Emerging into the Spotlight and Giving Us Life: Teraj

You may not know him by name, but there is a good chance you have seen his face. Miami-born and NYC-based Teraj is an accomplished model who has worked with some of fashion’s biggest names, and even walked down the runway during the coveted New York Fashion Week. However, these days, he is turning towards music and hopes to inspire others to follow their dreams, just like he did.

Teraj was enamored by his own creativity at a young age and was determined to achieve a career in music and the performing arts. Stepping into the spotlight as a skillful pop and R&B singer/songwriter, he recently released his debut album Defy which is comprised of songs inspired by chapters of his life. His goal is to uplift listeners, and encourage them to celebrate individuality and humanity through life’s splendor and hardships.

Additionally, Teraj is a travel enthusiast and social media influencer who hosts a podcast called Gay Travel Today. He hopes to offer some insight and knowledge to his audience as to what the future of LGBTQ travel and entertainment looks like.

OUT FRONT sat down with Teraj to chat more about Defy, what it is like to be a performer in the COVID-19 age, how virtual Pride events can be necessary tool for future Pride seasons and how the LGBTQ community can possibly save the travel industry. Hi, Teraj! Thank you for taking some time to chat with me. How are you holding up during these troubling times?
With everything that’s going on, it has been imperative for me to prioritize self-care, further enrich my mind and treat each day as an opportunity to give back in some capacity. All things considered, I am doing well and I am grateful to be in good health and thriving despite so many initial setbacks as a result of the pandemic. I am very fortunate, and I don’t take it for granted at all.

Congrats on the recent release of your debut album, Defy. How is it being received by audiences?
Thank you! As an independent artist, I am incredibly appreciative and humbled by the support of people all over the world that have taken the time to listen to my music. I recently found out that I am 150K streams shy of a million streams on Spotify and Pandora, so I am super excited about that. Another highlight is being listen among the top eight emerging LGBTQ+ artists in 2020 by Advocate Magazine. However, nothing compares to when I perform these songs live and really get to see the impact that my music has on audiences. To me, there is no great feeling and that is one thing that I miss most during these times.

Can you tell us more about the concept and inspiration behind the album?
For my first album, I really wanted listeners to get a sense of who I am, where I came from and where I’m going. I was raised by a single, Black mother and grew up very poor in the mean streets of Miami. Ever since I was a child, I knew that I had to work hard to overcome my circumstance and break the cycle. Defy chronicles my life and upbringing, and at its core are songs that are personal testaments anchored in messages of empowerment to overcome obstacles, adversity, courageously chase our dreams and live boldly in our authentic truths. As a male living at the intersection of my Blackness and queerness, it was important to me to share those stories and show others out there that they aren’t alone, and that they, too, can defy the odds.

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What do you hope listeners take away from your music?
As an independent artist, I enjoyed the creative freedom of writing and crafting songs that are jams, but also uplift and highlight positive messages. The foundation of my artistry is to always give back and encourage others. So, I hope that through my music, I can inspire others on their journey of self-discovery and acceptance and those struggling with issues of sexuality, racism, adversity and bullying to stand up, never give up and persistently fight for what’s yours. If people listen to my music and are inspired to live life and move forward in pursuit of being the best version of themselves, then I’d say, mission accomplished!

Have you always had a passion for singing and songwriting?
Without a doubt! Even as a child, and hiding my voice for so many years because I was on a very linear path to become an architect and visual artist, music always drew me in. I remember listening to my mom’s records and watching live performances of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston and knowing that music was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It wasn’t until high school that I finally mustered the courage to sing out loud in front of others. All it took was a performance onstage, which was my first ever, in honor of Grammy Award recipient Oliver Wells, and I was hooked. After that, I started entering talent shows and joined an a cappella group in college. Then, I started writing and recording my own songs. Songwriting has always been an interesting process for me because I literally dream in song. Sometimes it’s just a hook or a verse, but a lot of the times, fully written and fleshed out songs come to me in my dreams and I’d have to wake up in the middle of the night, grab my phone and record in my voice notes as much as I can remember before it’s all gone. For me, my life’s purpose couldn’t be any clearer.

Teraj, why are pop and R&B elements so important to your music?
I loved listening to Miami radio stations watching BET and MTV music video shows, so pop and R&B are both my foundation and musical roots. There is a certain level of vulnerability, realness and authenticity in classic R&B, and pop music is a treasure trove for gorgeous melodies and iconic hooks. I find those elements to be indispensable. So, my music will more than likely always be anchored in pop and R&B music.

Due to COVID-19, you quickly found yourself out of work. This has happened to several artists and entertainers. What are you doing to overcome this struggle, and what advice do you have for others?
Having to postpone my tour and all foreseeable performances forced me to get creative and find alternative ways of being productive and share my music. I was able to ramp up using my platform and music to give back in any way that I could and become more involved in philanthropy, raising funds for PPE, COVID-19 relief efforts and various LGBTQ+ charities and organizations to help our community during this pandemic. Going where I was needed and helping others was really all I wanted to do, but I am so appreciative of also being able to propel my career forward during these times.

My advice for others is to always push forward, keep moving and never let a setback paralyze you. Take time to map out a new path that will keep you on course or let the universe guide you. Even if it takes you off the beaten path and leads you to places you never would have thought of, you will land where you need to be. Whatever you do, never succumb to inaction.

