Former teen pop star Cody Simpson has revealed he has “an affinity for drag” that is showcased in a new music video directed by girlfriend Miley Cyrus.
The 23-year-old explores his femininity in the video for “Captain’s Dance With the Devil,” a song inspired by Simpson’s poetry collection Prince Neptune. It was shot while the couple is in isolation at their Los Angeles home.
In a reply to a comment on Instagram, Simpson explained the video depicts “the captain/sailor’s struggle with personal freedom at a time long ago in which this wasn’t accepted, and you would in turn be vilified or condemned (often killed) for breaking apart from societal convention and proposed expectations or standards of ‘masculinity.’ In this case the Captain’s (and my own personal) affinity for drag.”
Simpson added: “This message is intended to inspire others to be, act and dress however they please.”
The Australian singer told Vogue his exploration of femininity was sparked by seeing Cyrus organizing her lipstick collection in their bathroom.
“I picked up a stick having never looked at one so discerningly before, taken aback by the art of the packaging, the beauty of the Nars symbol embedded in the side, and remarking at how disappointed I’d be to see it ruined once used,” he said.
“This led to my curiosity in the art of makeup, and being educated by Miley on the process of ‘beating your mug’ and, in particular, the art of drag. It was then that the character of ‘Rebecca’ was born.”
A former competitive swimmer, Simpson was discovered after posting cover songs on YouTube. He released three studio albums between 2012 and 2015. He competed on Season 18 of Dancing With the Stars, had a run as Dmitry in the Broadway musical Anastasia last year and won the first season of the Australian version of The Masked Singer.
Watch the video for "Captain's Dance With the Devil" below: