Country Singer Tackles His Sexuality, HIV Status on New Song, “Sin”

David Michael Hawkins’ latest song is his most personal yet. In an Instagram post ahead of the June 20 release of “Sin,” Hawkins, who is gay and living with HIV, revealed why he wrote the track.

“I wrote SIN because I know there are LGBTQIA youth struggling to love themselves. I know there are addicts that think they are too far gone to change. And I know there are people with an HIV diagnosis that think no one will ever love them,” he wrote. “I want them to know they aren’t alone, and I understand their pain. And that there is hope even at the darkest times.”

Hawkins released the ballad during Pride Month and one week ahead of National HIV Testing Day. That, Hawkins told The Advocate in an interview, was no coincidence.

“I had a really abusive childhood, I struggled with a terrible substance abuse problem, I was stigmatized by my HIV diagnosis, and I had major mental health struggles,” he told the outlet. “The more I thought of my plight, the more I realized that these are unfortunately common themes within the queer community. So it made sense to release this during Pride month.”

“I wanted listeners to know that they aren’t alone. Queer loneliness is an epidemic, and fosters such awful fallout. It breaks my heart to think of others who have gone through what I have,” Hawkins continued. “And since there aren’t too many songs (if any) outwardly written about HIV, it seemed even more in alignment to release it to help promote HIV Testing Awareness Day.”

David Michael Hawkins on His Sexuality and Career

During his interview, Hawkins also spoke about being “the first openly HIV-positive country artist.”

“My HIV story has been public far before any of my music came out. So there was no putting the toothpaste back in the tube,” he said. “Plus, even the staunchest of country music traditionalists will tell you that the music’s foundation is ‘three chords and the truth’ — and I took their approach. I said, ‘Let’s make honest country music – no matter the fall out.’”

It’s a decision Hawkins doesn’t regret, he said, adding, “Now I have a song that I can be proud of, no matter the feedback.”

“I don’t expect terrestrial country radio to pick me or play this song. It’s not meant for them,” he added. “The song is meant for queer people who hear themselves in the lyrics. It’s meant for people, like me, who were raised on country music, who can finally relate to a song they choose to stream.”

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