Singer/songwriter Fancy Hagood is venturing deep into truth and storytelling with his new video for his song “Southern Sound,” which is out today and can be seen below.
“Southern Sound” frames the story of a young queer couple as they brave adversity in hopes of building a future together. The deeply emotional, cinematic music video brings the song to life as it delves into some of the difficulties the LGBTQIA+ community often faces within their own families.
“It’s an important story to tell because it’s happening to so many LGBTQIA+ kids,” Hagood told GLADD, who premiered the clip today. “I was inspired to make this video after so many horrible legislative bills harmful to the queer community were introduced across our country. It’s important to shed light on the fact that this is reality for some people.”
In the video, a young gay couple seeks refuge after the father of one young man discovers his sexuality and violently kicks him out of the family home. Hagood said it’s an unfortunate truth for many LGBTQIA+ people who have been displaced from their homes because of familial conflict over their sexuality. The moving clip also offers resources for young adults in the LGBTQ+ community who need food, housing, and council.
But the video is a message of hope and community and to make it connective, Hagood enlisted the help of family and friends to anchor key moments of the plotline.
The ‘angry father’ at the beginning of the music video is the Brothers Osborne’s father, “Big” John Osborne. On tour with the award-winning duo. eldest brother John and Fancy often co-write and play live together. In addition to performing alongside Fancy onstage, lead singer TJ (and John) has been a guest on Fancy’s “Trailblazer’s Radio” show and a trusted mentor.
Osborne sibling Natalie is Hagood’s manager and says of her father Big John, “he’s such a supportive father and human but has many times witnessed parents who wouldn’t embrace their child’s identity. He understood the importance of this video and wanted to be part of the story.”
The video was directed by Ford Fairchild. A Nashville based queer director, Fairchild also directed Brooke Eden’s “Outlaw Love” music video, which Hagood stars in. Hagood cameos in his own “Southern Sound” video as the bartender who encourages the young couple and helps them find a safe place to shelter.
“I don’t know how qualified I am to give advice, but to any LGBTQIA+ youth out there struggling in any way, I would just want them to know how important they are,” said Hagood. “I would want them to know their life has so much value, and they are so worthy of love and the choice to be themselves 100%. It takes so much courage to choose yourself over the ideas people try and place on us.”
“Southern Sound,” written by Hagood along with Jon Green and Tofer Brown, is the first song released from a forthcoming 2024 album. It’s the follow-up to his 2021 highly acclaimed album Southern Curiosity.
About Fancy Hagood:
Fancy Hagood is a proud queer artist from Bentonville, AR, who now calls Nashville home. After college, Fancy got a job at Forever 21, where his coworkers dubbed him “Fancy” after a Drake song of the same name. He released his debut album, “Southern Curiosity,” which has accumulated more than 30 million streams. “Southern Curiosity” was nominated for Best Country Record at The Libera Awards 2022.
The same year, he collaborated with Kacey Musgraves on “Blue Dream Baby.” The song prompted Sir Elton John to declare: “We need more people like Fancy.” His hero, Brandi Carlile, called Fancy an "artist to watch."
In addition to his artist career, Fancy also hosts Trailblazers Radio on Apple Radio.