‘What have you got to be depressed about?’ is like saying, ‘What have you got to have a cold about?’

In this episode, Paul discusses his Greek Cypriot roots, his battles with depression and suicidal thoughts, and his own journey into authenticity.

Useful links:

• Support the pod at Patreon and gain access to exclusive interviews with every guest.
• Let’s chat about #QueerMusic on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
• Paul’s homepage can be found here.
• Alumni Andy Pisanu is mentioned, and his episode can be found here.
• Click here for help with suicidal thoughts.

Coming next Quesday is the second of our two-part specials in which previous guests return to deliver exclusive audio gifts to our listeners!

TRANSCRIPTION:

Dan 00:00

Hello and welcome to the first in two Christmas special episodes of In the Key of Q, the guest in this week's episode is, well, one of the family, really. He composed our theme tune and has been a brilliant supporter of the podcast.

Please be aware, though, that there was extensive discussion of depression and including some references to suicide. So listener discretion is advised. As ever, there will be support links provided in the show notes.

Paul 00:27

Well. I remember the first time I was depressed, seven years old. And my answer to me? What's wrong with you? I said, I'm depressed and she goes, Oh, seven, how can you be depressed? I was. It was this sense of someone dims the screen and your lens of perception, and everything feels heavy.

Dan 00:52

This is In the Key of Q featuring musicians from around the world who inspire my queer identity. Everybody is welcome to the conversation, whatever beautiful identity pleases you. Music helps us feel connected and know that we are not alone.

This program is made possible thanks to the financial support of listeners like you over at hatred on dot com slash in the key of queue, and remember to join the conversation across socials using the hashtag queer music. I'm Dan Hall.

Come on in, sit down and be heard. You've been hearing this week's guests since episode one. He composes and sound designs for advertising and short films and studied music technology at the University of West London, as well as a composer.

He's also a singer performing and releasing under the name to D Loono. So a big, big welcome to the horribly talented and very, very lovely Paul Leonidou.

Paul 01:45

Hello. Hello, Daniel San.

I was born in North London, which is a bit of a cliche if you're Greek Cypriot. I remember my mum telling me that at about a year and a half old, the first sign that she saw that I loved music was that I was watching Bugsy Malone with my milk bottle.

I was lying on my back with my legs crossed, swinging my leg and kind of learning every single word that musical. And I remember being so small that I didn't get that they were kids. They were like grown ups to me, you know, in terms of context.

So and then I started singing a bit of Tallulah, and then she got a bit...