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The dance-pop bands frontman, Olly Alexander, is starring in the new drama. The five part series, set in the 80’s, is focused on the AIDS crisis in Britain. With Russell T Davies as the creator, Alexander told NME “There’s not been a drama about this period made in the UK on this scale ever.” The show focuses on the ‘fun loving boys who were left grappling to make sense of the senseless, while authorities and the public found it easier to look the other way’. Alexander plays Ritchie, an 18 year old who relocates from a small town in Isle of Wight to the big city lights of London.

This makes the cover of The Pet Shop Boys’ famous track even more special. Years and Years are renowned for their synth pop tracks with groovy 80s beats, however this cover stays solemn and mellow throughout, with just Alexander’s vocals and haunting piano chords. The contrast from the original track and from the bands usual musical covers (such as Breathe, originally by Blu Cantrell ft Sean Paul) to this acoustic cover invokes a sadness that the TV series will undoubtedly perpetuate.

George House Trust helps those with HIV in the UK and have offered their support and guidance since 1985. Alexander is a fierce and strong LGBTQ+ activist, fighting to have LGBTQ+ positive education on the school curriculum. Growing up in Thatcher’s Section 28 meant that there was no teaching LGBTQ communities in schools to ‘prohibit the promotion of homosexuality.’ To NME, Alexander said ‘There was no mention of gay people in my school anyway, so there was nothing inclusive in the syllabus. When I got older, part of my self-discovery as a gay man is reconciling what this whole Aids epidemic really means; and what it means to my identity and my community. As gay people, we’ve inherited this massive trauma – and one I was scared of even delving into.”  To speak more about the show and its importance, Alexander will be hosting ‘It’s A Sin: After Hours‘ on Channel 4 Youtube and Facebook page. 

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It’s A Sin also had an impact on the bands long awaited third album. After scrapping an albums worth of songs, Alexander stated “The pandemic happened and I went back to square one and just wanted to make a lot of upbeat, euphoric dance tunes. Definitely the show had an impact on that. Although I don’t think it’s going to sound ‘80s, I’m trying to channel that energy and dancefloor transcendence.”

It’s A Sin airs tonight (22nd January) on Channel 4 at 9pm.

Kicking things off with an exclusive interview, GRACEY spoke about her career, which began with her writing songs for other artists. She said, “I basically wanted to wait until I knew what I wanted to say, and the exact music I wanted to put out. It took until last year putting out my first single until I knew I was ready – it happened organically.”

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Friends! Tune in at 10pm tonight to listen to my live session and chat with the wonderful @jackxsaunders for @bbcradio1 Future Artists! Which songs do you think I’ll be playing?

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Her first acoustic track of the evening was ‘Like That’, a stripped back version of the single including acoustic guitar and percussion to liven up the set. Originally released in August, the song features fellow artist Alexander23. GRACEY followed this up with her latest release ‘Don’t’, released in October as an electro-pop song which was compared by Saunders to the music of Charli XCX. The songwriter herself said that she loves up-tempo sad songs, and that “it is lyrically sad but it is, to me, very empowering and very strong. It’s everything I should have said.”

To bring the session to a close, she mentioned a few of her favourite artists and influences, which included Imogen Heap and Francis and the Lights. Coming this Friday 13th November is GRACEY’s mini album ‘The Art of Closure’, which will be her longest release to date. Sharing her first single just last year, GRACEY made her breakthrough in 2020 with the single ‘Don’t Need Love’ in collaboration with 220 Kid as it reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. Prior to this she had written songs for artists such as Sub Focus, Lorde, and Kylie Minogue, and now she has built her own fanbase and career as an artist.

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SO… to celebrate the release of my mini album ‘The Art of Closure’ this Friday, I’m giving away 5 signed copies of the CD & cassette! To be in with a chance, enter your details on the link in my bio – the winners announced next Friday! Also make sure you subscribe to ‘Gracey’s World’ (my weekly mailer blog) as there are going to be some exclusives coming your way very soon LOVE YOU 

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