2 decades after Canadian Idol, Gary Beals reflects on finding his authenticity

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2 decades after Canadian Idol, Gary Beals reflects on finding his authenticity
When Gary Beals plays at The Marquee Ballroom on Monday night, it will mark two decades since he played the Halifax concert venue.
The last time the Nova Scotian played there was for the album release of his self-titled debut on Aug. 17, 2004. That album was released after Beals appeared on the 2003 season of singing competition Canadian Idol, in which he was the runner-up
In those days, his lyrics covered topics like boy meets girl, boy likes girl.
"And that just wasn't me," said Beals. "But again, it was what R&B was to me at that time, not seeing any examples of a Black gay person or not even really [many] examples of gay people singing. I guess I went down that path of singing and got stuck in that realm."
Two decades into his music career, Beals is singing from a place of joy with lyrics that reflect who he is.
"It's liberating," he said. "I have such a deeper passion for music now because it's coming from an authentic place ... it's just me, Gary being Gary."
Besides Beals's Marquee show, he'll be performing on Feb. 24 at the African Heritage Month Gala Dinner at the Halifax Convention Centre.
Beals's fourth album, The Melody Within, was released last October. One of his favourite songs on the album is Self Revolution, which sounds like a 1960s soul song. The message of the song, said Beals, is that change comes from within.
"Embrace every part of yourself," said Beals. "Through embracing comes liberation, comes healing, comes growth."
Beals, who lives in Toronto, was raised in Cherry Brook, N.S. Growing up, he said music was a big part of his life. Whether it was music in the home or singing in the church choir, it was how Beals expressed himself.
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