Gold Standard: Talking with Ari Gold

Unlike many other stars in the oversaturated world of pop music, Ari Gold has maintained his integrity and identity. Refusing to succumb to the pressures of the music industry, such as toning down his sexuality or ethnicity, has garnered him a hardcore following, along with making history as the first pop artist to be openly gay from the beginning of his career.

Instead of experiencing career suicide, like many people would assume, Ari has receive countless awards, topped the dance charts from the UK to the United States and be revered in the LGBT community. His music has been a constant inspiration to artists who demand to live their life out loud, regardless of the risks.

Now, three years after his last album Space Under Sun, Mr. Gold is returning with Transport Systems, a cool mix of R&B, house, electronic and soul, which hits stores and is available online October 2nd. Also, the first single Where the Music Takes You is available on iTunes and as he describes the booming track came from, "The last few years going where the music took me, which is following the music and trying to stay true to myself." You can also catch Ari at Joe's Pub in New York City on September 4th, where can purchase an advanced copy of Transport Systems.

In a revealing interview Ari Gold chats up the new album, closeted artists, being single and much more.

EDGE: Tell me about the new album Transport Systems.

Ari Gold: It's the first time I've been able to conceive of an album from beginning to end, which was really exciting for me. I think it's my most cohesive work. I was able to create this whole concept behind it because a lot of these themes kept coming up in the writing process: themes of transportation, transformation, movement and expression. My last album was called Space Under Sun, it was about finding where my space was as a gay man, as a gay out artist and even where do we fit in general as gay people. We have greater visibility, we're on TV, we're in film, but where do we really fit in? Now, with this album it's really about, okay you can see us, we are visible, but how do we move forward how do we move to the next place?

EDGE: How does being gay, Jewish and growing up in the Bronx shape you musically?

Ari Gold: I'm going to add a fourth element! [Laughs] That is I'm gay, I'm Jewish, I grew up in the Bronx and I also grew up in show business as a professional singer. Actually, I could say a fifth element, not only did I grow up Jewish, but I grew up orthodox-I grew up very religious. All those elements completely shape and inform what I do in my work. I feel really connected to all those things about myself and I never wanted to let go of one in place of another. Music industry professionals have told me not to be gay, to be in the closet and I refused to listen to them. Even other people have told me, well don't focus on the Jewish thing because it's too much-there's too many things going on. [Laughs] But, I think it's really important as an artist and as a gay person to show that we're multifaceted individuals. It's important to be proud of who you are and where you came from.

EDGE: At this point in your life is your family totally comfortable with your sexuality?

Ari Gold: Yes, I would say that they are. It's definitely been a learning process and a journey for my parents. Whether they are 100% comfortable? I don't know-again, they're orthodox Jews who grew up in a different time, but they are incredibly supportive of me and what I do. They'll be at any show no matter what gay bar I'm performing at! [Laughs] they'll be there at the drop of a hat, so, yeah, they're very proud of me, proud of the record too. They've grown a tremendous amount.
EDGE: How much different do you think your career would be if you were straight or closeted?

Ari Gold: It would be very different! [Laughs] People ask me all the time-no one's put the question in quite that way, it's interesting. It would be very different. I don't know if I would perhaps be in all the pages of Us Weekly and the Star. [Laughs] I don't think I would be happy, if I was in the closet I wouldn't be true to myself. To me, my whole motivation for doing what I do and for making music in this business can be so crazy sometimes. If you're not doing based on a real love, real desire to tell a story and to tell the truth then I think that's why a lot of these people go crazy. They don't have the purpose behind what they do in order to maintain their sanity.

EDGE: I ask you that question because you're very attractive, you have a great voice and I look at someone like Justin Timberlake and I'm like, wow, Ari Gold is just as talented. I just wonder if that bothers you or at this point in your life do you disregard it.

