Dressed Like Boys brings his debut album to Germany

Jelle Denturck is a Belgian musician best known as the frontman of the indie rock band DIRK. But within the band context, the former philosophy student never had the chance to fully explore his deeper thoughts or offer highly personal insights. A solo project was needed – and so Dressed Like Boys was born. A project that now stands on the verge of releasing its very first solo debut album.

Dressed Like Boys emerged from a moment of hopelessness, when Denturck felt stuck. Detached from DIRK., he managed to reflect on intimate thoughts and wrap themes such as self-acceptance and life as a queer person into poetic lyrics and a softer sonic palette. The timeless singer/songwriter sound draws inspiration from legendary artists like Elton John, David Bowie, John Lennon, Nina Simone, and Sufjan Stevens. Denturck blends elements of the 70s with modern pop sensibilities, allowing himself to sound gentler than with DIRK.

From odes to his homeland, to the dark times following his mother’s death, to struggles with addiction in his circle of friends, the upcoming album Dressed Like Boys captures significant episodes in the Belgian’s life. Recently, he released the striking double single Pride and Stonewall Riots Forever, shining a light on key moments in queer history. On August 29, the full record will follow, before Denturck takes Dressed Like Boys on tour just a few months later — including three stops in Germany this November. The shows are presented by diffus.de and Sounds & Books.