Metro Weekly

SONiA disappear fear honors Lesbian Visibility Day with a livestream performance

Indie-folk/pop artist performs from recent album "Love Out Loud."

SONiA disappear fear
SONiA — Photo: Lea Morales

Last June, the lesbian indie-folk/pop singer-songwriter Sonia Rutstein dropped her 20th full-length set, the compilation album Love Out Loud. In any other, non-pandemic year, the artist, known by her musical alias SONiA disappear fear, would have performed the album’s songs live before spirited crowds at LGBTQ pride events both regionally and far-flung.

“It’s a compilation that really traces the 30 years of my most favorite LGBTQ-related songs from all my CDs,” she told Metro Weekly at the time. “Songs like ‘Who I Am,’ ‘Love Out Loud,’ ‘Gangsters of Love’ — songs that talk about being gay and being in love and/or heartbroken, and the price and wonderfulness of being out, too.”

Ultimately, such messages are important to hear and be reminded of throughout the year, so SONiA disappear fear is currently readying the songs to be performed at a livestream next week on Lesbian Visibility Day: Monday, April 26.

“I came out in my music because I knew there were thousands if not millions of little Sonias out there who were choking off the beauty of their souls by not being true to themselves and their sexuality,” Rutstein says. “I know firsthand what it is like to hide your sexuality, and I don’t want that to happen to anyone else.”

The livestream announcement notes that SONiA disappear fear is looking forward to finally returning to touring, and also remains committed to the idea of a proper tour in support of Love Out Loud, possibly sooner than later: “She hopes to finally tour in front of live audiences later this year.”

For the time being, however, she’ll return to Facebook Live and a production overseen by her wife and manager Terry Irons and originating from the couple’s Baltimore home. There’s also the promise of a surprise: The announcement lists the lineup as “SONiA disappear fear + special guest.”

The Lesbian Visibility Day Livestream is Monday, April 26, at 8 p.m. Free, although donations are welcome. Visit www.facebook.com/disappear.fear.

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