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The singer also talks about being openly gay in the music industry, and his ongoing treatment for anxiety and depression.
In an interview with ES magazine, Years & Years singer Olly Alexander discussed the need for gay role models, his music, and his crush. After releasing the music video for "Desire" which celebrates fluid sexuality, Alexander also opened up about being gay in the music industry.
On his gay-themed lyrics:
"My lyrics are about same-sex relationships, because that's who I am. It was important to me that I felt comfortable expressing myself. I'm always touched and humbled by the number of people who come up to me and say they connect with my sexuality in the songs. But Sam Smith already proved an important point to the very risk-averse music industry, which is that you can be an openly gay male artist and sell records."
On his crush:
When it comes to politics and men, Alexander swings to the left and even says that his crush is 66-year-old Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
"I'm a real left-winger...I fancy Jeremy Corbyn! Maybe it's naive of me to have this romantic political fantasy, but I like the way he looks like he's always about to head off to a march or protest."
On his mental health:
"I talk a lot about my medication. People are often scared to talk about it and at first I felt ashamed of taking medication because it made me feel like I was 'ill'. But you don't necessarily need to take it for the rest of your life. It's not about becoming a perfect person. It's about getting through a certain period, maintaining mental health like a muscle."
