Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Mykal Kilgore has returned with “The Man in the Barbershop,” his first single in two years.
Over a soulful production — helmed by Jamison Ross, Cory Irvin, and John Michael Rouchell — Kilgore opens up about his experiences at the barbershop as a Black gay man. He specifically talks about crushing on an attractive man at the shop.
“I’m writing a song for the man in the barbershop / Who sat in the chair by the door / He don’t come around here no more (Not anymore) / But he stays on my mind,” Kilgore sings on the chorus.
Speaking on his new single, Kilgore said in a statement, “Black men are beautiful. When you’re sitting in a barbershop you get to see every flavor of Black man. This song is about seeing someone that is so beautiful that he makes you fantasize.”
He added, “I wanted to write a fantasy and even though it isn’t a fulfilled desire, I like that in a space like a barbershop I can fantasize in peace.”
Kilgore also released a video to support his new track. In the Alexander Golden-directed video, Kilgore plays a barber who muses about spending some one-on-one time with a new client.
In 2019, the Florida native released his debut album, A Man Born Black. It included his single “Let Me Go,” which was nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 63rd Grammy Awards.
On October 2, Kilgore will kick off his headlining tour at Vinyl in Atlanta. He will perform across the U.S., hitting major cities such as Chicago, San Fransisco and New York City.
Listen to Mykal Kilgore’s new track “The Man in the Barbershop” below. Watch the video above.
