Vardaan Arora on His Infectious Pop Music & Growing Up Gay and Indian

Photography: Amal Flower Kay

Dance like no one's watching. Except Vardaan Arora is, and he's taking notes. At least he in his enviously pulsating, synth-heavy new single, "Dance Like You."

Indian born and openly gay, singer-songwriter Vardaan Arora is certainly a unique voice in the world of pop music. His first single, "Feel Good Song," just crossed 2 million Spotify streams and he's poised to share his voice with the world.

PRIDE chatted with Arora about his infectious new single, being openly gay in the music industry, and the importance of representation as an Indian native.

PRIDE: Many queer musicians are still discouraged from coming out when their careers are first getting started. Why is being out so important to you?

Vardaan Arora: I don’t want any part of my identity to be seen as a "flaw" or a "weakness." My sexuality is an integral part of who I am, and I owe it to myself to be truthfully me. Many people in the LGBT community spend a large, important chunk of their lives trying to conform to how they should act. I spent the majority of my high school days trying to fit in, and coming out gave me the opportunity to breathe. I don’t want to lose that. However, I am aware that there are many people in the community who aren’t as privileged as I am. Coming out is a luxury in many ways, and I want to use whatever platform I have to help others live their beautiful, colorful lives to the fullest.

How does it feel to be one of the very few Asian musicians in the industry?

I feel lucky that I get to do what I love, but it can also be very isolating. Sometimes, opportunities overlook you, and you don’t even know if it has anything to do with race, you know? It feels like constantly waiting for someone to take a chance on you and believe in you. A lot of times, that "someone" is a straight, white higher-up. I do feel like I have to work harder to get the recognition I think I deserve, but it’s all worth it. I get messages from other Asian people telling me how great it is to see "one of them" pursuing their dreams, and that brings me so much joy.

You grew up in India and their government recently decriminalized gay sex. Has that started any conversations with your own family or community?

It was a huge step in the right direction. I actually got emotional and wrote an op-ed for Billboard on the day it happened. The media attention it got all over the world is what moved me. It reminded me that people care. LGBT rights weren’t a mainstream discussion in India back when I was growing up, so I feel very excited that this next generation of LGBT youth are seeing their concerns be validated. Even a simple dinner table conversation about gay rights can open minds. It’s not a hush-hush taboo subject anymore, and that makes me happy.

Why is that representation so important, especially at the intersections?

Just looking at America on its own, think about how many people live here. There are so many stories to be told. It’s unfortunate that most of the stories that have been told are white and heteronormative. How many white romantic comedies have we seen? How many white musicians have we listened to? Minorities can begin to feel like their stories don’t matter, that they’re not worth telling. And that’s why it’s so important. I think objectively we can also see that a lot of queer artists and actors who get recognition are white. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great that out and proud queer artists are killing it—but I don’t like the idea that you can either be a racial minority or be queer. Like, pick one. I’m both, and I’m not the only one. I just want people of color to see that being queer in addition to being a racial minority is what makes their identity stronger and more unique. Hopefully, I can set an example. 

Photography: Amal Flower Kay

What's the inspiration behind your new single, "Dance Like You?"

"Dance Like You," at its core, is about jealousy. As human beings, I feel like we often dismiss jealousy as a negative emotion, right? But everyone feels it. I struggle with mental health issues, something I’ve been very open about, but when I see people who are seemingly carefree and have it all figured out I can’t help but think, "I wish I could be like that. I wish I had that." "Dance Like You" is a metaphor for that. I know we all have our issues and we deal with them differently, but this song wants to fantasize about walking on grass you think is greener than yours.

What do you want your listeners to get from your music?

I could get super deep and philosophical about my music right now, but you know what? I’m not going to. It’s pop music. I love pop music and I used it as an escape when I was closeted. It made me feel good. That’s what I want others to feel when they listen to my music. Whether you blast it in your car while driving, play it at a pregame before a night out, or run to it at the gym…I don’t care. The lyrics are always personal to me, and a lot of times they’re dark, but I want the music itself to uplift your mood. Turn up the volume, ladies!

For more on Vardaan follow him on Instagram here. And listen to "Dance Like You" below.