Sexy, openly gay singer, songwriter and model Sir Ari Gold has recently starred in an autobiographic production, and has come out with a brand-new album titled “Soundtrack to Freedom”.
A well-known figure and celebrated artist in New York City’s gay nightlife, Gold was born and raised in the Bronx and began his career in the entertainment industry at age 5. To his credit, he wrote songs for Kevin Aviance and has performed backup vocals for Diana Ross. As a model he was named one of “The Nine Hottest Men in NYC” by HX magazine and was chosen by Boy George to be the spokesmodel for his clothing line “Rude.”
Sir Ari Gold:
I had such a good time at the Get Out! Awards, and what a surprise that I won that award. It came at a really meaningful point in my life, in my journey, because I had just come out of a life-threatening health issue. I was in the hospital for 16 days.
What!?
I had not fully recovered. It was one of the first times I was even out and about when I was at that party. It was a two-year journey, and somehow during that period I was able to write and record a new album. It just felt so good to be recognized in that moment, because I had been through so much. There was no question in my mind after everything I had gone through that I was still here to be an artist, and that I was ready to put out more music. I can’t say it was underserving, because I’m still about the music and how great that the community still recognizes me and appreciates what I’m doing.
Wait, before we go any further, are you all right now?
I’m doing much, much better. I’m on the road to a full recovery. I’m getting back into shape. I lost some weight, but for me losing weight is like someone gaining weight – I don’t like doing it.
Oh, you poor thing.
It’s probably the better of the two. I’ll give you that. I’m feeling really good. After the awards I did a couple of Pride shows, so I got my feet wet back again performing. I did this tremendous undertaking, which is crazy considering how incapacitated I was. It was only two months prior, but I did a performance of my one-man musical. That was directed by David Drake, who had done probably the most seminal performances in the ‘90s about gay men and AIDS. He directed it and helped and coach me for a year.
What is it called?
It is called “Pop Out.” With David, I really discovered the story. The performance was sold out, and it was a very stellar audience. My dear friend Laverne Cox was there, and Kevin Aviance was there, whom I do in the show, because he is a character in my life story. That was a trip, doing Kevin Aviance in front of Kevin Aviance, although I did ban my parents from coming.
Why?
They will come to anything that I do, but I also do them in the show, and I just wanted for the first time to allow the audience to experience that and hear the story without them or me being self-conscious because they were actually there. It really worked, and I’m really looking forward to continuing. Hopefully that will not be the last time that it is performed.
Can we talk about you and your parents for a minute?
OK.
I’m curious how it was coming out in an Orthodox Jewish family.
Well, my parents are Orthodox, but I call them unorthodox Orthodox Jews, which isn’t to say that it wasn’t a very challenging, bumpy and at times difficult coming out process. Me and my parents have gone through a lot of issues, and the biggest one was that I wasn’t Orthodox anymore. I remember growing up we had this gay hairdresser that used to come to my house and cut all of our hair. My parents are also “Show Jews.” They love show business. How homophobic can you be if you love show business?
True.
It’s a running theme in my show too. I was Orthodox but in show business at the same time – since I was 5, 6 years old. That’s a very unique experience. Back then, for an Orthodox, Yeshiva boy, a Jew, there was nobody in my world doing that. It showed me that it was more than the little “bubble” world I grew up in.
What’s the name of your new album?
It’s called “Soundtrack to Freedom.”
Do you have a favorite?
Well, we released the new single and the new video, which was called “Sex Like a Porn Star.” Perez Hilton put it all over his social media. It’s the first time that he’s acknowledged my work. The next single is going to be called “Turn Out the Night” I believe, which I wrote with Maria Christensen, who also wrote “Waiting for Tonight” with JLo. The response for the record has been really, really great, and I’m very proud of it. I put it our under “Gold Nations,” a kind of re-branding. It’s a collaboration between me and the producer I worked with in Holland. It also includes all of the artists that collaborated with the record.
So how do you like Entourage?
Oh, God. The movie flopped, so hopefully there will be some peace and rest in the daily comparisons between Ari Gold.
That had to be annoying.
I worked to combat certain Jewish stereotypes, and he just fit right into them. It’s a funny duality, the two Ari Golds. There’s a third one. He’s a filmmaker. I just worked with him on a project. I think he’s going to be directing a video, I think the title track from the album, “Soundtrack to Freedom.” So there’s a whole Ari Gold movement.
Because of your new video, if you were a porn star, what would your name be?
Good question. I have the immediate answer from my drag name.
What’s your drag name?
I used to think I would name myself Kitty Porn. It’s all going back to porn for some reason. I must really like porn.
I guess so.
What would my name be? I do have a new favorite porn star. I know what his name is. Paddy O’Brian. He’s my new crush. So I don’t know, maybe it would be “Solid Gold.”
Good one!
Well, the line between the sex business and show business is a blurred one at best.
So you’re a new addition to a crayon box. What color are you – and you cannot be gold.
My other favorite color besides gold is electric blue.
OK, I’ll let you get away with that one.
It’s very Debbie Gibson.
You are standing naked in front of a store window, holding a sign. What does it say?
“Buy my fucking record.” I’ve already done that!
Do you believe in love at first sight?
I believe in something at first sight. But I also don’t believe in that black and white distinction between lust and love. I think it’s all connected. So, I want to believe in love at first sight, because I’m single now, and I’m not in love right now. So how great would it be at this stage of the game to have love at first sight.
It’s not like people don’t lust over you.
I have a few Instagram followers who have posted pictures of me in my underwear, and my coffee table book is available from 2005 too.
The story of your life was just written. What’s the title?
Well, “Pop Out.”
True.
In some ways the theme of my story too was my childhood career, and my adult career has always been the issue of visibility. When I was a kid I was considered too ethnic on camera, and then as an openly gay artist there was the point of my being visible in the realm of pop music when no one was. So it’s in the theme to “Pop Out” of the shadows.
I get it. Did you actually write it?
Yes, and David Drake was my dramaturgy or dramatist. He also encouraged me to write about my longest relationship that I had been in for five years.
That’s long for gay…
[laughs] Long for gay! Yeah, it’s a significant enough relationship, especially since it was during a very formative time in my life. I learned a lot from that relationship. He is also no longer with us. He died pretty young. We were not together when he passed. In some weird way his death prompted me to write about that relationship. It becomes a key point in the show.
What would you want me and your fans and followers to know about you that they don’t already know?
I will say this: I hope that they know their appreciation for the music and the message means so much to me. It really keeps me going, a lot.
