Interview with Roger Kuhn: His Journey Through Music, Memory, and Self-Love
We all carry childhood memories that shape who we become. Some are painful, some powerful, and many, like Roger Kuhn’s, are a bit of both. With his soul-stirring new single and music video, Ziggy, Kuhn invites us to revisit one of those moments with him: a memory of longing, denial, and eventual reclamation. The track is not just a tribute to glam rock icon David Bowie or the evocative novel Ziggy Stardust & Me… it’s a vibrant, deeply personal anthem of self-acceptance, healing, and queer Indigenous identity.
As listeners, we feel every note and lyric of Ziggy reverberate with emotion. But for Kuhn, the journey began long before the first chords. The song emerges as the foundation for a larger theatrical cabaret featuring his alter ego, Rocco Rolin: a creation as dazzling and dynamic as the legends that inspired him. “Rocco is flamboyance and glam. He’s chasing rock and roll dreams in a big city, living a life that’s sometimes gritty, sometimes glamorous,” Kuhn tells us. Through Rocco, Roger Kuhn not only explores alternate paths his life could have taken, but also celebrates the freedom to dream bigger and shine brighter.
David Bowie’s spirit hovers over the entire project. Like many of us, Kuhn first encountered Bowie in Labyrinth, and from there, his fascination grew. As he came into his own as a Two-Spirit artist, Kuhn found in Bowie a spiritual guide; one who embodied gender fluidity, outsider pride, and fearless authenticity. “Bowie inspires me to dream big, be weird, and fight for the underdog,” Kuhn says. It’s a mantra we all need.
One of the most powerful scenes in the Ziggy music video reimagines a moment from Kuhn’s childhood: being denied a Cabbage Patch Kid doll by an abusive father who insisted boys shouldn’t play with dolls. But Kuhn never saw himself strictly as a boy or a girl. He was somewhere in between. And now, as an adult, he’s rewriting that story on his own terms. “The poem and video were my way to process this memory,” he explains. “To finally tell it as I would’ve wanted it told.”
The setting for Ziggy’s visual rebirth? Kuhn’s tribal homelands in Alabama. Surrounded by the warmth and strength of his own family (his mother, sisters, cousins, niece, and husband are featured in the video alongside his uncle and nephew who portray Rocco), it’s a full-circle moment of ancestral and personal reclamation. “To them I’ll always be Rog,” he smiles. “But with this project, I got to introduce them to Rocco Rolin.” A name that’s not just rockstar-worthy, but rooted in family: the surname “Rolin” is his mother’s maiden name.
There’s power in such visibility. And there’s a message that echoes through every frame of Ziggy: it’s never too late to become who you are. Kuhn’s lived many lives. He’s a musician, an activist, a PhD, a son, a lover, and now, a guiding light for the next generation. For queer Indigenous youth watching Ziggy, Kuhn hopes to plant a seed of hope. “Be true to who you are,” he says. “That is the greatest accomplishment of all.”
Find more about Roger Kuhn at rogerkuhn.com. Ziggy is available to stream on all major music platforms. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Roger Kuhn and Project Publicity.
