Country music has never been a particularly safe space for queer folks — especially those living with HIV. But David Michael Hawkins isn't asking for permission. He's telling his story anyway.
On June 20, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter releases "Sin," a raw, defiant country ballad that doubles as a reckoning. Written with his husband, Alex, and longtime friend Carrie Brockwell, the single lands just in time for Pride Month and ahead of National HIV Testing Day (June 27). And while the timing is intentional, "Sin" isn't about performative visibility — it's about hard-won truth.
Behind the Music: The Story That Shaped “Sin”
"I wrote 'Sin' because I know there are other young LGBTQ+ youth struggling to love themselves. I know there are addicts who think they are too far gone to change. And I know there are people with an HIV diagnosis who think no one will ever love them," says Hawkins. "I want them to know they aren't alone, and I understand their pain. And that there is hope even at the darkest times."
Growing up gay in the Deep South in the 1990s, Hawkins was no stranger to cruelty. By 11, he was already enduring physical violence from classmates — brushed off by teachers as "boys being boys." As he grew older, the trauma didn't fade. At 28, he was hospitalized with full-blown AIDS, his viral load topping 20 million. He was battling Kaposi Sarcoma and barely survived.
That would be enough for most people to fold. But not David. After escaping an abusive relationship and getting sober, he moved back to South Carolina, came out publicly as HIV-positive, and started rebuilding from the ground up.
From Surviving to Thriving
Now, nearly a decade later, he's not just surviving — he's thriving. He's sober. He's married. And he's turning pain into purpose.
Country music is built on truth, but so many of us have been told our truth doesn't belong. 'Sin' is Hawnkins' way of saying — yes, it does. And I'm not hiding anymore.
This isn't Hawkins' first time pushing the genre's boundaries. His 2022 single "Pretty Boy," written by Grammy and CMA nominee Hailey Whitters, gave queer heartbreak a seat at the table. His six-song Patsy Cline tribute EP showed reverence for tradition — while adding a fresh, unapologetically queer voice to the mix.
But "Sin" hits differently. It's a song born from spiritual scar tissue — a catharsis wrapped in pedal steel and poetic grit. More than anything, it's an anthem for anyone who's been told they're too damaged, too queer, too sick, too anything to be worthy of love.
Hawkins says the song was his way of shedding internalized shame — the belief that being gay, HIV-positive, or in recovery made him somehow "tainted." With "Sin," he's choosing to release that narrative — for himself and for anyone else who's still carrying it.
These days, David is using his platform to speak at HIV conferences. He's been performing at Pride events worldwide and writing country music that focuses on the difficult challenges we face (or have faced). He may be the first openly gay, openly HIV-positive artist in country music, but his mission is bigger than music. It's about visibility, healing, and rewriting the narrative from inside out.
And if "Sin" is any indication, that change has only just begun.
"Sin" by David Michael Hawkins drops June 20 on all major streaming platforms. Follow David on Instagram at @davidmichaelhawkins for new music, tour dates, and advocacy work.
