Davis Mallory: Gay Real World Denver Star Releases New EP

Davis Mallory, a cute Southerner who hails from Marietta, Georgia, crashed into Denver in 2006 when he was cast as one of the seven strangers picked to live in a house, work together, and have their lives taped on the The Real World: Denver.

He was open about being gay on the air, and though queer people were coming into greater acceptance in 2006, there were still many challenges to overcome. The viruntley anti-gay George W. Bush was still in the White House, and the tide hadn’t quite yet turned regarding public acceptance of equality laws.

“I was 22 on Real World,” Mallory told OUT FRONT. “There were no gay males on TV — I wanted people to see a gay man who wasn’t a stereotype. A lot of guys wrote to me and said that I helped them come out.”

He added that he’s glad to have inspired them, but admits that he wasn’t sure if there was anything further he could do. “But it’s awesome that I moved them,” he said. “I’m happy for them.”

During the subsequent decade, things got considerably better for queer people, thanks to the unprecedented support accorded to the community by President Barack Obama. With the recent election of Donald Trump, many fear a rollback.

“It’s a scary time,” Mallory said. “I’m still not sure what will happen. I’m optimistic that we won’t go too far back. I feel the majority of Americans are in sync with equality.”

Now a singer, Mallory recently returned to Denver for a reunion with his castmates.

“”I had a boyfriend then, my first. I enjoyed my time in the city. I spent half my time in the city, half in the mountains. I love the air in Colorado — it smells cleaner. It feels peaceful there.”

These days Mallory is pursuing a career in music, and he’s enjoying some success. He’s currently preparing to release Loud, a new album. “Under Your Spell,” the EP’s first track, is already available. The singer’s ex-boyfriend, from whom he recently broke up, serves as the song’s inspiration.

“I never intended for this to be an album about a certain person,” Mallory said. “But he was great fodder for some wonderful songwriting sessions. When we were breaking up I wrote some of my most teary eyed music.”

In “Under Your Spell” Mallory displays a sweet and gentle, yet emotionally powerful, voice. He sings plaintively about falling in love and of being “torn apart.”

While the track features some electronic arrangements, the song’s instrumentals are as gentle as the singer’s voice. The end result is a lovely tune, which sounds contemporary while also hearkening back to the singer/songwriter folk rockers who were popular during the 1970s.

“You taught me ways that I could celebrate it,” he sings. “My head, my heart get torn apart….”

The former couple remain friendly. “My ex has been involved in most of the songs,” Davis said. “He was the one I played the songs to.”

Mallory cites Michael Jackson, Prince, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, and Usher as being among his musical influences, and says that he’s pursuing music for the long haul. Among his ideas for the future is a science fiction concept album.

“I’d love to go on tour with someone who’s established,” he said. “I hope to travel and write songs from around the world.”

He’d also like to try his hand at acoustic music. “Just me and my guitar,” he said. “My Georgia boy song.”