What do Drag Race royalty like Gia Gunn and Alyssa Edwards have in common with Real Housewives of Atlanta? Underground drag queens from the South with YouTube megastars on the West Coast like Arika Sato? Rigel Gemini has gathered the cream of the crop for a funk-filled dance party, all from the safety of home. The catchy debut of “I Can’t” is Gemini’s spring-green collaboration with songwriter/vocalist TIAAN and trans producer Ford, concluded shortly before the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic. Scrapping original plans, a multi-screen music video came to mind, thanks to artist and husband Cameron Lee, who acted as Set-Dresser and Art Director for this extraordinary and innovative video.
Though the 100k+ Instagram influencer debuted his first single and music video at a precarious time, Gemini’s flair for adaptability and positivity shines through. His signature sass has had no issue encouraging everyone to dance; being met with a showcase of celebrities is a testament to the musical success and communal fire Gemini brings to his art and purpose. The (virtual) house party of “I Can’t” also reflects Gemini’s IRL social circle: a community that uplifts queer spaces, trans people of color, freedom of gender-expression and femme celebration. Though the song ad-libs on sour situations of a night out gone awry, the lyrics continue to ring true regarding society’s general attitude towards the disappointment and dismay of 2020.
While “I Can’t” is guaranteed to gain more and more listens and likes after its recent premiere on April 23rd, Rigel Gemini has shown that beyond his work as Curator, Blogger and frequent Tech and Culture Commenter, he also owns the mic. Organizing a friends-and-fam filled video in a short period of time shows that this multifaceted Atlanta-based artist has much more “can do” ahead. “I Can’t” was premiered on Gay Times.
