I didn’t believe in God. Until now, that is. The proof was sitting there in QUEERGURU’S inbox. It was a note that Grammy-nominated music artist and Broadway performer Claybourne Elder has unveiled his debut solo album, If the Stars Were Mine. I mean, how can one person be so handsome, so very talented and cool as hell, if there wasn’t a God? As I sat listening to the tracks, I couldn’t stop muttering how unfair it all seemed. Plus, as we had actually interviewed him back in 2024 when he was performing in Provincetown, we knew that this 43-year-old ex-Mormon from Utah was also disarmingly charming
Regarding his inspiration for the album, Elder says, “To me, the songs feel like journal entries. I’ve always lived somewhere between a song and a punchline, and this album holds those contradictions without apology: faith and queerness, humor and longing, Broadway and Whitney Houston. It’s not a playlist—it’s a map of my heart. If someone listens and recognizes a piece of themselves, or feels a little less alone for three minutes at a time—that would be enough for me. I’ve gotten to hide inside some great characters in my career–someone else’s feelings, someone else’s story. Now I’m taking those words and making them my own.”
Of the album, Elder continues, “If the Stars Were Mine’ started as a song I sing to my son at bedtime—something I’ve done almost every night of his life. I had gotten so used to singing in front of people that sitting in the quiet dark with him and singing reminded me of how lovely and intimate a song can be. When I set out to make this album, I wanted to make music that had that intimacy and felt more like me than a character.”
To celebrate the release of his debut album, Claybourne will perform a series of album release concerts at New York’s legendary cabaret venue 54 Below that kick off tonight. Known for evenings that critics have described as effortless, emotionally resonant, and laugh-out-loud funny, Claybourne blends masterful storytelling and his richly expressive voice. Claybourne will perform selections from If the Stars Were Mine with live shows at 54 Below April 3, 4 and 15.
Beyond the stage and screen, Elder is the founder of City of Strangers, an initiative that provides free Broadway tickets to people who might not otherwise have access. The program has given away more than 3,500 tickets and has received national attention from This American Life, CBS This Morning, and The Kelly Clarkson Show. …..(He has to have some faults too., that we have yet to discover) Oh yes…… he’s MARRIED.
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