Eric Himan: Indie Idol

Have artists like Adam Lambert, Chely Wright, and Ricky Martin opened doors for you and other out artists?
I don’t see out artists getting picked up by major record labels because they find us to be more marketable, but I have noticed that being gay is becoming less of an issue, and the focus is remaining on the music. Keep in mind, though, that many of these artists came out after their major success. If these artists were out from the get-go, I wonder if they would have become as popular as they did?

Concertgoers can always look forward to fun pop covers at your live shows. Which songs are you toying with performing on tour in May? I vote for Gaga and Britney.
[Laughs] I’ve never done a Britney song, so you never know. I have covered Gaga before. I started covering pop songs because some of the best writers would be behind them. You can tell a great pop song because the sentiment still comes across when you strip it down to just an acoustic guitar and a voice. I’ve been listening a lot lately to the Cure, the Smiths, and early 10,000 Maniacs — music that’s old to many but fresh to me. Typically, the songs I’m listening to on tour are the songs that I end up covering, so expect to hear a few from these bands.

In a recent blog post on EricHiman.com, you wrote, “I have some big plans this year in the works for opportunities that will take my music to the next level.” I’m intrigued. What are your career goals for the rest of 2011 and beyond?
I have become a big believer in intending success. This year, I made it my goal to work with those who inspire me, and so far, that’s been the case. Radio has been a big player already for me in 2011 with “Dust” making its way on rock radio in the Midwest, and “Save the Afternoon,” a ballad from the new CD, is already in rotation on Sirius XM’s Coffeehouse Channel. I’m focusing on getting more radio stations across the country to pick up these two songs, and I hope to land some other songs off the disc in upcoming films by the end of the year. Though the rest is still unknown, I intend for Supposed to take me to great places I haven’t been before.