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Watch X Factor's Dylan Holloway share POWERFUL duets with his 'former self'
The musician has been documenting his journey as a trans man on social media.
A former X Factor contestant is earning renewed attention for his approach to embracing his trans identity — by recording duets with his "former self."
Dylan Holloway competed on season 9 of the reality series back in 2012. Together, he and Sim Dixon made up a duo that called themselves MK1, performing in several rounds of the show before getting the axe during week three.
In the years that followed, Holloway found his own path as a solo performer. And eventually, that path came to include embracing his gender identity.
"happy 1 year on testosterone to me," he posted to Instagram in June 2022. "I'm back, nice to meet you... again."
Now, Holloway records under the moniker Dylan and the Moon. He's also been actively sharing both his professional and personal journey on social media over the past several years. The two collide in a series of videos Holloway has been posting in which he revives old clips of him playing music and singing as what he refers to as his "former self," and adds his new voice to the sound.
While looking back at images from life before transitioning can be complex, if not outright painful, for a number of trans people, Holloway has ultimately come to have a different outlook.
"after coming out as a #transman I initially wanted to hide the past & move on," he admitted in one caption, "but I decided if I could help other people feel less alone then that's what I would do with my story instead."
In another video posted earlier this year, Holloway added that the reason he uses his old vocal recordings and videos like this is "because I want people to know that it's okay to embrace who you've been, 'cause they brought you to be who you are now."
"Be who you are. Love who you love," he said. "Fuck everything else."
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
Rachel Kiley is presumably a writer and definitely not a terminator. She can usually be found crying over queerbaiting in the Pitch Perfect franchise or on Twitter, if not both.