Ari Gold: I think that's one of the great things about where I'm at because I had my first demo when I was 12 years-old. I thought I was going to be as famous as Madonna right then and there. I definitely had that dream, but at the same time I was never willing to comprise in order to get success. Everybody wants recognition for what they do, everybody wants to sell as many records as possible, but fame somehow was never something more important than being able to be true to myself and true to my art. Even though if it can be very challenging sometimes just to have one's career-having to be an independent artist to self finance a whole lot of your own stuff and not have a major company behind you, pushing you, having to create so much for yourself-it's very challenging. At the same time it's very exciting and it really comes from me. That's another thing that I think drives some of these other pop artists crazy is they don't get to see the process. All of a sudden they're hugely famous, but there's so much work and money that went into them being a star that has really nothing to do with them. Everything that I've accomplished and achieved, I know exactly how it happened, I know exactly why it happened and was really sort of behind it all. Every step of the way, it gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment that feels very real. I feel in a great place and just feel really grateful to have affected people in such a deep way. It's not about the quantity of how many people you effect, but the quality of the kind of impact you make on people's lives. To get fan mail from people who tell me I help them feel better about themselves, helped them come out to their families-it's a great feeling.

EDGE: Let me ask you this: do you feel sorry or do you have sympathy for an artist, for example, Clay Aiken. We don't know that he's gay?

Ari Gold: You don't think Clay is gay? [Laughs]

EDGE: Well, I know, I'm just trying to be nice here! [Laughs] Do you feel sorry for an artist like him? Hypothetically speaking, if he is gay, he's forced to be closeted and he's doing Diane Sawyer interviews and they're badgering him about his sexuality, or do you feel like-you've made that choice. Where do you stand with artists like that?

Ari Gold: I don't feel sorry for Clay. I feel sorry for the people who could be possibly be positively affected by his coming out-that if he came out he could potentially make a very positive impact. I feel more sorry about that. I don't feel sorry for him, he's making his money, he's performing all over the world. If that's not where his passion lies-that is his choice. I hope at the end of the day that's enough for him.

EDGE: Are you single?

Ari Gold: I am currently single, yes-completely single.

EDGE: What type of guys are you attracted to?

Ari Gold: Basically, I can see sexiness in a lot of different kinds of people, which is maybe part of my problem. [Laughs] There are a lot different types of guys that I find really hot and sexy so I wouldn't say it's just one type. At the end the day obviously the way someone looks is the first thing you see about them, but definitely about their personality-whether they have an interesting prospective on the world. If they can make laugh and a good kisser-I'll be there's forever!

EDGE: Do you want to be in a relationship?

Ari Gold: I don't really want to be in a relationship right at this moment. No. I still feel like I'm dealing with the end of one even though it's been eight or nine months. I'm really happy to be able to focus on me right now and this album, which is my baby that I've birthed after being pregnant for two and a half years. So, no, I don't feel like I want to be right at this minute.

EDGE: Do you have male groupies?

Ari Gold:[Laughs] Sure, yeah. What are you calling a groupie?

EDGE: Somebody who after a show is throwing themselves at you.

Ari Gold: Yeah, I've experienced that. [Laughs]

EDGE: Is that flattering or frustrating?

Ari Gold: It all depends on their approach. I don't mind if it's like doing what I do I can't expect everybody that I meet to not know who I am and to not know what it is I do. So, it's totally cool if they like it and appreciate it, it all depends on whether they know how to talk to me like I'm a human being. I'm only human, like my song says on the new record!

EDGE: Tell us one thing we're going to learn about you listening to the new album?

Ari Gold:There's so much to learn about me, it's really very personal, the record when it comes down to it. A lot of people who haven't heard my music, who haven't taken the time to listen to my music, have a certain idea of who I am based on my image or photos. That's a part of me, I like to be sexy, there's nothing wrong with celebrating your sexuality. I think it's actually important for us to be sexual and not have to tone down our sexuality just to be more acceptable. I think people are sometimes surprised to know that I'm very sensitive and I think about things a lot.

EDGE: If you were a woman for a day, what's the first thing you do?

Ari Gold: [Laughs] Oh God! I would put on the highest, spikiest pair of fuck me pumps and seek out the straightest man in the room.

For more about Ari, visit his website.