Billy Porter recently appeared on The Kelly Clarkson show to promote his upcoming album Black Mona Lisa, and the Emmy and Tony award winner also dished on a plethora of topics, including growing up in the black church, using fashion as a political statement, speaking truth to power, using his voice to heal the world, temporarily losing his voice to acid reflux, and more.
Billy Porter will release his long-awaited new album, Black Mona Lisa, via Island UK / Republic Records on November 17, 2023. The album is executive produced by hitmaker Justin Tranter and is comprised of songs that tell Porter’s story authentically, with depth and nuance.
To herald the arrival of the record, Porter dropped a brand-new version of the fan favorite “Children.” “Children (WhatTime It Is),” features Black Acid Soul phenom Lady Blackbird. Billy and Lady Blackbird met via what Porter calls “divine order” at the House of Koko in London.
“What I love about Lady Blackbird, is that she sounds so good, like a modern-day, blonde Grace Jones,” said Porter. “Her music is aggressive. Her music has message and passion and it’s about something. Like me. We fit perfectly together.”
“This is the perfect time to release a new version of ‘Children.’” he continued. “Folks are trying to come for us LGBTQ people and we have news for them, ‘Don’t come for us unless we send for you.’ The time is now!”
Check out his interview with Kelly Clarkson and his performance of Children below...
Black Mona Lisa Tracklisting:
2. Children
3. Black Mona Lisa
5. Not Ashamed
6. Fashion
8. More To Learn
9. New Shoes
10. Funk Is On The One
11. Audacity