In celebration of Pride Month, Hypebeast is conducting a series of conversations with LGBTQ+ artists about how their identity informs their artistry.

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Maude Latour’s Pride Profile arrives a day post-Pride Month, as she’s had a busy last 72 hours, complete with a Summerfest performance and a Central Park fan meet-up, the latter the latest in her sequence of completely free, in-person fan events.

“People are always like ‘Maude, stay safe out there,’ but those free events are something I want to do for as long as I’m able to,” she laughs.

Last week’s Central Park meet-up was her latest effort in “breaking the rules of how we’re supposed to hang out” and was held in celebration of her new single “Comedown” from her debut album Sugar Water, which drops August 16.

While these meet-ups are the perfect stage to test out new songs, Latour explains that they’re also opportunities to chat with her “small and kinda culty” community of listeners.

“The in-person aspect – concerts, meet-ups – is where the heartbeat of the project really exists,” she explains, describing the album as one that explores her fluidity and builds a world that bridges the past and present.

With Sugar Water just over a month away and a spot opening on FLETCHER’s tour on the horizon, Latour is preparing for a summer of “savoring the temporary sweetness” of all moments – especially those of human-to-human connection.

Introduce yourself.

I’m Maude Latour. I’m a songwriter and musician with a transcendent, beautiful, small-but-mighty – and kinda culty – group of people who listen to my dreamy, nostalgic and very emotional music. 

How are you feeling after your performance at Summerfest?

It was great. I had no idea that so many people listened to my music. It was my first Wisconsin show and there’s always such a bubbling energy in every crowd but there was something special about this Pride Month crowd that you could feel in the air. 

You just had a meet-up in Central Park too. What’s it like to connect with your community IRL?

I love it. Connecting and chatting with people in person is always so cute and fun. One of the reasons I do these meet-ups is because I’m trying to bend the norm of how people view and use social media. So much of the music industry is so “official,” and I want to show that we’re all just people looking to connect with others. We all feel a little lonely in our heads, but little things like a meet-up in the park on a sunny day can make life feel a little less lonely. People are always like “Maude, stay safe out there,” which makes me laugh, but those free events are something I want to do for as long as I’m able to. 

How does your queerness play into your artistry?

Fluidity is such a huge part of my music and it transcends beyond just sexuality or gender. It’s being like “Hey, I can see this from both sides,” or “This is sad, but this is also beautiful.” Two things can be true, and I think that’s something I get from queerness. Connecting with people in real life helps me stay present and feel back in my body.   

What about in your lyrics?

I have a pact that everything I write has to have actually happened to me. I was a serial journaler growing up – I feel like all of my fans can relate to that – and my music is really just an extension of that practice. I make songs to understand feelings; every song has to be made because I need it. 

Why now for your debut album?

My grandmother passed away seven years ago. Her favorite number was seven and I just knew the portal for this album was going to open seven years after she passed. That was last year, and so this album was written over the 365 days of that year. I think life has a greater plan and this album came into my life when I needed it most. 

What are the main themes of the album? 

It’s really just about being in the present while still staying in touch with the people you’ve lost and constantly being reminded of them. It’s about taking in life like sugar water and savoring its temporary sweetness. I hope it builds a world for people to step into.

What does that world look like?

One that stretches your mind and soul and the boundaries of pop music. Visually, I’ve always gravitated towards bright colors and fun shapes. I only hope to get deeper into it because I feel like I haven’t fully explored the depths of my visual world quite yet. I wish I could want to look any other way but I can’t. Everything has to be sparkly. 

How did you select “Comedown” as the album’s final single?

Honestly, I played it at a meet-up for some fans and they were like, “Maude, this is the next single” and I was like “Okay!” But I think it’s a window into the ark of the album. It’s a good summary of the album’s feelings and storytelling. It’s named after The Strokes’ album Comedown Machine. It’s also a good example of using a song as a journal entry, and I’m curious to see how people connect with it. My sister and my cousin are doing some of the vocals on the chorus, so that’s really special too because that’s how we get through these feelings of loss and change: with our loved ones. 

“The most special stuff happens in person and I want to keep pushing that medium.”

How are you preparing for this fall’s arena tour with FLETCHER?

It’s always special when I can bring fans into my world. I’ve never done a performance of this caliber before so it’s going to be a new feeling to share the secrets of my music with whole arenas. I think the in-person aspect is where the project’s heartbeat really exists. From the meet-ups to the concerts, I think the most special stuff happens in person and I want to keep pushing that medium.