Troye Sivan's Powerful 'Heaven' Video is a Celebration of LGBTQ History

An important queer memorial ahead of tomorrow's inauguration. 

By Justin Moran

 

Thu, 2017-01-19 

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Ahead of Trump's inauguration tomorrow, OUT cover star Troye Sivan released today a video for his Blue Neighbourhood single, "Heaven," which features pop vocalist Betty Who and reflects on his struggles as a 14-year-old balancing sexuality and religion. The powerful Luke Gilford-directed visual splices together shots of Sivan in black-and-white with clips of historic LGBTQ moments, putting a mirror to the strong queer community that has longtime helped drive forward politics and social acceptance for us all.

Related | Troye Sivan: First YouTube, Now the World

In our interview with Sivan, he told us writing "Heaven" was a theraputic experience: "It was me thinking about how hard I try to be a good person and then feeling like, before I even opened my eyes as a little baby—because I think I was born gay—I was a sinner," he said. "All of those are very standard, but very confusing and hurtful conversations that you have to have with yourself as an LGBTQ person."

Watch Troye Sivan's "Heaven," below.

HEAVEN 

[Verse 1: Troye Sivan]
The truth runs wild
Like a tear down a cheek
Trying to save face, and daddy heart break
I'm lying through my teeth

This voice inside
Has been eating at me
Trying to replace the love that I fake
With what we both need

The truth runs wild
Like kids on concrete
Trying to sedate, my mind in its cage
And numb what I see

Awake, wide eyed
I'm screaming at me
Trying to keep faith and picture his face
Staring up at me

[Chorus: Troye Sivan]
Without losing a piece of me
How do I get to heaven?
Without changing a part of me
How do I get to heaven?
All my time is wasted
Feeling like my heart's mistaken, oh
So if I'm losing a piece of me
Maybe I don't want heaven?

[Verse 2: Betty Who]
The truth runs wild
Like the rain to the sea
Trying to set straight the lines that I trace
To find some release
This voice inside
Has been eating at me
Trying to embrace the picture I paint
And colour me free

[Chorus: Troye Sivan]
Without losing a piece of me
How do I get to heaven?
Without changing a part of me
How do I get to heaven?
All my time is wasted
Feeling like my heart's mistaken, oh
So if I'm losing a piece of me
Maybe I don't want heaven?

[Bridge: Troye Sivan]
So I'm counting to fifteen
Counting to fifteen, counting to fifteen
So I'm counting to fifteen
Counting to fifteen, counting to fifteen

[Chorus: Troye Sivan]
Without losing a piece of me
How do I get to heaven?
Without changing a part of me
How do I get to heaven?
All my time is wasted
Feeling like my heart's mistaken, oh
So if I'm losing a piece of me
Maybe I don't want heaven?

 

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