Bryce Xavier Gets Vulnerable on 'It's Been a Good Game'

Songs tackle identity, sexuality, family, friendship, love and loss, sung with an innocence that pulls you closer. Xavier’s voice, delivered delicately as if whispering a secret for your ears only, putters above ’80s-inspired production with soft, sparkly synths. On EP highlight “The Duality of Man,” Xavier perfects this formula, gliding through the melodies with a signature nonchalance. “Keep it moving, baby,” he repeats, a mantra and motto for this chapter of his life.

Below, Xavier brings PAPER all the way through It’s Been a Good Game, track by track. "In the end, I did my best with what I had," he says on the EP closer and title track. "And I’ll never feel like a failure because I tried."

"Praise the Silver Sphere"

"I wrote this song after a long night out with friends. All the bars were closing, but as everyone hopped in their Lyfts and headed home, I decided to go to a bar nearby that I've always felt at home at. I was dealing with accepting that someone who was really important in my life would no longer be around and was constantly asking myself, 'Who are you without this person?' The second I got inside, I found myself mindlessly dancing to 'Only You' by Yazoo, looking at a mirror under the disco ball and reminding myself of my own worth — that out of all the people here, and all the people that would ever know me, I needed to be my favorite person first. I rushed home and started writing, 'Praise The Silver Sphere,' a song about loving yourself, taking your own breathe away, all under the shine and sparkle of an '80s bar's favorite decor."

"We Will Never Be the Same"

"This one is a favorite for me. This song is about frustration and detaching from someone who no longer is healthy for you. Boundaries are important for me and for so long I let loved ones walk over them, but this song really was a catalyst for change. I realized my own worth throughout this song's birth and I’m proud of the person I am now that it’s being released."

"Sharp"

"If you’ve ever loved deeply, I’m sure you’ve been hurt just as hard. I wrote this one reflecting on all my relationships and how sometimes you forget to take care of yourself when you’re prioritizing a partner's feelings, and sometimes that weight can become too much to carry and a bit impossible. Love truly can be 'Sharp' sometimes, but growing together (and separately) will induce change that’s needed to keep the love there."

"Bite the Bullet (feat. Inaya Ashanti)"

"This song truly isn’t one that has some obscure, deep meaning to dissect. I wrote it to dance and to feel good, and to grab someone by the waist and pull them close into your space and energy. Inaya Ashanti really packed a punch on her verse and it came together so beautifully because we trust each other creatively. I’m sure this will be a favorite."

"Duality of Man"

"If there’s any song on the project I can stress for anyone to listen to, it would be 'Duality of Man.' I think we forget sometimes that we aren’t always the person we think we are, in conflict, in true happiness and whatever else we’re going through. Our moods and motives both change. This song is a reminder and was a push for all the girlfriends in my life that the men they date are no exception. I can’t speak for every single one, but the guys are doing the straight girls a bit treacherous lately, more than usual. So if your man isn’t acting right, drop him and turn this song on."

"See Me Like Her (feat. Miki Ratsula)"

"'See Me Like Her' is a reflection on the heartbreak that can come when dating someone that has not yet come to terms with their sexuality. I’m thankful that growing up I’ve always been cherished by my family to be my true self. One of the first guys I ever 'talked to' or 'dated' (because does it really count when you’re a teenager?) basically left me high and dry because he was scared to admit he didn’t like girls the way he thought he did. I think this song is an experience most queer people have had when coming of age, which is why I reached out to Miki Ratsula to join me on this version. They made this song complete."

"To Love a Man"

"This song is the love song on the project — about how no matter who didn’t accept my relationship and who wouldn’t stand by and stick up for it, it was still going to work because it was meant to happen. Other people's personal believes wouldn’t shake or affect me mentally the way they wish it did. The internet's opinion, people that try to hide queerness and act like it doesn’t exist's opinion were null."

"It’s Been a Good Game"

"This song ends how the project began, with me. It’s about my personal growth at the end of the day and how proud I am of myself for getting through so much over the last three years. My papa died, then my aunt, then my close friend and it tore me down. It was so much to deal with in three years, especially entering my twenties, but I didn’t let it stop me. I used the hurt and the lessons I learned to make sure I lived a good life and make sure I continue to do so. In the end, I did my best with what I had and I’ll never feel like a failure because I tried."

Photography: Jerry Maestas