By Denny Patterson
In honor of both AAPI Heritage and Pride Month, queer pop sensation Thomas Orlina dropped a new track titled “Tell Me Your Name,” which is quickly becoming the song of the summer.
Marking Orlina’s fifth studio single, the pop-EDM project is showing his fanbase a more mature side to his music artistry. This newer direction gave Orlina an opportunity to express himself in ways he’s never done before, with an edgier sound and hyper-sexual lyrics that help listeners enter their own fantasy world.
Orlina teamed up with songwriter Christopher Bugna for “Tell Me Your Name,” and an accompanying music video was released on June 14, 2024. Directed by Orlina himself, the visual depicts him exploring his sexuality, toying around with his flirtatious side, and showcases elements of classic 2000s pop hits with a modern twist.
Initially rising to fame on YouTube with his docuseries Your Time with Thomas, Orlina has been candid about challenges that come with sharing his life on the internet. From his coming out story to mental health struggles, the singer has been vocal about how the internet can be a double-edged sword. With “Tell Me Your Name,” Orlina is turning over a new leaf and regaining power by caring less about what others think.
He recently caught up with OutClique to discuss the new single, his passion for entertaining, and his drive to help and create positive change for others.
Denny Patterson: Let’s begin by chatting about your new pop single, “Tell Me Your Name.” How exciting has it been to put this project out into the world?
Thomas Orlina: I’m very excited! The last time we spoke, I was releasing a song about mental health, and when my songwriter presented this to me, I was like, I don’t really want to do it because it’s a little sexier than anything I’ve done before. It’s racy in some ways, and the lyrics are very mature. But this year, I felt like this was the song I wanted to put out into the atmosphere because as an artist, I sometimes feel like we get clogged with what people think about us, and it truly takes away from our creativity. I thought, alright, I’m just going to do this project, have fun with it, and not care too much about what people think. I had so much fun with it, and “Tell Me Your Name” is really where I’m at in my life and career.
Denny Patterson: What do you ultimately hope audiences take away from the song?
Thomas Orlina: I hope my audiences feel free because that’s where I’m at right now. I don’t really care that much about what people think of me. I’ve spent my whole life doing that, and I think that deteriorates creative freedom. I just hope people have fun with it. I’ve heard feedback on social media that people love working out to it, they love pregaming to it, and they love listening to it in the car. I hope everybody feels good and genuinely happy when they hear the song.
Denny Patterson: Would you say this is your most important project yet?
Thomas Orlina: I would say so. I’ve always loved singing and performing, but I never put my heart and soul into it until the pandemic. We were at home kind of thinking about what we’re going to do and where our lives are going to take us. So, with this project, when you look at everything that I’ve done and lay everything out, this is probably the most important because it truly shows another side to me that people maybe didn’t know about. I am very sexual and I do love playing with that entire part of our lives, so I think when you see the video, which came out on June 14, people are going to love it.
Denny Patterson: The visual for “Tell Me Your Name” was your directorial debut. What was that experience like for you?
Thomas Orlina: It was so much fun! We shot the video in downtown Los Angeles, and my producer that helped me create the video, Jimmy Page; he worked with me on “Brush It Off,” which was my first single, so it was nice to work with him again on something completely different. If we compare the videos, it’s like apples and oranges (laughs), but I definitely had so much fun because I am a producer. I definitely see the vision for things, but to actually direct and have that full, start to finish vision with what I’m doing, it felt very nice. We wanted to add some fashion to it, so you’ll see a lot of denim because I love the denim on denim look. It’s very 2000s, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake kind of vibe. Then you’ll see in the video that I’m wearing red latex, which is a nod to “Oops!…I Did It Again.” I said this in the past, but Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Justin Bieber are the three that have inspired my music. So, it was fun to be on different sets and do different looks, and my dancers and all the extras truly made the video come to life. I’m just so proud of this project.
Denny Patterson: You said you really put your heart and soul into your music during the pandemic, but singing and songwriting was a passion of yours even before that?
Thomas Orlina: Yes. One of my biggest regrets is not doing this sooner. I went to college and got a degree after high school, but if I had gone the artists route from the beginning, I’m not sure where my career would be. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, so I am very grateful. I’ve been singing since I was around five years old. I was in the high school choir, and music has always been important. I’ve always been like a pop culture guru, so I’d be reading the tabloids and hardcopy magazines, and I’ve always been fascinated with it. Now to be on the covers of a couple, everything came full circle. They say don’t live life with regret, so I just think everything happens for a reason.
Denny Patterson: Where did your drive to help others and create positive change come from?
Thomas Orlina: I went through a lot as a kid. I definitely got bullied as an Asian American, and we recently passed AAPI Month, which is another important month for me and a lot of other people. I think it’s important to have a voice and feel confident using that voice. I’ve always been somebody that wanted to be that person for other people. I don’t want people to go through what I went through. If I can help people have better lives or deal with situations better, that’s just innate to my personality. Oftentimes, and I’ve said this before, I get really misunderstood by so many people because I think on social media specifically, we don’t constantly post our woes. I don’t see anybody post anything back to back that’s tragic. For me, social media has become a place to show a lot of positive things that are going on, which many people do, so a lot of it gets misconstrued. I’ve always been a very misunderstood person, which is sometimes tough for my partner to deal with, but at the end of the day, I think wanting to do better, learning from your mistakes, moving forward, having a great therapist, and having a great mindset is so important.
Denny Patterson: What more do you hope to do to amplify voices in the Asian American and LGBTQ+ communities?
Thomas Orlina: I have worked with some nonprofits, so I think that’s definitely my mission. I’m working with one right now called the Asian Mental Health Project, which is super important. They’re a great organization that helps to amplify the mental health message, and I am working with another Filipino American organization that helps amplify the Filipino voice and people of all walks of life. I’m taking those steps to go into the meetings and hear people’s stories. I don’t want to be an advocate that just slaps on advocate to what I’m doing. I want to do the work for it, so I’ve taken the steps this year to partner with people that I feel aligned with my vibe and mission. I also want to attend more community events and just kind of lend my story. I’ve been asked to do some panels, which I’ve never done before, so I think that’s where I could potentially excel because I have a lot to say. It just makes me feel good inside to help other people because life is so hard on its own. If I can help alleviate some of the anxiety that people have on a day-to-day basis, then I want to continue doing that for the rest of my life.
Stay up-to-date and connect with Orlina by following him on Instagram and TikTok @ThomasOrlina, or visit ThomasOrlina.com.
