Moises Lopez Jr. is the singer for Scarlett O’Hara, an energetic rock band made up of Spanish-speaking Mexican Individuals. Born in Weslaco, Texas, the 31-year-old vocalist is a first-generation Mexican American from his father’s facet and likewise proudly represents the LGBTQ+ group as a homosexual exhausting rock frontman. The band initially shaped in 2008 and helped spearhead an area subgenre often called “South Texas Metalcore.” Along with Lopez Jr., Scarlett O’Hara options Arnie Bernal on drums, Logan Burns on the guitar and Alek Samodouroff on bass. Their 2021 singles “Friction” and “Obsessive” have been each huge successes for the group as they obtained quite a lot of airplay on the radio and landed on a number of Billboard charts. Their newest single, “Witching Hour,” was launched immediately — the video may be considered beneath. Given his distinctive background and the subject of Scarlett O’Hara’s newest single “Witching Hour,” we requested Lopez to share his expertise rising up as a minority making an attempt to make it in rock music and why sharing songs targeted on psychological well being is so vital to him. Head beneath to see Lopez’s phrases, however first be sure you take a look at “Witching Hour.”
Scarlett O’Hara – ‘Witching Hour’
I got here out of the closet whereas I used to be in high-school after I was 17 years outdated to my greatest good friend and outdated bandmate on the time. I used to be extremely nervous about it. Being homosexual was not one thing that was quite common in our small metropolis, not to mention in a metallic band. Regardless of that, I did really feel able to say it or on the very least to acknowledge that I had sights towards the identical intercourse and none to the other.
We have been heading to Guitar Heart, and I bear in mind struggling to simply come out and say it. My coronary heart began to race so to ease my anxiousness, I made it right into a little bit of a guessing recreation. His first guess was assuming I had a woman I used to be crushing on. I replied, “You’re so removed from the reply you possibly can develop frostbite.” As soon as we purchased our guitar strings we headed again to my home. That was after I took a deep breath and instructed him. My phrases have been “I’m not too certain about my sexuality, however I believe I like guys. No, truly I do know that I like guys.” At that second he smiled at me and mentioned, “Oh bro you are effective, do not even fear about it.” I did not actually know methods to react as a result of it was not what I had braced myself for. He was very supportive about it, the truth is all my bandmates and different college pals have been to my shock.
I felt like one of many fortunate ones, as a result of my popping out was very easy and simple though the vast majority of my pals, if not all, have been straight guys.
That being mentioned, when it got here to my household it was a bit totally different. My mom didn’t take my popping out properly, but it surely wasn’t as a result of she was upset that I used to be homosexual. She was extra fearful for me and apprehensive how the world would deal with me. Throughout her time, and most of our dad and mom’ time, homosexuals weren’t handled very properly and have been sadly even killed for it. There was additionally the outbreak of HIV amongst homosexual males and he or she was apprehensive about it, so I understood the place she was coming from.
I by no means truly instructed my dad nose to nose. I used to be too scared. My sister ended up later telling me that he had a hunch after my then-boyfriend would come round typically. She instructed him that she loves me it doesn’t matter what. His response was “El es mi hijo de cualquier manera.” This implies, he’s my son both method.
From a younger age, I believe music was at all times one thing I dreamt of pursuing. I bear in mind singing alongside to Selena songs whereas I used to be nonetheless in diapers. My dad and mom was migrant employees, so I at all times attended totally different faculties and was round a really various group of children. I by no means initially wished to be a frontman as a result of I used to be shy of talking however singers have been tough to come back by in our space so I ended up watching YouTube movies on methods to do it and I picked it up. The one homosexual icons in rock I knew of have been Rob Halford and Freddie Mercury. Thoughts you, that’s one hell of a bar for me to succeed in…no strain!
Forgive me if I go away any notable ones out, however so far as Latinos in rock and metallic (or not less than those I knew about on the time) have been Metallica’s bassist Robert Trujillo, Coheed and Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez and Pierce the Veil. Latinos in rock weren’t the vast majority of what I noticed rising up. Not that I’m complaining about it, however it’s a undeniable fact that rock and metallic have been dominated by white males.
