In Your Love

I saw on Colton Haynes’ Instagram a post about a music video he had done for the new Tyler Childers song, “In Your Love.” I no longer keep up to date with country music, so I was not familiar with Tyler Childers or his music. Wikipedia describes his music as “a mix of neotraditional country, bluegrass, and folk.” I didn’t know what to expect when I searched for the song to watch the music video. I certainly wasn’t expecting a video set in 1950s Appalachia chronicling the romance between two male coal miners. I was also not expecting how much it pulled at my heartstrings. I was in tears by the end, so be forewarned. I hope you will watch it anyway.

Last week, Jason Aldean’s release of a disgusting video of fearmongering and aggression dominated the conversation. Childers release is the antithesis to that with a moving, cinematic clip for his new song “In Your Love.” Just under five minutes in length, the video has the ability to emotionally wreck you as it watches the men fall in love, grapple with the violent reactions of their co-workers, and ultimately launch a new life together on a country farm. It features a romantic and ultimately heartbreaking love story between two men: “Arrow” star Colton Haynes and “You’s” James Scully. 

The storyline comes from Silas House, the Poet Laureate of Kentucky, who wrote the video’s story from an idea he had with his husband, Jason Kyle Howard. A statement from House about the video, directed by Bryan Schlam and starring Colton Haynes and James Scully, echoes the desire for representation in country music that many still find themselves denied. “As a gay teenager who loved country music, I could have never imagined seeing myself in a video. That visibility matters,” House said. “Tyler and I both felt the attention to detail about rural life was very important, so we made sure that the house and the people looked realistic for the time period instead of the stereotypes of country people that have become so ingrained in the public consciousness… We wanted to tell as complex a story as we could in four minutes, not only about a gay couple but also about rural people. We wanted to show their joy and their sorrow—all the things that make up a complex life. Too often, simplistic notions are pushed about both rural and LGBTQ people, so we did everything we could to make this story as rich and layered as possible.”