The pandemic also caused many Pride events to be canceled. How were you able to celebrate this year, Teraj?
I celebrate Pride virtually, and I attended almost all of the virtual Prides I got wind of. This year was a very different experience of Pride, but at the same time, it was very cool. With so many virtual Pride celebrations going on across the globe, it was awesome to join in on the fun multiple times and get more of a global taste of Pride. The virtual Pride hop was on heavy! I had the honor of performing in one of the earlier virtual Pride festivals, the South Florida Pride Collective. It was such an incredible experience as it was the first time that all of the major Prides in South Florida came together in solidarity to uplift those communities while raising funds for COVID-19 relief efforts. Being a part of that was a major highlight for me this year.

Pride may have been fundamentally different this year, but Pride going virtual extended an incredible opportunity for those who may not be out, have the courage or access to attend a Pride event in person. To experience Pride, learn about our history and progress and get a sense of the camaraderie and solidarity within our community, it feels great to be able to say, ‘You are seen and you are loved.’ So, I hope that virtual Pride events will continue on as valuable additions to in-person Pride celebrations.

Through music and social media, you send a message hoping people will amplify their voices and spread peace and love. How can minority, LGBTQ and allied communities stay connected and encourage during these times of uncertainty?
Technology has been crucial in fostering a sense of connection and being an outlet for encouragement during these times for underrepresented, LGBTQ+ and allied communities. We may not have been able to physically gather for most of 2020 so far, but we can surely celebrate and uplift each other by coming together virtually as a community, mobilizing actions and amplifying our voices in solidarity. Social media makes it so simple to raise awareness and funds for charities and organizations that are fighting for change, and there are many online resources and support groups that have created safe spaces for us to voice our concerns, thoughts and anxieties, especially during this pandemic.

How has the Black Lives Matter movement personally affected you, and how are you going to stay involved with social justice advocacy?
As a Black man, every day of my existence has been a fight against systematic racism, racial injustice and police brutality. I have been wrongly accused and accosted by the police because of the color of my skin several times in my life. The first being when I was 8-9 years old while playing on the playground within my own apartment complex.

Everything that I do and the life that I live is in defiance of systematic racism, so I stand proud with the BLM movement and feel that we are at the precipice of real change. It is going to take the combined efforts of multiple generations, but the work must be done. I plan to stay involved in this fight for the rest of my life by continuing to amplify my voice, speak out, consistently vote in all elections, raise funds and donate, while using my platform to educate, uplift and fight for systematic change in our cities, neighborhoods, schools and media.

I cannot even describe the feeling of witnessing such a global shift in consciousness and the collective efforts and protest of people from all walks of life. I know it’s only the beginning, but the validation of finally being seen goes beyond words.

Related article: Black Lives Matter To Us- The Role the LGBTQ Community Plays

Next to music, another passion of yours is travel. Can you tell us more about your mini-podcast called Gay Travel Today?
Yes, indeed! I was overwhelmed with excitement when I was asked to be the host of Gay Travel Today by Sagitravel Friendly, who is a leader and innovator in LGBTQ+ travel. This has allowed me to connect with the LGBTQ+ community every day, share tips, current travel news, Pride and LGBTQ+ events and updates, inspiration and encouragement to uplift others, especially during these uncertain times. Being able to reach out through these daily Amazon Alexa flash briefings and provide purposeful information in a quick consumable format with easy accessibility brings me absolute joy, and I want to encourage everyone to tune in to Gay Travel Today to learn more way to stay active, sage, inspired and engaged in the LGBTQ+ travel community.

Where are some of your top favorite vacation spots?
Rome, Italy has a special place in my heart, as it is one of the cities that I studied abroad in while in college. My time there was truly transformative and it was there that I feel like I began to come into my own. The streets of Rome are living museums and I fell in love with the overall atmosphere and culture. Every time I go, it just feels right. I also love vacationing min Miami, Bermuda and the iconic Hong Kong.

What do you think the future of LGBTQ travel and entertainment looks like?
It is safe to say that both areas, LGBTQ or not, will never be the same as a result of COVID-19. Moving forward, safety and proper hygiene will be of the utmost importance in every imaginable way. While a lot may initially seem inconvenient, who can complain about the consequential democratization of luxury? Normalized physical distancing and increased hygienic standards in travel and entertainment will equate to more personal space, legroom and cleaner facilities through and through. Albeit a few kinks to work through, the future of travel and entertainment, overall, looks good to me.Many studies and surveys say the LGBTQ community could potentially save the travel and tourism industry. How so?
There is a lot of truth to those studies as history has shown that members of the LGBTQ+ community are early adopters and generally the earliest of those resuming travel. Evidence includes data and travel stats for travel resumption post-9/11, the 2008 recession and early data encompassing recent travel as countries around the world begin to open their borders for tourism. Travel for the LGBTQ+ community is a part of our identity and an expression of our individuality and freedom. We are global citizens, avid travelers and our contributions to the tourism and travel industry at large is tremendous, so I am not surprised at all that we are the ones projected to save the industry.

What’s next? Do you have any other upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?
I am always writing music, but this particular period in time of introspection, in the midst of an indisputable worldwide awakening, has really given me so much perspective. So, I am looking forward to recording more music over the next couple months and releasing more music videos and video content. I also want to begin the groundwork for launching my own foundation for underprivileged communities back home in Miami and within the LGBTQ+ community at large, so be on the lookout for that.

To keep up to date with Teraj, follow him on Instagram @teraj08, or visit terajmusic.com.

Photos Courtesy of Barry Hoy, Natalie Poette, Alex Wightman & Seth London