Jake Wesley Rogers: 'Loving Yourself Is Really Hot'

The following interview is part of Out's "Dating PrEP 2.0" series, in which four notable experts from various fields offer advice on how to prepare for dating as a modern queer man. Watch the full series on Out.com.

Jake Wesley Rogers wanted his worst date ever to (literally) take a hike.

The queer singer-songwriter recounts to Out how he traveled in a car for 90 minutes with a potential love interest to reach an outdoor excursion. He knew immediately from the ride that it wasn't meant to be. "There's no exit strategy when you drive an hour and a half with someone," Rogers says. "They played just really, really bad music the whole time. And that was hard."

The Missouri native knows a thing or two about music. The rising star is currently on tour with Panic! At the Disco and performing bops like "Middle of Love" and "Momentary," which process his thoughts about love.

But the journey to love begins with oneself. "Before going on a date or going on stage, Rogers has learned to practice "gratitude and realizing how lucky I am to do what I love and to be alive and to be healthy," he says. "I think it's super important to take care of the mind, body, spirit. To make sure you're nourishing your body, and if you're sexually active taking PrEP, taking your vitamins, whatever makes you feel good."

In dating, Rogers is looking for someone with a strong sense of self-love. "I only want to be with people who either love themselves or like attempting to love themselves because it's obviously really hard to do that and we're all trying. But loving yourself is really hot," he shares.

He's also looking for a match to complement his rollercoaster ride in the music industry. "I feel like I know in my heart that I'm going to end up dating a Capricorn who is like a nurse or something," he says. "You know, just someone who is just the complete opposite, who has like steadiness and a grounded career."

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