers.

Congratulations on the amazing 70th issue and the 10 year anniversary to Daniel May for making such a success of GNI and supporting the local LGBTQ community. The community wouldn’t be the same without you at the heart of it so thank you for all that you do and for the incredible support you have given me over the years also.

Lots of hugs and best wishes Gavyn Andrews @Malewellnessni

Loving being part of the GNI Mag team and making contributions to this year’s editions. Hopefully my writing has been of use to you readers!

I am looking forward to meeting and celebrating with the other contributors at this year’s awards event in November! Dr Bryan

“We are proud to support GNI Magazine, an important platform for the LGBTQIA+ community in Northern Ireland. Reaching the 70th edition milestone is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication to fostering inclusivity, representation and support.

From insightful features to cultural and advocacy pieces, GNI continues to champion authentic voices and build a strong sense of community.”

The Grand Opera House

Many congratulations to GNI on their milestone 70th edition! It is more important now than ever that the voices of Northern Ireland’s vibrant LGBTQIA+ community are heard and put to paper, and GNI has helped keep us informed, entertained, and connected. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Daniel, Pauline and team for several years now,and we here at Fish City are incredibly grateful for their kindness and support. – Aaron Norton, Fish City

Working with GNI Mag has always been a joy. Their passion, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to amplifying diverse voices makes them such a vital platform for our community.

It’s inspiring to collaborate with a team who consistently celebrates inclusivity, creativity, and positivity, while shining a spotlight on the stories that truly matter.

Four Seasons Hotel Monaghan

I’ve been with GNI in various roles since it first began. I’ve loved being involved in every element as it has evolved to what we know and love today. I’ve interviewed and met some of the biggest names in the industry, something that will stay with me forever. At GNI, we are a family, working to bring you the best we can every issue, but it all wouldn’t be possible without our readers….

Here’s to the next 70 issues!!

Gary Campion - Celebrity Columnist, Serial Reviewer and Content Creator.

“It’s very exciting to be part of the 70th Edition of GNI, my 32nd Edition. Since my first article on the formation of Belfast Blaze F.C. I have launched numerous LGBTQ+ events & teams across Ireland, worked with International athletes and developed a company all launched from that article. My favourite memory is us all belting out the soundtrack to sister act on our retreat. I look forward to a Sister Act 2 moment.”

Martin Murray

Pop icon, ally, and LGBTQIA+ legend Katy Perry is bringing her long awaited Lifetimes Tour to Belfast’s SSE Arena this October for two unforgettable nights. With a career spanning more than 15 years, a brand new album, and a catalogue of anthems that helped define a generation, Katy is ready to celebrate with fans both old and new. This is not just another pop concert. It is a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and eternal love, and it is coming to Northern Ireland.

It is hard to believe it has been over seven years since Katy Perry last toured the United Kingdom. A lot has changed in that time for Katy, for her fans, and for the landscape of pop music but one thing has stayed the same. Her power to connect. Whether she is strutting across the stage in fantastical outfits or delivering powerful ballads about love and self acceptance, Katy has always made her massive moments feel intimate. As someone who grew up with her music and has seen her evolution from rebellious newcomer to pop institution, this return with The Lifetimes Tour feels like a joyful reunion with someone who has always been there in the background of your life, cheering you on.

The upcoming tour is deeply tied to her new album, 143, a project that blends emotional depth with the celebratory style fans have come to expect. The album title is a clever callback to the pager code meaning “I love you,” which will strike a chord with millennial listeners who remember using numbers to send secret messages. But 143 is more than just nostalgia. It is about real connection, emotional healing, and the kind of bonds that last through time, through change, and through every version of yourself. Katy’s latest single “LIFETIMES” is a bright and reflective love song that explores this idea with tenderness and strength. According to Katy, the song was inspired by her daughter. “A soulmate does not always have to be a partner,” she explained. “It can be a child, a best friend, a pet. For me, it is my daughter. I ask her every night, ‘Will you find me in every lifetime?’ She says yes, and I feel found.” It is a sentiment that speaks volumes to so many people, especially those of us in the queer community who have discovered deep, soul affirming love in places we never expected. Whether with chosen family, lifelong friendships, or the people who truly see us, the message resonates deeply.

For LGBTQIA+ fans, Katy Perry has long been more than just a pop star. She has been a source of comfort, celebration, and self expression. From the very beginning of her career, she brought bold themes to the mainstream. “I Kissed a Girl” made waves in 2008 for its provocative title, but for countless fans, it was the first time bisexuality or same sex attraction had been referenced so casually on the radio. While the song may have sparked debate, it also opened doors and ignited conversations that were long overdue. Since then, Katy has been a consistent advocate for equality, visibility, and support. She has used her platform to speak up on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights, both on and off the stage. Her performances at pride events, her vocal support for marriage equality, and her inclusion of queer artists and creatives in her videos and tours show a real commitment to allyship. She has received awards from The Trevor Project and the Human Rights Campaign, not just because of her popularity, but because her actions have made a meaningful difference in the lives of queer people. Her musical career has followed a fascinating evolution. One of the Boys, her breakthrough album, gave us the electro pop attitude of “Hot N Cold,” the heartbreak of “Thinking of You,” and the cheeky challenge of “Ur So Gay.” It introduced us to a pop voice unafraid to be both emotional and irreverent. But it was her 2010 album Teenage Dream that truly catapulted her into superstardom. With an unmatched run of number one hits, it became the soundtrack to a generation. “California Gurls,” “Last Friday Night,” “Firework,” “E.T.,” and the title track were not just commercial hits. They were cultural touchstones, especially for LGBTQIA+ fans who found freedom in their glittering excess and unfiltered celebration of joy.

