Pop Artist Jakk Fynn Marks Trans Day Of Visibility With Chilling New Video

The Los Angeles-based musician says his new single “Take My Heart” highlights “society’s fixation on bodies and erasure of identities.”
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Jakk Fynn says he “found relief in daydreaming, cross-dressing and music” as a transmasculine teenager growing up in a Mexican American family. He’d like audiences to find similar comfort in his latest musical endeavors.

On Friday, the Los Angeles-based pop musician unveiled the music video for his new single, “Take My Heart.” In the clip, he plays both a bride in a black wedding gown and a tuxedoed groom. Alternating shots show him as both a chambermaid and a well-healed, cigar-puffing employer.

In an interview with HuffPost, Fynn said he got the inspiration for “Take My Heart” after a heated argument with a family member. As for the song’s video, he worked with director Candice Dalsing to offer a nonlinear narrative about “society’s fixation on bodies and erasure of identities.”

“Being trans and neurodivergent in an unaccepting family is hard enough, but unspoken competition amongst some members has led to my identity being weaponized against me, which has been extra hurtful,” explained Fynn, who lists Charli XCX, Rina Sawayama and SZA as musical influences. “So ultimately, this song reflects on these toxic cycles.”

Watch the video for “Take My Heart” below.

“Take My Heart” is being released this week to coincide with Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31. Since 2009, this day has been observed as a celebration of the accomplishments of trans and gender-nonconforming people.

From a pop cultural perspective, transgender people are more visible than ever, with mainstream stars like Laverne Cox, Kim Petras and Michaela Jaé Rodriguez breaking barriers in Hollywood and beyond.

Of course, those cultural triumphs can’t obscure the fraught reality for many members of the trans community. At least 10 states ― including Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Utah ― have recently passed laws or policies that restrict transgender health care for minors. On Wednesday, Kentucky lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto and passed a sweeping bill that prohibits trans students from using bathrooms that align with the gender identity, among other restrictions.

Though Transgender Day of Visibility has usually provided Fynn with an opportunity to “celebrate, share, and rally for progress,” he acknowledged that this year feels “exceptionally heavy,” given the amount of anti-trans legislation that has been proposed and, in some cases, passed.

“On one side of the coin this hateful rhetoric and fear of the other is so depressing, dangerous, and regressive,” he said. “Yet on the flip side, I try to remind myself that this backlash is an unfortunate byproduct of the fact that our visibility is increasing.”

As for his main aim as an artist, he added: “Honestly, all I ever want with my music is for it to feel relatable. If I can coax a foot tap, head nod, or sing-along out of someone, then I’ll totally take that, too.”

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