TAMMYE NASH | Managing Editor
Nash@DallasVoice.com
Pre-orders for Dallas-based country singer Kameron Ross’ new single, “Crosswalks,” opened up last week, and today — Friday, April 10 — the song about Oak Lawn’s rainbow crosswalks and the community and spirit they represented is available to download at his website, KameronRoss.com. Earlier this week, the America’s Got Talent season 15 quarterfinalist took some time to talk with Dallas Voice about the single (which he cowrote with his husband Lio Botello) and his upcoming album, both of which were inspired by their love for the LGBTQ+ community and the need for representation.
Dallas Voice: The new single, “Crosswalks” — the initial inspiration, obviously, is the order to remove the rainbow crosswalks. Why did that affect you so much? Why have the crosswalks and their removal struck such a nerve in our community. Kameron Ross: As a community, it feels like we’re always fighting for our place in the world and for our rights in every space we walk into. That’s why having somewhere like Oak Lawn, with its rainbows and that real sense of belonging, means so much.
When we first bought our home, we put up a city of Dallas Pride flag. A big part of that came from Lio sharing what it was like growing up in Fort Worth, where there just wasn’t any visible queerness around. He always said how much it would’ve meant to see even a small sign of it, something that told him, “You’re not alone,” and “You’re safe here.”
Representation really does matter, especially for the folks who need it most. What might seem like a small gesture to some can mean everything to someone else. And to me, those crosswalks carry that same kind of weight. They’re more than paint on the street. They’re a signal, a welcome, a reminder that this community is here. And it isn’t going anywhere.
Talk a little about the process of writing “CrossWalks.” You and Lio wrote this together, right? Did your strong feelings about the rainbow crosswalks make it easier or harder to write the song? Lio and I wrote this one together. One night we were just scrolling through social media, seeing post after post about the challenges to our basic human rights as members of the LGBTQ+ community. It hit us hard. We were both upset, and that mix of frustration and love is really what sparked the song.
Lio started jotting down some ideas in his Notes app, and we worked through a few lines together. Then, in the middle of the night, he woke up with more lyrics in his head and didn’t want to lose them, so he added to it right then and there. The next day, we pulled it all together, finished what we could and brought it to my producer Dave Tough, who is an amazing ally, to help round it out. What the three of us created came from the exact same place, the same emotions, and that’s what really brought “Crosswalks” to life.
Does writing with someone make the process easier or harder? Do you guys write together often or is this a special case? I think writing with others is something really special. You get to bring together different ideas, different stories, different perspectives, and it opens the door to something bigger than you could do on your own.
“Crosswalks” is actually the first song Lio and I have ever written together, and it’ll be on my upcoming album. Getting to write with my husband, and with a close friend like my producer Dave, means we’re creating something that’s real personal and true to who we are. And we’re not holding back on it either. We’ve got a handful of songs we wrote together for this album, and I’m real excited for people to hear them. Every single one comes from a real place, real moments, real experiences.
Tell me what is coming up for you? You have an album coming out later this year, yes? What can you tell me about the album? Does it have a title yet? Is there a date set for the album’s release? I do have my album coming out this summer! I haven’t shared the title with many folks yet, just a small circle, but it’s called No Big Deal. That’s also the name of one of the songs on the album, and it came from a dating experience — the kind I think a whole lotta people can relate to.
The title of the song and the album just felt right together, and Lio and I kept coming back to this meme we saw of a dog sitting in a room on fire, just telling himself, “This is fine.” And honestly, it hit a little too close to home. It reminded us of how it feels going about our day-to-day after seeing the news or just taking in the state of things. Everything feels like it’s burning around you, but you still gotta get up, keep moving and act like it’s No Big Deal. So yeah, that title stuck. And it says a whole lot more than it lets on.
Tell me about the songs on the new album. I hear that there will be some songs in Spanish, and I hear there will be a surprise special guest? This album’s got some of my favorite people on it, like Kylie Sonique Love, Alyssa Edwards and one of my best friends I met during my time on America’s Got Talent, Shaquira McGrath. There’s a whole lotta range on here, too.
You’ve got some slower love songs, some sexy moments and some straight up fun, dance it out tracks. I really wanted this album to reflect my taste in music, which can go from a good ol’ country tune all the way to some Karol G real quick.
I’ve also got a little bit of Spanish vibes in a couple of the songs, which was important to me. I love Spanish music, and it’s part of who I am, my being Hispanic, so I wanted that to shine through. And I’ll be honest: Some of these songs show a side of me I haven’t really put out there before. There’s a little playful attitude in there, maybe even a touch of bitchy if I’m being real. It’s got me excited and a little nervous, but I think that’s what makes it special.
What else other than the new album is on the agenda for the coming year? Are there some special appearances coming up? Other events? The album’s been my main focus this year. There’s so much time and heart that goes into something like this; it really has to be a passion project to see it all the way through.
Once we roll out the album announcement, the goal is to take it on the road and perform it for as many folks as I can, all across the country. I’m really excited about that part. And I get to kick things off at MetroBall [Friday, June 5, at S4], which feels pretty special. It’ll be the first time I’m performing some of this new music live, and I can’t wait to share it with some of my favorite people right here at home in Dallas.
What have I not asked you about that you want to mention? This year’s been a little bit of a tough start, not gonna lie. This album’s been in the works for over two years now, and along the way I lost my agent, Jan Terry, someone who always believed in me, from day one. She was so excited to hear this music and couldn’t wait to get me out there performing it everywhere. We lost her not long after I lost my grandmother, so trying to keep things moving full speed ahead has come with its moments. But if anything, it’s lit a fire in me. I’m more determined than ever to make them proud and share this album I know they would’ve absolutely loved.
With Jan’s passing, Lio and I are back to running this ship just the two of us. Between full time jobs, finishing the music, and Lio managing and handling bookings, we’ve been putting in the work. And I’ve got a feeling — we’re about to make this our best year yet.