A bold new voice is rising from Nashville — and it’s singing the truth. Country singer David Michael Hawkins is stepping into the spotlight with “Sin,” his deeply personal new single, released this Pride Month and just days ahead of National HIV Testing Day on June 27.
The song lays bare Hawkins’ experiences as an openly gay, HIV-positive man in the country music scene.
In a statement leading up to the song’s debut, he said,
“I wrote ‘Sin’ because I know there are other young LGBTQIA youth struggling to love themselves. I know there are addicts that think they are too far gone to change. And I know there are people with an HIV diagnosis that think no one will ever love them. I want them to know they aren’t alone.”
At 39, sober and newly married, Hawkins reflects on trauma, addiction, and the stigma that marked his earlier life. He sings about the moment he told his mother he was going to get tested, the shame of his diagnosis, and the path to healing. As the first openly HIV-positive country artist, Hawkins isn’t trying to get radio play.
He says,
“The song is meant for queer people who hear themselves in the lyrics. It’s meant for people, like me, who were raised on country music, who can finally relate to a song they choose to stream. As far as Nashville goes, I wish I could proclaim from the proverbial rooftop: Nashville is super queer!”
Through raw lyrics and honest storytelling, “Sin” becomes more than a song — it’s a lifeline. You can stream “Sin” now wherever you get your music.