One among my idols after I first began singing was undoubtedly Breaking Benjamin. Lead singer and guitarist Ben Burnley was that man I wished to be, however he appeared completely nothing like me. He was this 6’4″ white man, and I used to be this 5’5″ little Mexican teen that would not even develop a full beard. I do probably not appear like a lot of the guys within the high bands of immediately. I do not know if issues can be totally different if there have been extra folks like me on the market. Nonetheless, I strive to have a look at that in a optimistic method. I’m the one one on the market who appears to be like like me and possibly that can encourage rock followers who appear like me, too.
Each bands I’m at present in — The Sight Of Affect and Scarlett O’Hara — are superb and I really like them to loss of life. They by no means had a difficulty with me being homosexual. I bear in mind speaking to Arnie, our drummer, and he mentioned that Logan even gave all of them a small discuss earlier than I joined them to guarantee that they might not say something that would presumably be hurtful to me as a consequence of my sexuality.
Presently, I do not assume LGBTQ or minorities are shunned from rock and metallic, however I do not assume it is actually encouraging or selling them to affix both. I do not assume there are sufficient various folks within the rock scene. That’s one thing I’ve found first-hand throughout my time in Scarlett O’Hara. I believe bettering that might be an enormous step in the fitting path for inventive freedom. It might open our eyes to the numerous totally different approaches that individuals of various backgrounds can have towards the identical style of music by including their distinctive flairs.
Individuals of various backgrounds have particular person views to carry to the desk, which is one motive why I believe variety is so vital. You go right into a Latino family, white, Black, Asian, Indian, and so forth., and I assure you they’ll all prepare dinner you a meal otherwise. I really feel the identical goes for rock music. Range results in extra studying as a result of we get to grasp our variations in our cultures. This results in a bigger number of expressions in writing, in sounds, in performances and even in picture. The extra various kinds of music and other people we see, the extra it will possibly immediately affect and encourage the music and performances of the current and future.
By having a extra various group of individuals in music it says, “Hey that particular person did it, they struggled their method up there however did it. What’s your excuse?” It additionally opens us as much as studying about different cultures by way of a shared love of music.
Additionally price mentioning is the connection between this subject and psychological well being, which undoubtedly exists. I see how variety, or lack thereof, might have an effect on the psychological well being of lots of rock musicians, no matter race. It might rapidly change into a lonely world with out the help of shut family and friends.
Once we made a publish about me being a homosexual frontman, I used to be fortunate that the response was very optimistic, however feeling totally different out of your friends can nonetheless take a toll for many individuals.
The subject of psychological well being has been extraordinarily outstanding in our music since it’s one thing I’m consistently balancing. I wrote the lyrics for our new music “Witching Hour” primarily based on an individual who’s being haunted by a ghost, spirit, demon, their very own thoughts, no matter you’ll. This particular person goes loopy in making an attempt to show to others that they’re being haunted however nobody will imagine them. So that they flip to medication or different irregular tendencies in making an attempt to deal with it.
The road “cease blaming the voices for all of the unhealthy selections” is me saying to undertake some duty and cease saying “Oh, I’m doing unhealthy issues as a result of I am sick or going by way of stuff.” That is not an excuse. Shit occurs typically, however if you happen to need assistance, search it. There isn’t any disgrace in that. I do know lots of Latino males particularly may be extremely cussed in relation to searching for assist. The lyrics of lots of our current songs are supposed to break that stigma.
In case you or somebody you recognize is fighting psychological well being, assist is on the market by way of the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration web site. To talk to somebody on the telephone, dial 1-800-622-HELP (1-800-622-4357) or ship a textual content message to 1-800-487-4889.
All of us battle with issues each day. Some greater than others. There may be NO disgrace in searching for or needing assist. Each time I discovered myself at my lowest low I might inform myself “I can solely go up from right here.” My recommendation to Latino and LGBT youth is that this: Don’t assume for a second which you can’t accomplish something due to your pores and skin or orientation. Work exhausting and you’ll be taught to understand what you may have greater than these which might be simply merely handed issues to them. Lastly, perceive methods to love and respect your self.
As a band, we hope that we may be an instance to others that it’s okay to totally embrace who you might be whereas additionally recognizing that it’s okay to hunt assist to your psychological well being while you want it. By our music and our actions in our every day lives, the purpose is to be a practical, attainable instance of a Mexican American, brazenly homosexual frontman following within the footsteps of those earlier than me.
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