Achi news desk-
Music legend Nile Rodgers has said he knew writing the track “I’m Coming Out” for Diana Ross would have a direct impact on the gay community.
The 71-year-old producer, writer and guitarist took to his YouTube channel to share the origins of the hit song, which was released as a single in 1980.
Rodgers said it was Barnum Room GG, a predominantly transgender club in New York, which he describes as “underground” and “super cool and hip”, because it played “the best music in town”.
While in the toilets, Rodgers was inspired after seeing six or seven Diana Ross impersonators. But, at the time, he had yet to work with any major stars and was mainly known for co-founding Chic, who released the dance anthem “Le Freak” in 1978, and for his work on Sister Sledge’s “He’s the Greatest Dancer”, which came out the following year.
However, he knew that Diana Ross was respected by the gay community “and [that] if we wrote a song called ‘I’m Coming Out’ for [her]it would have the same power as ‘Say it Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud’ by James Brown.”
The following day, Rodgers met record producer and bass player Bernard Edwards in the studio, and played him the legendary hook.
The hook went on to “build a song that ended up being an anthem”, he added.
Rodgers has worked with a variety of stars, including most recently Pharrell Williams, Avicii, Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera.
In 2017, he shared a social media post about George Michael – who was officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November – who he had been working with the day before the old Wham! the death of a star.
