True Colors

On May 19, 2023, Brian Compton and the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay delivered an emotionally charged performance of Cyndi Lauper's “True Colors” during their Spring Concert, You Are Enough, at Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Florida. The song, a timeless anthem of self-acceptance and authenticity, resonated deeply with the concert’s theme of embracing one’s true self and recognizing one’s inherent worth.

Compton, a gifted soloist with a heartfelt connection to the material, opened the performance with a voice full of warmth and vulnerability. His rendition of the song’s opening lines—“You with the sad eyes, don’t be discouraged”—set a deeply emotional tone, immediately drawing the audience into the message of the song. Lauper’s lyrics about letting one’s true colors shine and not hiding behind masks or facades took on even greater meaning through Compton’s tender delivery.

As the Gay Men's Chorus of Tampa Bay joined in, their voices harmonized beautifully, enveloping the church in a sound full of hope and solidarity. The chorus’s collective power reinforced the song’s message that no one should be ashamed of who they are, and that embracing one’s uniqueness is both liberating and empowering.

The performance was a poignant reminder that we all have "true colors" that deserve to be seen and celebrated, no matter the struggles we face. The audience responded with a standing ovation, touched by the chorus’s ability to convey both the emotional depth and the joyful triumph of the song.

The You Are Enough concert, which celebrated themes of self-love, acceptance, and community, found a perfect expression in “True Colors.” Compton’s heartfelt performance and the chorus’s powerful backing left the audience inspired, uplifted, and reminded that they are enough just as they are.