PRISM followed in 2013 and revealed a more introspective Katy. Songs like “Roar” and “Unconditionally” still packed a pop punch, but they were rooted in themes of survival and vulnerability. Witness in 2017 took a more experimental approach, delving into electro pop and political commentary. While it divided critics, it showcased her willingness to take risks. Smile, released during the uncertainty of the pandemic, was a reminder to keep going, keep laughing, and keep loving.

Now, with 143, Katy Perry sounds more confident and self assured than ever. The album is full of emotional reflections, euphoric melodies, and lyrical honesty. There is a depth to the new material that feels earned. As a mother, a partner, and a veteran of the music industry, Katy is not performing from a place of fantasy anymore. She is inviting us into her real world, where love is messy, layered, and still magical.

And then there is the tour itself. The Lifetimes Tour is being billed as a career spanning spectacle — a full scale celebration of Katy’s discography with all the bells and whistles her fans have come to expect. The visuals, choreography, and costumes are expected to be on par with her legendary previous productions, but with new technology and more mature themes threaded throughout.

For fans who saw the California Dreams Tour back in 2011, the candy coloured chaos of that production is hard to forget. With sets that looked like a live action cartoon, complete with dancing gingerbread men and cotton candy clouds, it was peak pop escapism. Then came The Prismatic World Tour in 2014, which featured a giant mechanical horse, 3D projections, and a glow in the dark finale. It showed a more futuristic and fierce Katy, still full of humour, but now with an edge.

The Witness Tour in 2017 was perhaps her most ambitious yet, visually speaking. It combined political symbolism, slick modernism, and an almost sci-fi aesthetic. Though more critically divisive, it featured intricate staging and stunning costume design. Most recently, her Las Vegas residency PLAY was a theatrical triumph. With oversized props, talking furniture, and cartoonish set pieces, it felt like walking into a pop art dreamscape.

What makes The Lifetimes Tour stand out is its balance between spectacle and sincerity. Yes, we will get the dazzling visuals and elaborate set design. But this time around, there is a real emotional core underpinning the entire experience. Katy is revisiting every era of her career, not just to celebrate it, but to make peace with it. To honour the versions of herself she has been and to welcome the one she is now.

The setlist is expected to be a treasure trove of hits. We are talking about a woman with multiple Diamond certified singles. Expect to hear fan favourites like “Dark Horse,” “Teenage Dream,” “Wide Awake,” “E.T.,” “Swish Swish,” and “Chained to the Rhythm.” Alongside those will be brand new tracks from 143, including “LIFETIMES,” which is already gaining traction as a crowd favourite. And of course, no Katy Perry show would be complete without “Firework” — a song that has become a global anthem for empowerment and individuality.

There is also a philanthropic side to this tour.

Katy has pledged to donate one pound from every UK ticket sold to Music Venue Trust, a charity that supports grassroots music venues across the country. These spaces are vital for emerging artists, many of whom would not have careers without them. Katy herself played early UK gigs at places like Water Rats and Scala, and this gesture is her way of ensuring those venues continue to support the next generation. It is a reminder that even as she fills arenas and tops global charts, she remains grounded in gratitude and community.

The inclusion of Belfast in the tour schedule — and for not just one, but two nights — speaks volumes. It is a testament to her love for her Northern Irish fans and to the growing importance of the city as a destination for world class pop shows. The SSE Arena will no doubt be bursting with colour, sound, and emotion. For many LGBTQIA+ fans, this will be more than a concert. It will be a sanctuary. A celebration of identity. A shared moment of joy.

There is a particular kind of magic in seeing Katy Perry live. It is not just about the music, though that is certainly a massive part of it. It is about being in a space where self expression is not just accepted but encouraged. Where glitter is a language and dancing is a declaration. Where being loud, proud, emotional, and unfiltered is not just welcomed, it is celebrated.

As we prepare to welcome Katy back to Belfast, we are not just getting ready for a pop concert. We are preparing to step into a world she has built for us. A world of sound and light and colour. A world that says, “You belong here. You are seen. You are loved.”

So if you have ever danced to “Teenage Dream” in your bedroom, cried to “The One That Got Away,” laughed at the sheer brilliance of “Last Friday Night,” or screamed every word of “Roar,” then this tour is for you. It is a reminder that music can lift us up, pull us together, and help us find meaning in chaos.

Katy Perry’s Lifetimes Tour is more than a return to the stage. It is a love letter to her fans. A reflection on everything that has come before. And a radiant look ahead at what is still to come.

The Lifetimes Tour – Belfast Dates

SSE Arena, Belfast Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th October 2025

Tickets available now at ssearenabelfast.com