Kyle Taylor Parker's I FEEL PRETTY Is Now Available From Broadway Records

Broadway Records announced today that "I Feel Pretty," the first single from Kyle Taylor Parker's upcoming debut album BROADWAY SOUL VOL. 1 is available now wherever music is sold digitally.

The single, which is being released to coincide with World Pride, is "a foot stomping gospel revival inspired by James Brown's "Say it Loud" and the famous RuPaul quote 'If you can't love yourself how in the hell you gonna love somebody else,'" says Parker. He continues: "As a black gay man I have spent too much time waiting on the world to validate my beauty. I've finally decided to celebrate it myself first, and hopefully by doing that it inspires others to do the same for themselves. This song is an anthem for people who don't see their beauty celebrated every day in the mainstream which is why I've chosen World Pride to share this message. I hope the song empowers people to own their unique beauty and walk out into the world everyday feeling Pretty and Proud."

The debut album from Kyle Taylor Parker, BROADWAY SOUL VOL. 1, will be released by Broadway Records in August, the exact date to be announced later.

With roots in the Midwest Kyle Taylor Parker's love for musical theatre began at the Milwaukee Public Library where he'd check out countless Broadway cast recordings, close his eyes and imagine what those legendary performances must have looked like. He cites recordings of Nell Carter, Lillias White, André De Shields and Billy Porter as being the sounds affirming his place on Broadway. At eighteen Kyle moved to New York City to train at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and pursue his dream of being a Broadway actor. A dream that came true in 2013 when Kyle made his Broadway debut in the cast of Kinky Boots. Originally cast as an Angel in the Broadway production, Kyle went on to headline the First National Tour of Kinky Boots as Lola and later became the first actor to replace Tony award-winning Billy Porter in the role on Broadway. Over the last decade Kyle has been seen on Broadway, Television, and on some of the most celebrated stages in the country including the Apollo and Radio City Music Hall. Kyle moved on from Kinky Boots to be featured in the original Broadway cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Smokey Joe's Cafe revival Off-Broadway, and NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar Live!" All of this while carving out a unique place for himself in the music scene by marrying his love of musical theatre and Soul/R&B. In 2017, Kyle started a series of YouTube videos called "The Soul Session" with collaborator Joshua Stephen Kartes. The pair would take popular songs from the Broadway cannon and outfit them as bona fide soul standards. This video series quickly became a live concert series and showcase of Kyle's unique powerhouse vocals; described by All About Jazz as "a clarion crisp voice... that lives on freedom rather than any fuel." His debut album, Broadway Soul Vol. 1 puts those soulful vocals on display while shining a light on his unique experience and perspective as an artist of color.

Broadway Records (Van Dean, President) is the Grammy winning record label dedicated to preserving musical theatre and theatre vocalists. Recent releases include the Grammy and Tony Award-winning The Color Purple (2015 revival), the Grammy nominated Matilda The Musical and Fiddler on the Roof (2015 revival), the Tony Award winning revival of Once On This Island, Anastasia, Bandstand, My Fair Lady, Groundhog Day, The Lightning Thief and NBC's television events, "The Wiz Live!" and "Peter Pan Live!". The label's critically-acclaimed "Live at Feinstein's/54 Below" series features top Broadway stars including Patti LuPone, Aaron Tveit, Annaleigh Ashford, Norbert Leo Butz, Sierra Boggess, Laura Benanti, Emily Skinner & Alice Ripley, Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp, Micky Dolenz and many others. Broadway Records launched the Broadway for Orlando initiative (in partnership with creators Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley) culminating in the all-star benefit single, "What the World Needs Now is Love," which leaped to #1 on iTunes with no radio airplay. Broadway Records philanthropic endeavors also include the From Broadway With Love benefit concerts for Sandy Hook, Orlando (Emmy Award for Sound) and Parkland. To learn more, visit BroadwayRecords.com.

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