New Prince in Town

Performing artists, from Liberace to Boy George, from Elton John to Kiss, have often been the first to question conventional male looks, to subvert gender stereotypes or to pioneer innovative, jazzy fashions for men. 

 The degree of tolerance we enjoy today is due, to a great extent, to their boldness. (Yes, I know there's still a long way to go, in the quest for total fashion freedom for men)

Even today, it is often pop singers,  rockers, and show biz people in general who display the most audacious looks and anticipate styles that may (or may not) reach the "mainstream".


Among them, Virginian singer John Quale proves that fashions do return: his Eighteenth-century-inspired character, Prince Poppycock, recently took a Reality-show jury by storm as he showed up wearing makeup, wig, and a bright green livery.


His looks are, paradoxically, among the most forward-looking of today's music market.

Just as myself, John has a background in opera, so he sings an updated version of "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's Barber of Seville:



And this is John, as opposed to his alter ego, the fanciful Prince, without makeup, but not necessarily without mask:



Other New Male performers from previous postings:


Craig Template


Bill Kaulitz