Last month, The Daily Telegraph wrote that musician Sarah McLeod was dating Kara Jane of The Art. While it was based on a tip from an anonymous source, the article implied that Sarah was gay, and it quickly seemed to be confirmed by Sarah’s own Twitter account, from which she Tweeted that she’d been outed and the cat was out of the bag.
Sarah told AfterEllen.com that it made her feel “one word – vulnerable.”
“For all of five minutes and then i didnt care so much,” she said. “I tried to look at the bright side – at least now I get more action.”
The musician seems to be taking the whole thing in stride, and is unaffected by any labels put on her now that it’s become known she is interested in women.
“I wouldnt say it inspires my work,” Sarah said, “and I dont really identify as being gay as such, but I am a total tomboy, always have been. If you ever see me in a dress its because someone bribed me with beer and skittles.”
Just last night, Sarah received some backlash on her Facebook page for a status she posted using the words “so gay,” which seemed to be a negative reference.
In attempt to clear up her usage, she followed up with:
Sarah treats the topic of her sexuality with the same tongue-in-cheek she approaches everything else, including her music career. When asked about the Aussie stars that have made their way onto U.S. charts (such as Missy Higgins and Sia), she laughed off the idea of trying to “crossover” herself.
“Who’s crossed over? Did they build a bridge? No one told me, ’cause I would certainly cross that bridge if I came to it,” she said.
Sarah is currently at work on her second full-length solo album, which she describes (although reluctantly) as “aggressive pop.” “Who knows?” she said. “I have a really short attention span and I get sick of my own music really quickly. I have made three albums that I never released because I got over them too fast. I’m the most indulgent musician in the world!”
As far as any guest stars from her ex-band The Superjesus or any famous stars she’s been known to pal around with (such as Silverchair), Sarah said it’s not something she’s thought of for the album.
“We dont really do that much in Australia,” Sarah said. “We’re all too damn competitive to help each other out.”
Sarah’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” is currently on the top 50 of the Aria chart in Australia, as is her track “Love and Honour.” Until the release of her full-length, you can check out her Untitled EP or her individual singles on iTunes. She’s also supporting the Youth Off the Streets campaign, which all proceeds of her “Dancing in the Dark” single will go to. She talks about the campaign in the video below.
Are you a fan of Sarah’s? How do you feel about her use of the phrase “I’m so gay”?
