Lava La Rue: ‘My message for the next generation of queer people? Enjoy World Domination’
Lava La Rue is undoubtedly a rising star on the UK music scene at the moment.
After their Butter-Fly EP earned them critical acclaim last year – not to mention a coveted spot on the Hearstopper soundtrack – Lava recently released their first single of 2022, Vest & Boxers, a new anthem about queer love for Gen Z.
“I wrote Vest & Boxers to be deeply relatable about what dating was like for me and my lesbian/NBLW teenage friends growing up,” they said of the track, which includes nods to SZA, the romance of Rue and Jules in Euphoria and the Dance”around her living room till I crumple my Nikes”.
“I’m referring to all the little moments we joke about – not knowing if you’re on a date or just meeting as friends, walking into their room for the first time and thinking how bad it is. smells good, didn’t come home for two days after the first night together and decided to move in. We were all guilty!
Of the track’s striking title, Lava adds, “Vest & Boxers is what we’d call our ‘dyke uniform’ – we’d wear it under our baggy denim/oversized suits with the belt showing as a little cue to all dykes. other gays in the room.
That pride, we spoke to the London-born artist about how Skins resonated with them growing up and their hopes for queer “world domination”…
Who is the first queer person you remember looking up to?
Joan Jett, for her style when she played in The Runaways then solo – she appealed to all genres and exudes a mix of male/female rock star energy.
But also Kele Okereke! Not only did I have the portrayal of being a black British indie frontman, but when he spoke about being queer in 2010, that was a big moment for me. Being a black queer from migrant families, plus making music in a white-dominated genre, can be super alienating and it’s so important to have people to look up to in that field.
BERTRAND GUAY via Getty Images
What was the first LGBTQ+ TV show or movie that you remember resonating with you?
Just the lesbian plot in the second generation of Skins. I was like, “wow why do I find all of this so relatable?”.
What song do you associate with your own coming out?
To be honest, my own song GOYD (short for “girl of your dreams”). I think it was the first song I wrote that was explicitly like “hello I like girls, this song is about a girl”. And I wrote it because I really wish I had a song like that growing up that was a dreamy, queer, NBLW/WLW love anthem.
What is the last LGBTQ+ show or movie that made an impression on you?
Recently, I’ve really enjoyed how shows like Euphoria, Big Mouth, or Sex Education introduce queer characters, but their narrative isn’t just based on the struggle/trope of them being queer, and builds the whole a depth of character issues beyond that.
Love too! I still can’t believe they played my music on the show.
Who is your ultimate queer icon?
Prince. Creating your own gender/pronoun/name symbol as a black rockstar is a goal.
ROBERTO SCHMIDT via Getty Images
Who is the queer person in the public eye right now that gets you excited about the future?
What Telfar Clemens is doing in the fashion world, both design-wise and conceptually, is really exciting and progressive for many queer and Black intersections. I think it will shape future fashion trends.
Mireya Acierto via Getty Images
Why do you think pride is still so important today?
While being gay is criminalized in 43 countries, Pride is still a protest.
What is your message for the next generation of LGBTQ+ people?
Enjoy world domination. It’s our time!
Watch the clip for Lava’s Vest & Boxers below: