Ari Gold Dead: pioneering LGBTQ artist was 47

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Ari Gold, the pioneering LGBTQ artist who sang the backing vocals of Diana Ross and Cyndi Lauper, has died of leukemia, World of Wonder Productions confirmed to Variety. He was 47 years old.

World of Wonder, the production company behind “RuPaul’s Drag Race”, worked closely with Gold on their collaborations with RuPaul. “Ari was a queer pioneer whose fierce independence and kind soul have been an inspiration to many,” World of Wonder co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey said in a statement to Variety.

“Until we meet again, dear friend,” RuPaul wrote on his Twitter page, sharing a series of tweets dedicated to gold. He also shared that he had spoken with Gold a few days before his death, writing “Spoken with @SirAriGold this morning. He said “Isn’t God amazing, Ru?” I said yes, absolutely.

The two were close and Gold had mentioned Ru during his podcast series, “A Kiki from the Cancer Ward.”

Gold is best known for the 2007 single “Where The Music Takes You”. He released seven albums during his career and collaborations, including with Boy George, Diana Ross, and Cyndi Lauper.

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Gold landed his first professional job on the CBS children’s recording “Pot Belly Bear: Song and Stories.” He continued to record jingles, but it was his presence in the New York club scene where Gold started to make a name for himself. He performs frequently at Joe’s Pub, Pyramid and Starlight.

In 2001, he released his self-titled album, followed by “Space Under Sun” in 2004 with the song “Fan-Tastic”, which he dedicated to Madonna. His music has become dance floor hits.

While Gold continued to write music, he also served as musical director and composer of the 2006 documentary, “Fabulous! The history of queer cinema. A year later, he would star in RuPaul’s “Starbooty”.

Along with music, Gold has spent time celebrating his gay pride not only through music, but through his activism within the LGBTQ community. He has worked with homeless gay youth and helped raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.

Shortly after her diagnosis, Gold shared her experience in NewNowNext. “I really try to live each day like it’s my last,” Gold wrote. He added, “No one wants to have cancer. This may be the one thing we can all agree on. (Even Trump supporters don’t want cancer!) But no one wants to grow up gay in their ’80s in a religious house like me, either. I lived each day of my closed teenage years thinking that who I was would disappoint, scare and upset everyone I loved in my life.

Gold also wrote about his activism and reflected on his experience as a gay teenager: “I have vowed to devote my entire adult life to making sure children (and adults) don’t feel like I do. ‘had grown up. “

Laverne Cox paid tribute to Gold, writing, “So many memories. Some of my favorites would be when we were at the club in the ’90s talking about intersectional and queer feminist theory in a corner for far too long. You played your demos for me in your apartment on West 16th Street before releasing your first album. It is endless. You’ve been there for so many times of my life.



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