Why Does Troye Sivan's "SWEAT" Tour Matter?

Callan McKernan (they/them)

     ​If you aren’t familiar with Troye Sivan, he is one of many queer artists to rise to fame in the last decade. With hit songs like “Rush” and “One Of Your Girls” released on his album Something To Give Each Other which dropped in October of 2023, Sivan became even more well known. However, this is far from his first experience in the spotlight as Sivan released two earlier albums, Bloom (2018) and Blue Neighbourhood (2015) as well as an EP during the pandemic titled In A Dream. Sivan started out on Youtube before becoming an actor and musician. His coming out video in 2013 was pivotal in my own coming out journey and helped to move the (quite small) queer Youtube community at the time forward.

     Troye has always been comfortable with talking about the uncomfortable. His first album contains a three-part music video series that is so cinematic it seems like a short film. It follows a young boy as he deals with falling in love with his male best friend while navigating an abusive  homophobic parental relationship. But why am I talking about all of this now?

     I recently attended the Troye Sivan and Charli xcx concert in Detroit entitled “SWEAT.” With how much Charli took over social media with “BRAT summer” and how much I loved Troye’s Something To Give Each Other, I knew it would be a great show. Due to the sexual nature of most of Troye’s songs on the album, I was interested to see how he would choose to choreograph and perform the songs. Needless to say, he did not disappoint.
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     ​Many of his songs included his signature front pant grabs and body rolls; however, during “In My Room,” Troye bought out a bed (constructed for the stage of course)—then, Sivan and his dancers proceeded to dance in a way that simulated certain types of sex.

     It struck me just how shocked the audience (of mostly queer people) was by the dancers dancing in an overtly sexual way. We see obviously sexual music videos and tour choreography from straight artists all the time—so why is it so shocking when a gay man does it? Even queer people who have done the hard work of introspection have to then battle through internalized homophobia and transphobia. I think the shock factor has a lot more to do with the internalized, conditioned hatred for anything “gay” or “different,” than any specific type of dance.

     But I too stood staring at the stage in shock for a moment before a sense of immense pride took over instead. If I had gone to that show even a year ago, I would not have felt nearly as comfortable and safe. It’s odd, but seeing him and his dancers expressing sensuality and sexuality so unabashedly made me feel a sense of safety. I think most minority groups can understand that feeling of finally exhaling. That feeling of, “Oh, it’s safe now.”
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     Additionally, I have always loved dance because (like music) it has the rare ability to be understood and interpreted by anyone regardless of language. As queer people, we are asked to hide so much of ourselves to be professional, loveable, and palatable. It was lovely to see someone look at all of that and simply say, “No.”

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