(LOVE)LOUD AND PROUD

On the heels of its fourth Loveloud Festival, there’s no stopping Loveloud, a 501c3 devoted to LGBTQ+ youth that has big plans. Proceeds from the Salt Lake City organization have already helped ban conversion therapy in Utah, and executive director Clarissa Savage is determined to keep moving mountains until there’s no longer a need to do so. “We’re playing the long game,” she tells HITS. “We’re taking these steps so that one day everyone can be accepted for who they are without the help of Loveloud.”

May’s festival served as a celebration of its most diverse lineup yet, bringing together artists and allies from many corners of the LGBTQ+ community. While Savage is grateful for the built-in fanbase that comes from the festival’s creator, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, she was thrilled to widen the scope. “We’ve wanted to steer this ship away from just riding on the back of Imagine Dragons and really focus on the queer community and our LGBTQ+ artists,” she explains.

Seen feeling festive above are (l-r) Live Nation Salt Lake City's Trent Falcone and Adam Baronfeld, Wasserman Music agent/Loveloud Festival chair Corrie Martin, Imagine Dragons frontman/Loveloud chairman Reynolds, Neon Trees lead singer/Loveloud vice chair Tyler Glenn and Savage.

This year’s performers included Reynolds, WILLOW, Anitta, Neon Trees, Mat & Savanna Shaw, David Archuleta, morgxn, Parson James, Silver Cup and The Encircle Youth Choir, as well as Jakk Fynn and Storyboards, two trans artists who opened the main stage. “Having trans representation mattered a lot,” Savage says. “Storyboards said she wouldn’t have believed me if I told her two years ago that she’d be playing on a big stage at a festival. She didn’t think there was a place for a trans artist to be a pop star.” After Storyboards’ set, lines of trans kids formed to thank her for being there.

According to Savage, eventgoers of all ages also seemed particularly moved by Archuleta, whose set marked the first time he’d been on a stage as an openly queer person. “There was so much emotion,” she says. Speakers Rachel Slawson, a former Miss Utah and the first openly queer Miss USA contestant, and Devon Rouse, the first openly gay NASCAR driver, shared their stories.

Neon Trees’ Glenn hits a high note

Unfortunately, ticket sales were down after a two-year hiatus. In the shadow of the pandemic, Savage says, “We had everything going against us. We were basically starting from ground zero.” Nonetheless, she says Loveloud 2022 was incredibly well received by attendees—so she’s looking at the reduced numbers as fuel for growing into something even greater.

A Loveland tour is not out of the question. “Our goal has always been to expand outside of Utah,” she says. “We know we’ve made a difference there. We’ve seen changes in local government. We’ve seen the orthodox community become more accepting. We’ve seen the suicide rate drop. This might be an opportunity to look at our model and ask if what we’re doing is what’s most beneficial for our nonprofits that have boots on the ground 12 months a year.”

The lemons-into-lemonade approach appears to be Savage’s modus operandi. When clips of Rouse’s appearance generated hate online despite the applause he received on the Loveloud grounds, Savage immediately looked for the teachable moment. “That was a big reminder to me,” she says. “We need to make sure that voices like Devon’s are heard. We forget that an area like NASCAR needs a light shone on it, too.”

Rachel Slawson opens up

Savage puts her all into developing an atmosphere that is both family-friendly and conducive to tough conversations. Her team did cultural-competency training months in advance. Some, including Savage, had sensory training as well. They also partnered with KultureCity to get the festival certified to support adults and children with sensory needs. “We just wanted this feeling of love to surround the whole event,” she says. And if that isn’t warm and fuzzy enough for you, know that there were 15 emotional-support golden retrievers roaming the site—one of which was given away to a deserving individual.

In the wake of the festival, Loveloud is partnering with multiple companies and working on various Pride events nationwide, with details TBA. Meanwhile, Savage's team is putting together a happening to coincide with October's National Coming Out Day. “We’re developing a variety of moments within different communities throughout the year,” she says. They’re also coming up with co-branded merch opportunities with a slew of artists and consulting like-minded groups, figuring out ways to amplify marginalized voices by pulling from Loveloud’s network of talent and influencers.

There’s a lot in progress. Keep an eye on Loveloud. These dark times call for benevolence—and frolicking puppies.

Stage photos by Melissa Majchrzak/Getty; red carpet by Hoku Curnan