Keelan Mak, “Straight With Me”

Keelan Mak has released his second single for 2024 and announced that more new music is on the way.

The up-and-coming Melbourne artist draws on polished dance-pop on “Straight With Me,” combining sweet vocals with witty but honest lyrics about dealing with the straight male perspective—something he knows many queer people can relate to.

“‘Straight With Me’ is a kind of queer canon event,” Mak explains. “I am one of those unfortunate people who fell into the trap of the heterosexual male gaze (some call it luck, to each their own).

“This track is kind of frivolous, but also so honest. I’m past the point of caring about that sort of thing, but it’s still incredibly relatable for queer people.”

Co-written and produced with Lucy Blomkamp (Stevan, Ninajirachi, Becca Hatch), the track is inspired by dance music acts such as Cascada and DJ Sammy.

“Straight With Me” follows his introspective first single “Naked Eye,” which he co-wrote with pop superstar Troye Sivan, Leland and Vetta Borne. Both tracks will be featured on Mak’s second EP, Boy is in loveRelease date expected on Friday, October 30th.

Covering themes such as sex, love, queerness and youth, it’s a confident step forward for the 26-year-old after his 2022 EP. Brave face.

“This work is really about feeling happy and myself for the first time,” says Mak. “For the first few years of my career, I was told to sell a queer story, but that never felt like me. Part of me was afraid of being strongly queer in public, but I also just felt like it didn’t feel right to brand my work as ‘queer.'”

“The EP is called Boy is in love and it’s really about my relationship with my own identity and the stories I tell in these songs. No heartbreak! Just a bit of gay fun.”

Keelan Mak’s ‘Straight With Me’ is out now. Boy’s in Love EP is out Friday 30th October via (PIAS) Australia (pre-save/pre-order here).