Brooke Candy on her directorial debut, I Love You, a queer and inclusive pornographic film.

American rapper, singer and songwriter Brooke Candy first exploded onto the scene four years ago with the release of her critically-acclaimed club-rap track, Opulence, which was co-written by Sia and produced by Diplo. The inclusive music video featured transgender women, drag queens, and gay men, all of whom were friends of Candy.

Shortly after, her debut EP of the same name was released to widespread acclaim, and ever since, Candy – who identifies as pansexual – has amassed a huge following within the LGBTQ community. “Maybe they’re drawn to me because I’m a freak and make the art I want to make, and live in a way that gives them some semblance of strength?” she tell us.

This week, Candy made her directorial debut with I Love You, a queer pornographic film which boasts the honour of being the first adult movie to feature full-length gay, lesbian, and trans scenes all under one title. We caught up with the boundary-pushing artist and discussed why it’s important to portray women in a positive light in the porn industry, and how life has changed since becoming an independent artist.

What inspired you to get into the adult movie industry?

I’m obsessed with sex and have always been a proponent for breaking down the stigma that comes along with having and enjoying sex – especially as a woman. I feel the adult film industry lacks beauty, sensuality, and a thoughtful perspective. 99% of the population are addicted to porn and it dictates their sex lives but no directors or porn execs seem to be injecting much taste or sensitivity into their films. I’d like to change that.

Can you tell us a bit about your film, I Love You?

I Love You is exactly as the title states. It’s an inclusive experimental porno about sensuality, passion, and the act of making love. The porn industry lacks this at the moment. I wanted to create a film that felt like a safety net for queer people who were maybe just coming into their own and looking to explore their sexualities.

Why is it important to show diversity in adult movies?

Because the planet is a fucking diverse place, and every community deserves to be represented with love and respect and consideration. We’re living in a very scary moment in time, and the only way to combat that is to build each other up by showcasing all communities, especially disenfranchised communities in a considerate, caring, and beautiful way. We all deserve to be here. We all deserve to witness beauty. We all deserve to feel pleasure. We all deserve a chance at experiencing bliss within whatever this “life” thing is.

Women generally are not portrayed in a positive way in porn. Is this something you’d like to tackle?

Of course it is! Women are delicate, beautiful heavenly bodied creatures that deserve to be praised and cherished and worshiped. But popular culture has chosen to portray them as weakened sex objects or the secondary entity to a man. Fuck that. Men and this planet wouldn’t be anything without all of the women who continuously put out their bonehead fires. Women run shit and it’s time everyone, especially the porn industry understood that.

There’s still a lot of stigma around adult movies. Did you ever worry about being judged for becoming involved in the industry?

Anyone who judges my character as a human being for making a porn is an idiot, and I’m not concerned with their opinion. I’m on this planet to challenge stigmas and conventional beliefs. I’m a weapon to break down walls that only exist to keep us from understanding our true power and light.

How has life changed since becoming an independent artist?

It’s become bliss because I can finally be my true self and do what I want without worrying about whether or not a mass amount of people will want to consume it. I’d rather live on the outskirts of society as an independent artist making the art I believe, than be some cog in a machine built to dumb people down and keep them docile. That’s not my gig. I’m here to create and uplift from a place of honesty.

You’ve amassed a huge LGBTQ following since your debut. Why do you think the community is so drawn to you?

Maybe they’re drawn to me because I’m a freak and make the art I want to make, and live in a way that gives them some semblance of strength? I’m not really sure to be honest with you but I do know I’m super grateful they are!

Can fans expect a full length album in the future?

I’m not sure… I just released a song with Mykki Blanco and Pussy Riot that I’m really proud of. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and focus on whatever project is in front of me. Maybe one day I’ll be inspired and have the resources to sit down and create a full length album. I’d be down if I could find a cohesive and suitable sound, and a team of people I admired enough to sit down with me and work on it! Who knows? For now I’m just excited to release this porn!

Brooke Candy’s directorial debut, I Love You, is now available to view on PornHub. Watch here.