His Cosmic, Candid Tribute to Queer Identity and David Bowie
Two-Spirit artist, songwriter, and activist Roger Kuhn is back with a powerful new single and music video, “Ziggy,” available now on all digital platforms. Deeply inspired by David Bowie’s legendary The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and James Brandon’s coming-of-age novel Ziggy, Stardust & Me, Kuhn’s “Ziggy” is not a cover or homage in the traditional sense. Instead, it is a deeply personal journey through queerness, memory, and the beauty and pain of growing up different.
At its core, “Ziggy” is an ethereal, spacey ballad that fuses ambient soundscapes with cosmic strings, rooted in themes of aging, loneliness, resilience, and the transformative power of self-acceptance. “This is a tribute to Bowie, who was a huge influence on my musical awakening,” Kuhn shares. “The day he passed away, I wept. I hope ‘Ziggy’ honors his legacy while telling my own story.”
Originally written on guitar, the final version of “Ziggy” came to life during an early-morning burst of creativity. Kuhn layered atmospheric textures and melodies that evoke the feeling of floating in space—mirroring the alienation and liberation that many queer people experience throughout their lives.
The music video, directed by Kuhn himself, adds an emotionally resonant visual layer to the song. Inspired by his poem Cabbage Patch, the video reimagines a formative childhood moment: being denied a Cabbage Patch Kid doll simply because he was a boy. Shot on Kuhn’s ancestral Poarch Creek homelands in Alabama, the video stars his real-life family members—his 76-year-old mother, uncle, cousin, and sisters—creating an intimate, intergenerational portrait of love, healing, and queer resilience.
“Having my mom in the video was incredibly special,” Kuhn reflects. “This project is a living memory of her love and support.”
Produced by Velvet Code, known for their work on Kuhn’s Running With This Dream album, “Ziggy” also features a remix of Kuhn’s earlier track, Kaleidoscope, adding a dreamy, synth-heavy B-side to the release.
The single marks the beginning of an ambitious new chapter for Kuhn, who will debut a theatrical cabaret show later this year chronicling the life of his alter ego, Rocco Rolin, and his adventures navigating love and identity in New York City.
With “Ziggy,” Roger Kuhn offers more than a song. He delivers a tender, transcendent celebration of queer survival, memory, and the courage to shine unapologetically.
Learn more at www.rogerkuhn.com and follow him on Instagram @rkoughenr.
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