Infinitely more affirming, affecting and empowering than anything RuPaul has produced in their 15 studio album span, the latest single, For Love, from Preston Scott Straus will hit you in places you never knew music could touch.
To bridge the gap between the ballad and the dance-pop anthem, the Cleveland Ohio-originating singer-songwriter delivered an evocatively-charged synthesis of sincerity and vulnerability into a kinetically euphoric production which doesn’t just carry his lyrics, they amplify the verses which become mantras, ensuring they will stick with you for long after the outdo
After his humble upbringing where escaping into fantasy was the only way to feel free, Straus found music at the age of 12 when he played in the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony and cut his vocal teeth by singing in the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Chorus.
At 18, Straus honed his songwriting and production talents which eventually helped him to overcome a challenging and homophobic childhood as he pursued love, freedom and creativity away from the church community.
Today, the artist is still endlessly devoted to making the world better for people who are just trying to be themselves, which shines through luminously in For Love which may be a feel-good track, but you’ll have to choke back the tears while embracing the soul of the single.
For Love dropped on the 30th of August; stream the single on Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast