Ezra Furman is out with an excellent new song and breathtaking music video called “I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend.” The music video is promoting the upcoming release of the highly anticipated album “Twelve Nudes.” The record is due out on August 30th, 2019.
As a transgender person, this song really hit me hard. From my interpretation, the lyrical content speaks about wanting to be one’s true self, wanting to be loved while still being your true self, and perhaps about gender dysphoria and doubt that your lover will accept your body for what it is. When I was in my early transition, I had all of these thoughts and doubts…the pondering about whether or not to come out and be my true self as a boy and not a girl, and the doubts about my body being loved the way it is by someone that I loved. The gender dysphoria and ignorant comments of society consumed my mind and made self realization and discovery a hard thing for me, because living authentically would in one way save me but in another bring a great deal of pain. I’m ten plus years into my transition, and I can definitely say that the pain is worth it, it’s worth it to be my true self.
The way Ezra delivers the vocals and performs to the camera, really humanizes this experience that so many people have. I see an immense amount of bravery and honesty come across the screen in the music video. It may be simple in terms of scenes but it’s extremely deep in meaning. I think this song could help a lot of people to feel valid and human in their own experiences.
These lyrics really stuck out to me:
“Honey, I know that I don’t have the body you want in a girlfriend
What I am working with is less than ideal
But maybe, baby, it’s not all about what you thought that you wanted
It’s about the way I can make you feel.”
– I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend, Ezra Furman
In a very recent HighClouds article, Ezra Furman explains that “This is a romantic song of transgender longing.”
Ezra Furman puts a ton of energy into recording and performing, both in the studio and live. The music of Ezra Furman always cuts across as authentic and raw which is rarity in today’s music industry. I really can’t wait to dive into the new record.
Part of my experience of saying anything on the internet includes waiting for the transphobic responses and letting the hurt hit me like a fucking wave. It’s like standing in an ocean of pain, I can’t see where the wave will come from but I know it will come
— Ezra Furman (@ezrafurman) July 15, 2019 (via Twitter)
Written by Ryan Cassata
Love this!