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Trey Pearson Tells Fans to 'Rise Up' in '1984' Video Honoring ACT UP

1984

The gay singer looks to the LGBTQ+ community's history of protest during Pride Month and the uprising against police brutality.

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Trey Pearson is channeling Pride's history of protest in his latest lyric video, "1984."

Pearson, a singer who rose to fame in the Christian rock band Everyday Sunday, came out as gay four years ago on the date of the song's Wednesday release. In a statement to The Advocate, Pearson called "1984" "a love letter sent to us from the LGBT community of the '80s" to inspire people in a time of crisis and uprising.

"Fifty years ago, the first Pride march commemorated the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which erupted over police violence against LGBT citizens. Today, police brutality is again causing protests that hope to disrupt a system killing Black citizens," Pearson said. "It is an uneasy time, and this song is one thing I can contribute, honoring the uproar that brought us Pride."

(Related: Trey Pearson Is OK Being the Gay Christian Pop Star)

The song is dedicated to Larry Kramer, the legendary AIDS activist and ACT UP cofounder who died last week. Images of ACT UP protests, including the die-ins that forced those in power to take action on the AIDS epidemic, appear in the video.

Pearson evoked this history after a friend who "wanted to see the LGBT community inspire the world as it dealt with its current fears" inspired him to write the song. Its chorus goes, "Rise up, we've been here before. Won't take it, take it anymore."

Watch the "1984" lyric video below and find more ways to stream on FanLink.

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Daniel Reynolds

Daniel Reynolds is the editor of social media for The Advocate. A native of New Jersey, he writes about entertainment, health, and politics.
Daniel Reynolds is the editor of social media for The Advocate. A native of New Jersey, he writes about entertainment, health, and politics.