Gavin Russom is on a new path that has nothing to do with LCD Soundsystem’s new album.
The musician has come out as transgender.
In an interview with Grindr, the 47-year-old Russom said she has been attempting to come out for years.
“This is my fifth decade being alive, and in each of those decades, there’s been a time where I’ve tried to say, ‘Hey, I think I’m transgender!’,” Russom said. “This was even before that word existed.”
The LCD Soundsystem synth-master said she plans to continue using the name Gavin for now, posting a photo on Instagram captioned “Gavin Rayna Russom.”
Russom joined the LCD Soundsytem in 2010 on their album “This Is Happening.” The group disbanded in 2011 but announced last year they’d reunited.
Russom said her bandmates have been “really supportive,” but acknowledged she’s had to overcome her own deeply engrained thoughts about gender norms.
“I’m carrying so many of these things around with me. That’s been challenging to work through — having those preconditioned societal ideas of what transgender women can do,” Russom said.
She added that she’d like to help others through her music.
“For anybody who is struggling with their gender identity or who wants to come out and is afraid to what would be better than giving someone permission to do that through my performance,” Russom said. “That’s the ultimate. It’s what other people gave to me, so I’d love to pass that along to other people, too.”
The band’s new album, “American Dream,” drops in September.