Fic based on the song "Ohio" by Jacob Whitesides. Must listen to song for this to make sense. All song themes/ideas/lyrics belong to Jacob Whitesides. Recognizable fictional characters belong to Ryan Murphy and Fox. Offensive language and ideas are not my personal beliefs, just those of the character.
In case you've been living under a rock for three years, Devon is the latest and greatest in internet sensations. In 2013, the Michigan 17-year-old uploaded a cover of John Mayer's "Waiting On the World to Change". The video blew up, amassing 1.5 million views in just one week, and attention from Mayer himself. Devon uploaded two more covers (another Mayer tune and Sara Bareilles' "King of Anything") both with a reception just as, if not more positive as the first. Devon then announced that after the completion of his senior year of high school, he would be joining Ed Sheeran on his European tour.
Fast forward 3 years and the now 20-year-old Devon is tugging on people's heartstrings with his newest single, "Ohio", where he opens up about the issues with his father that people had speculated about following a string of tweets in 2014 (see here). Buzzfeed News has the singer's exclusive interview where he opens up about his privacy, his love life, and his family.
Blaine was woken by the loud blaring of his alarm clock. He reached out to smack the snooze button but accidentally hit his glasses instead, sending the specs flying across the floor. He grumbles something unintelligible as he sits up and turns off the alarm. He rubs his eyes before swinging his legs out of the warm cocoon of blankets he slept in and saves his thick framed glasses from their spot and the hardwood.
Mumbling something about how it should be illegal to be up this "early" on a Friday, he pads over to the shower. Once he finds the perfect temperature between lukewarm and scalding, he steps under the spray.
By the time he steps out, it's already 10:30 and he needs to rush through getting dressed. He forgoes putting product in his hair. Ever since he cut it, it seemed less like an afro and more like some bouncy curls trying to escape. He dons his signature pink Ray Bans and steps out into the bright LA morning and toward the limo his agent sent over.
Being Devon did have its perks after all.
BuzzFeed: So Devon, how is it that in the three years you've been in the spotlight, no one has been able to find your full name or any pictures of you from before 2013?
Devon: *laughs* I actually am very surprised and I need to really thank my classmates from back home. I'm sure many of them have highly embarrassing pictures from high school and middle school, but the fact that none of them have released them or posted any is a true testament to the character of every single student at Greenhills.
BF: Do you keep in contact with any of your friends from Ann Arbor?
D: I try to keep in touch with a lot of them. I go see my old show choir perform whenever I'm in the area. All of my friends have scattered across the country for college, but we all try to see each other as much as possible.
BF: How did your friends treat you after your videos started getting attention.
D: They treated me same as ever. People told me they were proud of me, that they knew I had it in me, but I didn't really notice anyone treat me any differently than they did before I posted anything. Like I said, the people I went to school with were some of the nicest and greatest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.
BF: That is sickeningly sweet.
D: *laughs again* I can't say it enough. I wouldn't be where I am today, doing what I love if it weren't for the support from my friends back home.
Today's agenda was a meeting with the record label to talk about album sales, promo for his upcoming tour, and to discuss who would be writing on Blaine's next album. He would happily write it all himself, but he also would like to branch out and write with the likes of Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, George Ezra, etc.
Blaine's tour manager, Jake, was a tall guy in his mid 30s. Jake had been there since Blaine had joined Ed on the European leg of his world tour. It had been about six months since Blaine had seen Jake. He looked a lot more tan, had about 3 new tattoos, and was currently sporting dark purple hair. And yet he was still easily one of the most attractive guys Blaine had ever seen.
"Dev, my man!" Jake called out as soon as Blaine stepped into the room. "Long time no see, bro. Love the new tune, my daughter won't stop talking about taking a vacation to Ohio."
Blaine laughed as Jake hugged him. Jake's daughter, Riley, and his wife Dejah were some of Blaine's favorite people in the world, and he hoped they would be joining him on this upcoming tour.
With Jake's announcement of his arrival, Blaine looked and saw 3 suits staring at him. Burke, Keller, and Ellis made up Blaine's label team. They were stiff, but they were always agreeable and were very helpful in making Blaine's career one he could be proud of.
"Now that Devon has kindly graced us with his presence," Keller said, pointedly staring at his watch, "Can we get this meeting started?"
Blaine sheepishly sat down and nodded for the suits to begin their presentation. If he hadn't caught the twinkle in Burke's eyes or the wink thrown by Ellis, he would have felt a lot more guilty.
BF: So, Devon, let's talk about your new single, "Ohio". What was the inspiration behind such a personal song?
D: Well I feel like some of it is pretty straightforward… my dad and I are estranged and I feel completely comfortable telling the world that he is, if you'll pardon my language, a piece of shit.
BF: What happened between you two? If you feel okay answering..
D: I'll answer, I knew I was inviting these questions when I chose this one as my single. When I was 10 years old, I realized that I had a crush on a kid I went to camp with. A boy. I didn't know what that meant until a couple years later, when I heard my dad cursing about the 'fags' on television. When I was 13, I came out to my parents and my dad took a couple swings at me. He broke my jaw and gave me a nice black eye.
As soon as I was discharged from the hospital, my mother and I moved out of my dad's house and into an apartment across town. We payed movers to go get our things and my mom filed for divorce.
BF: Wow. So you're gay? And your father is a homophobe?
D: I am and he is. When I was 17, a month or two after I uploaded the first YouTube video, I got a call from my dad and he asked me to meet with him so we could work through our issues. I agreed and got excited. I thought I was getting my dad back. We met at a Starbucks in Ann Arbor. And he proceeded to tell me that because I was pursuing music and 'acting faggy' that I was no son of his. So I told him that he should, uh, shove something up his somewhere.
Ohio is kind of my way of saying, if you'll excuse my language again, I'm sorry I usually don't curse at all, but it was my "Fuck You, I'm Doing Great."
BF: Good for you. On behalf of Buzzfeed, a giant fuck you to Devon's dad. One last question though, why did you pick Ohio of all states? Especially if you've never even been there?
D: (at this point in the interview, Devon's cheeks went bright red and a nervous tapping of his foot started) It's true, I've never been to Ohio. But that first crush I told you about? We went to camp together in Colorado every summer until I was about 15. This boy was my best friend and my first love. He lived in Ohio. When things got bad with my dad, I used to imagine us together, looking up at the stars. He is my Ohio.
BF: Excuse us while we sob from the cuteness of that.
D: (his cheeks get redder)
BF: Thank you for sharing this with us, Devon. We are blown away by your strength and courage.
Devon's US tour starts on June 20th. Pre-sale tickets and M&G go up on April 8th. Devon's album "Stronger" is currently available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.
After the meeting, Blaine is shuttled off to Venice Beach for his Rolling Stone cover shoot. Blaine finds photo shoots very awkward and uncomfortable. He doesn't smile for the pictures, but instead is forced to stare into the camera, dark and brooding. They set him up against some boulders, dressed in a blue short sleeve button up and khaki shorts. Someone runs some gel into his short curls and and then they proceed to take shots of every pose imaginable.
At the end of the day, Blaine is exhausted and just wants to crawl into his bed. The limo drops him just outside of his beach-side house. Not even bothering with dinner, Blaine makes his way upstairs, but stops short when he hears the sink running in his bathroom.
"Hello..?" he calls out and hears the water stop. A head pops out of the bathroom and smiles at him.
"Hi, Blaine" the voice says, and Blaine smiles. His angel, a vision in white, is standing up in front of him. Blaine jumps up the remaining steps and throws himself into the arms waiting for him.
"Ohio. I missed you."
