A Chat with Bryce Bowyn
BY KATHERINE CHUNGBryce Bowyn is a rising star in the LGBTQ music scene in the Washington D.C. area. As a dedicated LGBTQ advocate, he helps organize an exciting lineup of local queer musicians and dynamic drag performances at Metro Bar each year for Capital Pride. Presently he is working to help expand this event in anticipation of World Pride in 2025. In our chat he emphasized that it is important to uplift local queer artists, whether they are thriving or not—they deserve to perform.
"The pop music scene is growing in D.C. We have so many different kinds of music here. I have found it challenging to find my space in the music scene. We are certainly developing though. I have met so many pop artists, and we are working together to create this community," Bryce said.
Next year, he will be attending Shakira’s headlining opening ceremony performance at World Pride, an experience he is eagerly looking forward to. Although performing at Mighty Hoopla overseas is his dream—with its incredible lineup and vibrant LGBTQ scene he admires—he is currently focused on establishing himself as a local artist. Aside from the music industry, Bryce enjoys horror, dark themes, Rocky Horror pre-shows, and Halloween. He mentioned that he doesn’t go out often, but you’ll likely find him at a D.C. event or performance in costume around Halloween, fully embracing the spooky season.
BRYCE BOWYN | COURTESY OF CLARISSA VILLONDO
1. Could you please introduce yourself as an artist, including your main genre and pronouns?
I am Bryce Bowyn. I am a dance/pop singer-songwriter from Washington D.C. My pronouns are he/him.
2. Your song, “Wicked Wings” has a truly unique sound. Could you walk us through the creative process of bringing it to life in the studio?
It kind of jumps around different genres. I make dance/pop music but I consider “Wicked Wings” to be an industrial pop-rock hybrid of some sort. The creative process for that is interesting. My boyfriend and I have a podcast called DuPont Investigations. It is like an audio/ drama, almost like a scary crime or supernatural thing. He wrote a story set in that world about a winged terrorizing creature in Washington D.C. I thought that was pretty badass. I also found it super inspiring. So I thought, “What if I made a song about that story?”
Something that I have gotten into lately is writing songs as characters rather than writing the song as myself [as an artist]. For this, the challenge I gave myself was writing a song through the eyes of a crazy creature like a monster but still making it accessible and a pop/dance song. I did not want to make it feel so necessarily crazy and over the top though. It is a song about revenge and living your truth while having this raunchy hard beat. Of course, I have the guitar solo. I knew I wanted to make a bombastic, cunning song. Then I combined all of those sensibilities to make it happen.
3. I do not know if you have plans for shooting a music video. What do you imagine the video to be like or the aesthetic?
Well, I would love a “Wicked Wings” video had I somehow come to a million dollars. I will tell you what I would do if I could make a music video for this song if I had an unlimited budget. We would be flying across the sky. There would be pyrotechnics, epic costume changes, and a dance break. Then when the guitar solo happens, I would imagine a guitar that sets on fire and shoots sparks. It would need to be exactly what the song sounds like. Which is like hell on earth but make it very gay and pop song like, but you need to have the costumes and effects.
I also knew that the track had to come out in October. It is the perfect Halloween song. This song has to be on my Halloween playlist every year.
5. Could you give us a sneak peek into your upcoming EP, and does it still follow the character storyline arc you mentioned earlier? (Out 11/15)
The EP is called, SIEGE. So the EP is not all written from the “Wicked Wings” character. There are songs that are personal and more specific to my experiences. But the overall theme of the EP is overcoming heartbreak and the cycle of feeling that you are never going to find love, then sealing yourself off from it.
The first single is called “Barbican.” It encapsulates this song. Then it goes through a journey of finding someone new. Maybe that relationship is not so healthy but you are experiencing the passion, the sexiness, and intimacy. And as the EP continues we get into how the relationship falls apart. The final track is called, “Won’t Let Me Down” and it is like sitting in a battlefield wreckage and thinking “What do we have now?”
While all the songs are not told through the monster/creature, there is a theme of defense and fighting for what you believe in and heartbreak. That’s why it is called SIEGE.
6. Your music definitely differs from the themes you stand for as a person. How do you use your platform and artistry to advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community?
That’s a great question. There’s a few things that I think are important about singers that are LGBTQ that are in this space. When I was growing up there were not that many LGBTQ artists with such a large platform. You know to look up to and to feel represented by. Of course there were artists like George Micheal, Elton John, and The Scissor Sisters who were huge heroes of mine as well. But I think it is important to not necessarily corner yourself into Queer empowerment songs, which are great. I like to write songs that are through characters or my experiences that anyone could relate to. It doesn’t mean scream “Born This Way” by Lady GaGa. I think it’s important to have that representation as a normal person, a normal singer-songwriter, and musician. A person putting music out.
That’s important for advocacy. Just to have representation in that way. But also when I do my performances, I do a lot of Pride festivals, like for smaller towns. This past summer, I did a show in Greensburg, PA, where I am from. Growing up there was no visible LGBTQ community to speak of.
I think it is important to show people that there is space for all of us. There is space for you. There is space in the music industry and music scene to sing about your authentic experiences. And to do whatever you want, perform the way you want, to dress the way you want. Lastly, it’s important to give people the chance to see themself reflected on stage.
I factor that when picking shows to perform at or festivals. I ask myself, “Does that town or community get to see themselves represented? Do they get to see big pop performances and see themselves in that way?”
Find Bryce on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brycebowyn/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1h3apG5lkFpF0bF6mL0deT?si=Y4JCxuO8TSGZF5Ks2pncZQ
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/brycebowyn