Trey Pearson – Silver Horizon

By starrymag | May 6, 2017

By: Lisa Steinberg

 

 

Q) How did the concept for the video for “Silver Horizon” come about and develop?
A) The song “Silver Horizon” is very much about my journey of coming out, accepting myself and having to go through the real darkness to find the light and new hope on the other side. I wanted to make a video that would have to do with the hope that I found and I had really been moved by the religious themes in the LGBT movies that I had seen on Netflix by this guy Stephen Cone. So, I reached out to him and asked him to do my music video.

 

Q) What is the overall message and theme of the video and song?

 

A) That there is hope and there are new beginnings on the other side of the darkness. Sometimes we hang onto what we know with everything we have, even when it’s not what’s best for us, because we’re scared of what is on the other side. “Silver Horizon”is about a different kind of light that we can only experience on the other side of the dark, once we have gone through the pain. This music video is about that light and freedom that comes with authenticity and being your true self.

 

“What I hope this video reflects is that we may finally be at a point in history when faith and love can commingle and merge and the doors can open wider towards a loving, revolutionary acceptance of LGBTQ people. Every living soul deserves a path to transcendence.” – Stephen Cone (Director)

 

Q) How much hand in the production of this music do you have?
A) I am very much the driver of what I where I want the songs to be, stylistically, but I am not the producer. I worked with a producer I have been working with a long time who goes by the moniker “Oh, Hush!” My producer and I bounce a lot of ideas back and forth constantly, as we did with this song. He knew what I was going for stylistically and I loved being able to work with him to bring it to life. He’s an amazingly talented producer that was really able to help the song be the best it could be.

 

Q) How did coming out impact you creatively?
A) Honestly, it’s been the best thing to ever happen to my songwriting and my vision for what I wanted to do with my music. There was this part of me that had been shut off and suppressed for so long that when it finally opened up, it really felt like a valve bursting open with creativity. And, obviously, I think I have just had a lot to write about as I have had so much to process.

 

Q) When will we see the next video and can you talk about or tease the next song?

A) I already have lined up the vision I have for the next two videos and I really hope you’ll see both of them this summer. The one thing I will say is that the next song is one that I cried a lot and poured my eyes out, as I was working on it, and the following song starts to turn the corner a little bit in a very exciting and hopeful way I think. I really needed these first couple of songs to be about my journey and processing what I’ve been through, over this last year. But I’m always hoping with each of these songs that you’ll want to dance or cry with me. Or both.

 

Q) In music we always hear songs from the perspective of he/she, straight heteronormativity, how are you pushing those boundaries and what representation are you looking to provide?
A) What is kind of odd is that, coming from the faith-based music market, it was a lot more common to hear songs about God that would say “you” and you couldn’t tell if it was a romantic love song or if it was supposed to be more of a worship song. Which also can be a little creepy. So, it’s actually a lot more common to not know who the singer was talking about, maybe in hopes that the song could cross over, I’m not sure.

 

I’m all good with people that want to write songs that may not want to have gender binaries in their songs or don’t refer to a gender either way, but for someone who has mostly only heard the opposite sex referred to in love songs I really want to make it a point to be able to refer to other boys in my music and be able to bring that to my music, when it makes sense. I think it’s important for people to be able to hear that in songs and I think it’s important for our voices to be heard in pop culture.

 

Q) How do you construct your music, do lyrics come before melody or do you wait until what inspires strikes?

 

A) It seems to me my lyrical ideas come with some kind of melody first, but there is already an idea deep down that I want to write about when that lyric and melody come to mind. I would say if I have an idea lyrically first, it will not be anything concrete until I have a melody along with it. But sometimes the music is there first, with the mood of the heart of what I want to say, to put the melody and lyrics to. A lot of times that music comes from what is already on my heart to write about. Songwriting is the weirdest thing in that there is no right answer and it definitely does not always happen the same way.

 

Q) In this current political climate, what can all artists of entertainment be doing to rock the resistance?
A) Write songs and move people’s hearts to change. Songs and art in general can move your heart in the way nothing else can. And nothing will change if people’s hearts aren’t changed. Be vocal about standing up for all human rights. Oh and vote.

 

Q) How did coming out effect your personal and professional relationships and what have you learned about yourself in doing so?
A) It has rocked my whole world completely upside down. Professionally, I lost a lot of contacts that don’t want me to come be a part of the faith based concerts and festivals I have done for my whole career. And I’m starting over as a solo artist. So, it’s a lot of work rebuilding my career.

 

Personally, it feels like I moved to a completely different city, even though I didn’t leave Columbus. Although I’m gone a lot, this has always been home base. But I’ve had to completely start over, building new relationships. I lost almost all of the people I was closest with. It’s been really good though, building new friendships in the LGBT community and creating family that really cares. The one thing I really got lucky with was a super supportive sister and brother-in-law, who’ve been my rock through all of this.

 

Q) Is there any message you would like to share with your fans about their support?

 

A) The overwhelming amount of support I’ve received since I’ve come out and in releasing this first single and video has given me life. It is always scary telling your truth to a lot of people because you don’t know how people will react. The amount of love that has come in, to drown out the hate, has been unbelievable. I’m forever grateful.

 

 

Watch the video for “Silver Horizon”