Landon Elliott’s Transformative Journey as a Gay Musician in Richmond
Richmond-based singer-songwriter Landon Elliott has embarked on a powerful journey of self-discovery with the release of his album, aftermath. Known for his soulful voice and poetic lyrics, Elliott’s new work delves into deeply personal themes, including his experience of coming out and finding joy as a gay man. “This album is my reset,” he shares, describing aftermath as a way of shedding what no longer fits and stepping fully into himself.
Elliott credits Richmond’s LGBTQ+ community with profoundly shaping his path as an artist and an individual. “There is such a diversity of voices and experiences within Richmond’s LGBTQ+ community,” he reflects. Having grown up in the Bible Belt, Elliott finds solidarity with other queer people in the South, and their stories have emboldened him. “Hearing their stories and struggles—and being able to share my own—has emboldened me to write the way I do. I’ve found, and continue to find, so much courage from my chosen Richmond family.”
The album’s first single, “aftermath,” embodies themes of renewal. In the music video, Elliott shaves his head for the first time in eight years, a symbolic act of shedding his old self and embracing a new chapter. Songs like “neon jesus” and “boy, boy” further explore his journey, confronting themes of religious and sexual shame, which Elliott candidly addresses. “I wrote this album while processing my own traumas and transitions,” he shares, “but it’s ultimately a story that’s part of the larger LGBTQ+ narrative—one where we persevere hardships, hold each other up, and unapologetically find joy in being who we are.”
One of the album’s most compelling moments is the music video for “chameleon,” in which Elliott performs in drag, reclaiming a church space that once fostered shame. “There’s a bit of righteous defiance in that shot,” he says, adding that performing in drag in such a space “was powerful…a reclamation of that space, saying that no matter where I find myself now, I will not conform or become someone I am not.” The video was brought to life with the help of Richmond’s drag icon Ms. Magnolia Jackson Pickett Burnside, making the experience both an act of self-expression and a celebration of queer community.
Since coming out, Elliott has found that embracing his identity has strengthened his relationships. “It’s allowed me to show up fully in all of my relationships—mostly, I’d say it’s strengthened bonds or created strong new ones,” he shares. Fans have reached out with their own stories of healing and self-acceptance, which, he says, have deeply moved him. “I feel humbled that my music can be a conduit for healing.”
Elliott will perform aftermath live for the first time on November 9 at The Broadberry, joined by local favorites The Wilson Springs Hotel and Deau Eyes. Beyond this event, he’s crowdfunding a vinyl pressing for aftermath and planning shows across the region in 2025. For now, he’s savoring the journey and sharing his story with a growing community that has become his chosen family.