Olly Alexander is on his way to Dublin… and GCN is giving away two tickets to a lucky reader! The acclaimed singer and performer is set to take the stage on Tuesday, April 1, in the 3Olympia Theatre, bringing his electrifying new album Polari to life.
This marks his first album under his own name, having previously performed as Years & Years. The project is a bold, deeply personal exploration of identity, self-expression, and queer history, wrapped in club-ready pop sounds.
Polari is a tribute to the (almost) lost coded slang once used by gay men in post-war Britain. The language peaked before the UK’s legalisation of homosexuality in 1967. Eventually, polari bled into the current mainstream slang, lending the British vocabulary fabulous new words you might recognise like ‘shady’, ‘camp’ and ‘drag’.
Olly shared that this language resonated deeply with him when he played Richie in BBC’s hit TV show It’s a Sin. Collaborating with producer Danny L Harle, Olly has crafted an album that seamlessly bridges past and present, drawing from the pioneering queer pop of the 1980s while embracing the vibrant energy of today’s electronic music.
Expect a night filled with anthems like ‘Cupid’s Bow’, a hypnotic ode to desire and cruising, and his Eurovision hit ‘Dizzy’, a Pet Shop Boys-inspired tune. From the melancholic drive of ‘Archangel’ to the tender beauty of ‘Whisper In The Waves’, Olly’s set promises heart-racing dance floor moments.
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Having headlined arenas and festivals worldwide and collaborated with icons like Elton John and Kylie Minogue, Olly Alexander has solidified his place as a pop icon. With Polari, he offers his most personal work yet on an album that celebrates queer joy, history, and love in all its forms.
Tickets for Olly Alexander’s Dublin show are available here, but for a chance to win a pair thanks to Universal Music Ireland, simply answer the following question:
What was the name of Olly’s character in the hit TV show It’s a Sin?
The competition closes at midnight on Sunday, March 30, 2025. Winners will be contacted directly and shared on social media.
By submitting this form, you give GCN consent to process your personal information for the purposes of conducting this competition. More information on how we protect your privacy can be found here.
© 2025 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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