Page 19 - Adelante Magazine March 2025

Feature

down into the depths of depres- so I was shunned from everyone.
sion and a relapse. Members of the Church were not
allowed to communicate with me,
It was music that led him back to or make eye contact. The only
focusing on his life and future and way to break that shunning or pun-
the writing of songs that began to ishment was to continue with
turn things around. Later, he church studies by going three
would start producing his songs times a week and do a one-year
and eventually he ended up get- reevaluation to ensure that I was
ting the lead character role on living by the rules. Only then
Here TV’s Mini Series Go Go and would the shunning be lifted. That
the recent released of his EP was asking a lot.
Gemini Season Part One: Mi-
chael. Michael Miguel is not only Adelante: When you left the
a rising star but he has an amaz- church and your family, was it
ing story to tell about how he has hard to find another network of
gotten to this place in his life and social support?
career. Michael: That was a huge strug-
gle because my whole life was the
Adelante: Tell us what it was religion. My family also moved lo-
like growing up in a very reli- cations several times, and the only
gious family? consistent thing I had was the reli-
Miguel: It was really tough. I’m gion. And the friendships I made
grateful for the therapy and so- in it. When I left, my family and
briety I have today, which allows church friends would not answer
me to look back and dissect and phone calls, they blocked me. We
understand the trauma I experi- had just moved to Miami so I really
enced. My being different was did not have friends. I made it to
tough on my family as well, re- the gay bars, like Palace in Miami
member, this was in the 1990s so and I saw a drag show for the first
they almost did not know better. time and it was amazing.
The environment was a closed ing to other young people. Maybe kicked out of our homes and drugs
type of society where we had to be I started making friends, but it was sharing this can help someone. made sense for that kind of pain.
with just the Jehovah’s Witnesses a cultural shock to not be in the
and not with others. ‘church bubble’. Then to try to Adelante: You were going For many of us, its not just drugs
make ties and connections with through a lot. Were you self- and alcohol its experiencing so
The Witnesses would criticize the others who are grown adults, medicating for depression or much pain in our lives when grow-
way I walked, they way I talked especially in the gay community anxiety? ing up, from society, and it’s so
and the mannerisms I had were where there is a lot of sassiness; Michael: For sure. It becomes a common. I see it in people who
called out by my family and you know a lot of us tend to still way to self medicate. Substances are new to getting off drug and al-
members of the church. As a kid live in high school. I think that is stimulate the brain and one can go cohol use. Substance use is prev-
you don’t realize how damaging what eventually led me to drugs from a normal level to a super high alent in our community, people are
that abuse can be. It got to a point and alcohol. level and then back down below dying, good people who have
where I didn’t want to be gay and zero. When I’d be having difficult good hearts. I’m not blaming our
I felt tremendous guilt about those Adelante: When you left home, days, feeling very low, I’d use sub- families for what is happening, but
feelings. I truly believed it was what was your knowledge of the stances because I knew it would there is definitely a role being
wrong to be who I was. larger gay community? pick me up and make me feel played by family that leads to this.
Michael: Super limited. Growing better. But alcohol and sub-
Adelante: That sounds rough. up, I saw maybe one gay show on stances are very short lived for this Adelante: Your music and lyrics
Does one ever get over that ex- TV, I think it was Noah’s Arc and I purpose. It is short-lived happi- seem to come from your deep
perience? knew in New York City there were ness followed by great pain and thoughts.
Michael: Yes, it was very hard. gay men. But I had no real con- lows. And it’s not real. Michael: They do. When people
My mother and family believe in cept of what the community listen to my songs often they tell
Paradise when one passes from looked like. It was liberating at Adelante: How did you get out me they have had similar experi-
this life, and I thought I would not first. I got to be who I was but it of it? How long has it been? ences growing up and it helps shift
make it to that place because of was hard to make ties. It wasn’t Michael: It’s a journey and I my perspective. To write these
who I was, and the desires I had. I until after rehab that I found a started working at it eight years kinds of songs, you have to be
was constantly fighting who I was. community that I call my chosen ago. When in Alabama and to get very honest and vulnerable and
Today, I kind of feel very grateful family and that is what I’m grateful away from the sex trafficker, I that’s painful. But someone once
that I got kicked out and left be- for. found a public library and was able told me: shared pain lessens pain.
cause I began to find myself and to look up a friend, Jason and he
come to terms with who I was. It Adelante: What substances did bought me a plane ticket to get out Those are the songs that make
wasn’t just being gay, but in my you use? of there. When I got back home, me realize I want to be a singer.
household and the church, I was Michael: Alcohol and drugs. I met my dad helped get me to rehab. I They make me realize why I love
not able to sing, or have the aspi- an older guy that introduced me to met other gay men through this singing. I think in the beginning
ration to be a singer or an actor. It this world. He happened to be a and started building a community when I first started going to var-
wasn’t allowed. sex trafficker. When you don’t of friends and a chosen family. ious producers, the tendency was
have anyone, or any people to they wanted something catchy,
Michael: Then at 19 when I had turn to it can be an unfortunate Then Jason passed, my good pop-like, but I love singing ballads.
sex for the first time with a man I recipe to get into the drug scene. friend who had gotten me the
was so consumed with guilt. I It got very dark. It’s hard for me to plane ticket out of Alabama. His Adelante: The Boys and
confessed it. The Church and my share about those times, but I do story was similar story to mine. Barbies song is about a young
family felt I was not fully repentant it because I know this is happen- We were neglected. We were Michael.

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