Takin' it "Man to Man"

TAKIN’ IT “MAN TO MAN”

By: Jonathan Chau Photography by Clare Worsley

Dorian Electra, the independent genderfluid artist, is changing how we look at pop.

During a warm afternoon in early October, Dorian Electra travels on the rural Missouri highway from Springfield to Kansas City for the next installment of their first headlining tour, a mix of solo events and supporting acts for electropop princess Charli XCX. The cellular signal is iffy, but this was the only time we managed to schedule a chat. They just took a short five-day break, which was needed after a harsh cold plagued their whole team. “Now we’re recovered and we’re feeling good,” Electra reassures me.

Electra is Flamboyant — like the name of their lead single and debut studio album released in July — but not in the traditional cis and heteronormative use of the term. With a glance at the gender-fluid singer’s Instagram, their appearance stands out: their sapphire mullet, makeup that usually includes sunkissed overthe-nose freckles or drawn-on pencil mustaches, and clothing involving intricate, avant-garde takes on jock attire and everyday businessman attire. This extravagance is also reflected in their music. Critics, like cult-followed Youtuber Anthony Fantano, praised their album for its explosive pop mixes and intricate songwriting that examines nuanced topics like nine-to-five work culture in “Career Boy” or toxic masculinity in “Man to Man.” After dropping their album, the 27-year-old creative remains busy. They worked with companies like l.a.Eyework and Apple Music, released five music videos, and of course, continued touring, making sure to hit Midwest cities that other artists might skip.

Along with other transgender and non-binary artists like Kim Petras, SOPHIE, and ARCA, Electra is establishing a new representation, bringing their genderfuck sensibility to audiences that never see their identities in the mainstream. No longer are these artists on the fringes of the industry for niche audiences. These musicians are creating music with queer people in mind, but this time it’s for everyone. “Queer artists have had to downplay their identities in their music in order to be accepted or taken seriously in the industry,” Electra says. “We are creating our own version of girl power all over again.”

to classic rock bands like The Rolling Stones, Alice Cooper, and David Bowie, while their mom fostered their interest in musical theater, helping build their confidence on stage. Meanwhile, they consumed shows like Spongebob Square Pants, Monty Python, and Twin Peaks, and listened to bubblegum pop favorites like Britney Spears and the Spice Girls. “All these things are deep in my brain,” Electra says.

When they attended Shimer College in Chicago, they studied philosophy and enjoyed small lecture classes of roughly 12 students. They were also hanging out with student artists, filmmakers, and musicians from DePaul University and Columbia College. During that time, Electra became involved with the drag community, where they began figuring out their own identity and playing with gender in their everyday life.

In 2016, they started creating elaborate, feminist-based music videos for Refinery29, exploring the history of vibrators, telling people to keep their hands out of femme bodies, and creating an ode to the clitoris. But it was their collaboration with Charli XCX’s glitchy electronic track, “Femmebot” from Pop 2 that gathered attention in 2017.

Since then, they continue to write about heavy social themes that are not commonly explored in commercial pop music — topics that they’re passionate about. Unlike other artists that look at songwriting through a romantic and poetic lens, Electra looks at it like an essay, very calculated about the phrases they use and with two or three Wikipedia pages dedicated to research usually open. By the time they finish a demo, Electra’s already thinking about the music video: the color palette, aesthetic, and overall vibe, regardless if they make one. “You can communicate so much more visually sometimes,” Electra explains. “Especially when it comes to gender presentation and challenging them. The way you’re dressed and the way you’re presenting yourself is the first thing people see about you.”

Despite their recent rise in success, Electra remains a completely independent artist. Their latest music video “Adam and Steve” explores a modern take on the biblical creationist story to reassure queer Christians that God loves them all while including nods to art history, exorcism,

and bondage. For this video and many others, Electra codirected and styled their looks, among other roles. Even for their tour, Electra booked it themself, personally emailing venues to set up shows.

During the creative process, however, Electra is all about collaboration. They never sit in a room alone and write a song by themself, but collectively work with other creatives like Dylan Brady, Robokid, and Socialchair, who participated in the creation of Flamboyant. Working with seven different producers on the project, they wanted to highlight each person’s unique style while making a cohesive sound. Electra also collaborates with close friends like Mood Killer, another experimental pop artist, or their partner, Weston Allen, who codirects and edits most of their videos. Electra is doing the most with what they have. “We try to make [the videos] look as big and expensive as possible but they’re extremely DIY, and low budget compared to other artists working with industry support,” Electra says. “It’s a labor of love.”

People noticed, especially younger fans, and that keeps Electra excited to create. Electra is growing as a creative and is ready to take their artistry to the next extreme. Their fan base continues to increase, actively “stanning” them on social media, dressing up in similar attire, and coming to their concerts. While they are looking for more support on the business side, they want to keep the do-it-yourself sensibility approach to producing music that allowed them to acquire the success they have.

Electra continues to curate a persona unique to them. Whether they twerk upside down in front of a sold-out crowd, whip themself as they’re chained against filing cabinets, or virtually perform live via Minecraft (which is exactly like what it sounds like), it all feels natural. “There’s a limit to trying to appear cool or limiting yourself to what you think people are going to like when it’s something you don’t feel passionate about,” Electra says. “People can sense when something is raw and authentic, even if it’s what looks like a big, put-on persona.”