John Levengood is back with a new single, and it could be the start of a new milestone in his career. Yes, being a fledgling pop star is fun and energetic, but artists also tend to use their voices to send a message. His new single, ‘Make Me Proud, America,’ is bound to have both sides of the country talking about the new tune. We all know how much Trump supporters and/or right-wing conservatives love seeing America, God and Gay in the same sentence.
Set against the keys of a piano, John Levengood’s vocals mesh with the soft rock and poignant pop melody of ‘Make Me Proud, America.’ The song starts with the lyrics “Little boy hand cuffed / Mom and dad tied up / In the back of an unmarked truck / Citizens gunned down / Reasoning not found / A copper scent fills the air in town.” Then he asks, “Why aren’t you up on your feet angry and shouting / Is this how democracy is to end / I pray to God America will make me proud.“
‘Make Me Proud, America’ is now available wherever music can be found including Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora and Tidal. To make it easier on you, just follow this link to pick your app.
Taken from the official press release, John Levengood comments on his new song:
“A country where ICE agents kill protesters without consequence and the president does not respect the constitution is not a country that deserves my love. I wrote this song as a plea to the American people to stay engaged, stay awake, and stay involved in shaping the future of our country. It reflects my belief that we can (and must) demand better from the systems and leaders that govern us. But nothing will change if we don’t raise our voices and take a stand.
I plan to vote YES in Virginia’s special election before April 21, 2026 through early voting. This is the start of a new period of music for me. I always use music as a form of therapy. A few years ago, I was making music to help me get through the personal tragedy of losing my father to pancreatic cancer. Now I am making music to help me get me through a tragedy we’re collectively living through on a daily basis.“
The full press release from his official website is available here.
Do you agree with his sentiments, America?
As I mentioned above, ‘Make Me Proud, America,’ is going to be a song that gets people talking. No matter what side of the debate you’re on, I think we can all say the current state of this country is not a great version of democracy. Or more-so the lack thereof. And, as always, it’s always one minority supporting another as seen with a gay singer trying to take on ICE. Maybe it’s because one marginalized group hates seeing the same loss of rights happen to someone else.
John Levengood is an eclectic performer hailing from Washington, DC. He’s a writer, singer and producer who has showstopped at Pride festivals and events around the country. He’s most known for his queer anthem ‘Say Gay.’