Bright Light Bright Light | Photo Credit: Austin Ruffer

We could all use a pick-me-up now and then, but how about a little lift-me-up-and-send-me-soaring-on-the-breeze-under-the-warm-rays-of-the-sun?

That, right there, is the effect of listening to Enjoy Youth, the latest album of pure pop bliss from Welsh singer-songwriter Bright Light Bright Light, a.k.a. Rod Thomas.

“I feel like since COVID, it’s been harder to let myself be as buoyant and optimistic as I previously was,” Thomas says in a press statement. “So these songs are reminders to myself to keep embracing fun, silliness, playfulness, camp, drama—to let emotions take hold of you and run with them, and to remember the joy of connection with the people you love.”

Well, mission accomplished, sir! Featuring collaborations with the likes of Grammy nominee Mykal Kilgore, dance-pop legend Ultra Naté, and more, Enjoy Youth if filled wall-to-wall with anthemic synthpop featuring a throwback sound that’ll nevertheless have you looking forward… to hitting the dance floor.

But, should we be surprised? Thomas has been releasing music under the Bright Light Bright Light moniker—and turning up the party—for the past decade-plus, and his talents have brought him into the orbit of some of the biggest queer icons in music, including Sir Elton John, Cher, Erasure, Jake Shears, and Mx Justin Vivian Bond.

With Enjoy Youth spinning now, we snagged some time with Thomas to have him as the latest guest in our rapid-fire Q&A series, Dishin’ It. In our conversation, the musician reflects on the TV series that gave him hope for gay-straight unity, the friends that have inspired his uplifting new tunes, and that time food poisoning nearly ruined his biggest show ever with Sir Elton John.

Is there a piece of media—whether a movie, TV series, book, album, theater, video game, etc…—that you consider a big part of your own coming-out journey, or that has played an important role in your understanding of queerness? Why does it stand out to you? 

I think Absolutely Fabulous. While not being ABOUT queer life, for me it was an AMAZING bridge between straight people and queer people in terms of humor and pop culture references. It’s so wildly camp, outrageous, fun, grotesque and poignant. Endlessly quotable.

Watching straight people laugh at Ab Fab growing up was a little ray of hope that they could be able to see through prejudices and social divisions as it TRULY seemed to unite everyone in the UK at its peak. It’s definitely where I found my random sense of humor, and my pop culture knowledge as it just references anything and everything. Just so f*cking funny. Thank you to every person involved in this show, my god…

Your new album, Enjoy Youth is all about embracing the love and light of life—in what ways has working on this album helped you do just that? 

During the time of making it, two friends I really cared about died, which was a really big… not mortality, but reality check. I’d felt like I was in a real rut, a real slump, since COVID and the loss of these people was a real reminder to make the most of what I have. So I was thinking about the idea of “enjoying” my time, and the fact that you actually have to work at enjoying the moment—reminding yourself to not get caught up in stress and small details.

I think working on a fun project (the album) collaborating with some of my favorite people again, and making music with the intention of uplifting people was a real kickstart for me. It helped me fall back in love with life after a few years of feeling really inert. Or at least detached from a life I knew pre COVID.

Can you share a story or something in particular that inspired one of the songs on the album? 

Enjoy Youth the title track is about my best friend Janice. She moved to France from Scotland aged 15 (we met on an AOL chat room!) and watching her do something so wild and brave shook my world. I was like… maybe people CAN do that! I visited her every two months in Paris at one point and she’s just the most inspiring, full of life, grab life by the reins person I’ve ever met. It felt like ANYTHING was possible with her, so the song is about how she made me see the world as full of possibility rather than full of obstacles. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.

In addition to the original music, you’re also a killer DJ and are known for some amazing mash-ups. But just because two songs are iconic in their own right, that doesn’t mean they’ll automatically sound great together, so we’re curious: What’s the secret to a great mash-up? 

Haha THANK YOU! You’re right. Some mashups (ones I’ve made and not shared too!) are GROSS! So I think it has to tease something out of one of the songs, or be hilarious. Sometimes by putting a vocal over a different instrumental the tone totally changes, or the tone is amplified, and it’s a fun process.

I think my first that went viral was my Lisa Loeb x Donna Lewis mashup and the people on TikTok started making reaction videos of how sentimental the two songs together made them feel, it was such a cool experience seeing it just find its way to people organically! So… maybe: don’t take it too seriously, but be respectful to the material?

@brightlightx2 Iconic #lisaloeb #realitybites hit #lisaloebstay vs #welsh wonder #donnalewis #iloveyoualwaysforever for a #90s #popmusic #mashup #mashups ♬ Lisa Loeb vs Donna Lewis Brightlightx2 mashup – Bright Light Bright Light

Throughout your illustrious career thus far, you’ve collaborated with so many icons and even toured with Cher. Of all the big names you’ve met throughout your career, who’s a celebrity you’ve met that surprised you the most and why?

I think Andy Bell of Erasure surprised me the most. He is so bold, so unashamedly bold, colourful, BRILLIANT on stage, I was almost scared to meet him, and he is the sweetest, most kind man in the world. Behind the scenes he’s created an opportunity or two for me without even mentioning it, and when I found it I just was so overwhelmed at how genuinely caring he is. He’s like a fairy godfather who is EXACTLY what you want the man being “A Little Respect” and “Always” to be like. He’s a gem, and I think one of the best people in the world.

Related*

BONUS: What was it like hitting the road with Cher!? 

F*CKING WILD. I never thought I’d meet Cher, or be associated with her in any way, so to open for her for a month, especially at the biggest single audience SHE ever performed to (30,000 in Sweden) was a wild honor. A totally magical month. SO CAMP!

Considering you’ve traveled the world and played venues big and small, do you have any horror stories of a “gig gone wrong” that you can share? (Feel free to share an anecdote here, but no need to get specific and name names!) 

OMG, I can’t think of any major disasters, but on a personal level, the final gig of the Elton John US tour, I had wild food poisoning kick in at about 2pm before the show at 7pm. TMI but I was… extremely unwell right up until stage time. I literally was being sick until they went “go on stage!” and I managed to do the 30 min set (I was terrified I was going to be sick on stage) and the second the last song finished, I ran off and spent the rest of the night being sick. It was terrifying and I barely remember a second of the show—in front of 20,000 people at Staples Center in LA!!

You take your stage name from the ‘80s classic Gremlins, which famously warns of a few key rules when caring for a Mogwai. If someone were to have to look after YOU, what’s one rule they should follow to keep you happy and why? 

Oh good question! Do not play “Come On Eileen” within range of me or it’s game over. Water turns Mogwai into Gremlins, and that song turns me into a burning ball of rage.

Who is a queer or trans artist/performer/creator that you think is doing really cool work right now? Why are they someone we should all be paying attention to? 

I am really enjoying the music that Mint Simon (they/them) from Montreal and Tsatsamis (he/him) from London are putting out. It’s super queer, very melodic and lyrically great—both of them. I always have them on my playlists.

bright Light Bright Light’s new album Enjoy Youth is available now in vinyl, CD, and cassette formats, and can be streamed below:

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