Brooke Candy is ready to reintroduce herself – and she’s back with a vengeance. After taking time to revel in her new self, the multi-hyphenate creative releases a new single, “Safeword” as the launch of her new chapter. Get ready for freaky, sex-positive undertones and a less raunchy tone from the former self-proclaimed slut.
With an iconic family legacy dating back to the Hustlers sex store, to her collaborations with the popstar likes of Charli XCX and Big Freedia – oh, and Real Housewives fav, Erika Jayne – Candy’s next era is sweet, sexy and oozing with power.
Inspired by the love and creativity of her husband, Kyle England, and a craving to elevate, the pansexual ”CUM” star stamps her metamorphosis with the c-ntiest new look – and literal hair stamps to match. “I feel a demonic burning desire inside of me pushing me towards the finish line,” she tells us. “I’ve awakened the creative beast from within and she is back with a vengeance.”
Speaking of leaving her mark, Candy discusses her break from the public eye and what kept her inspired during the times she felt most “invisible.” What emerged from her hibernation period? Romance, ego death, a f-ck ton of tattoos and a sultry, pop anthem set to dominate Summer 2024.
Continue reading for our exclusive interview with Brooke Candy on love, artistry, music and how the intersect in her new era.
What makes this single perfect for your reintroduction in anticipation of a full album?
This single is the perfect reintroduction because it still has the quintessential sex-positive freak undertones. I wanted to graduate the sound a bit and make something super pop and almost buttery in sound. The song is escapism at its finest. It’s a dirty, dark fantasy and I think that sums up my new album pretty well. I also want to shout out Jordan Palmer and Jbach for helping me actualize this track.
From shibari stints in “Happy” to your dominatrix essence, it’s clear sexuality is your playground and best medium. Are there any new influences in your creative direction this era?
I don’t want to give away my influences too much but this single’s music video in particular was directed by my husband, Kyle England, and I know he took a lot of inspiration from movies like Fallen Angels and KIDS. I dyed my hair orange to represent the era and to represent my metamorphosis for this body of work. So, you can say that the color orange is a massive inspiration to me now and is the driving force behind everything I’m doing. It quite literally permeates every aspect of my life now.
You’ve previously shared that your coming out journey was a sore spot for your family. In most cases, this could cause people to feel creatively blocked. Yet, your creative direction seems limitless. Have these experiences ever hindered your creativity?
I’m getting the push to reintroduce myself from a burning fire within. I’ve felt pretty invisible the last few years and I wanted a moment to feel seen again. I feel a demonic burning desire inside of me pushing me towards the finish line. I’ve awakened the creative beast from within and she is back with vengeance.
On that same journey, you went from die-hard poly to thriving in a monogamous relationship. Has your relationship influenced your new music?
Definitely. I feel like I’ve toned down the level of crassness quite a bit. I’m not trying to be so niche that children can’t enjoy my music. I haven’t been a self-proclaimed slut in a decade so there is no need to play this character anymore. I’ve grown up and so it’s time for me to share that growth and release something a little more adult and sexy. Of course, it’s all still a little risqué but overall this album is less X-rated and more PG-13. It’s time to reel it in.
You’ve never shied away from speaking your truth, even when discussing what it was like to hit rock bottom. Now that you’re ready to reintroduce yourself with this new album, what is your vision?
My new vision for Brooke Candy is to project confidence, power and determination. I have my eyes set on a finish line and I’ll do whatever I have to get there. So, the new Brooke Candy is sweet, but also a threat.
What would you tell your inner child about the life you’ve created for yourself now?
I would say that life is going to be really crazy and will feel like a rollercoaster most of the time so, buckle up. I’ve felt so connected to my inner child that some days I really feel like a five-year-old. Especially when I’m hanging out with my dogs. My dogs are my best friends. Is that normal?
Visuals are a huge element of your work – whether it’s your personal identity or the content that complements your sound. Have you always been into this side of the creative process?
I think the visual aspect has always been the strongest aspect for me. I’ve always taken pride in how hands-on I am with my styling, videos and photoshoots. The musical aspect has always been incredibly collaborative and, at times, I don’t even write a line in a song but the visuals are usually 100% my vision. I recently worked with my husband and he controlled the creative and visuals and it was incredible. When I trust someone’s vision, I’m able to relinquish control and collaborate. My creative expression and fulfillment come from the decoration of myself and the conceptualization of my videos.
Speaking of your personal image, you’ve gone from the underground queer club scene to a hyper-sex-positive pop star. Now, moving into a softer space, talk to us about these various chapters.
I have had quite a lot of style evolutions over the years and I would chalk it up to being somewhat of a shape-shifting alien. Someone called me that once and it describes me perfectly. It’s also important to change the exterior when the music and lifestyle changes. I think it acts as a marker for the era.
I’ve always been a fan of Madonna and I’ve kept track of her growth by the amount of times she changes her hair. You define the era by the look. My favorite era ever would have to be the year leading up to Sexorcism when I was performing in Shibari. That was the craziest time in my life and I think I created some of the looks I’m most proud of then.
Speaking of new chapters, you’re also getting much more involved in tattooing, styling and creative direction. How do all of these mediums connect to your music?
I love all of my creative practices. They don’t really compliment each other but I know that I have learned a lot from tattooing and that it has made its way into all other aspects of my life. It’s frustrating for me sometimes because I feel like my fans don’t want to see my tattoos and they only want to hear the music. But for me, the practice is important because without it being a part of my life for the past couple of years, I don’t think I would have been stable enough to go hard on new music. It’s taught me an unbelievable level of mindfulness that has made me a better artist.
You’re a true multi-hyphen. Do you think the future of music will see more polymaths like you?
I would love to see Rosalía do ceramics, Charli XCX make a painting or Caroline Polachek sew one of her onstage outfits. Obviously, they are busy ladies and so they delegate a lot of creative tasks but it would be cool to see how other art forms would turn out for some of these gals.
How are you feeling about the music video being aired to the world?
I’m so excited, it’s my favorite video I’ve ever made. I’ve matured so much and I can’t wait to share the rest of the visuals I have planned. I’m going HARD on this album so I’m excited to see the reactions on what I’ve been working on. More videos are coming out, a full album and a world tour so I have a lot of work to do but I’m stoked!
