Adele'ing with Arland

At a performance today, 22-year-old model and celebrity stylist Jason Arland reveals past mistakes and his thoughts on happy endings

Jason Arland will turn 23 tonight. But birthdays for him have always been synonymous with rebirth — becoming a new person. And this year is no different, except that he will be taking an unfamiliar audience through all 23 years of his life, and more specifically, his adventures with love. "It is nothing but a journey of a boy who never had hopes of falling in love. But it all began when I was 14. So in these nine years, every partner I chose to have has taught me a lesson, and that has changed the definition of love and life for me," he explains.

Arland's show called Brown Boy Problems will see him narrate snippets from his relationships, perform original poetry inspired by his partners, as well as cover songs that mirror his life, accompanied by musician Joshua Thomas. But his definition of the show's title isn't in the negative sense. "I've always been a hyper child. And some of my partners had a problem with what I do. Over 14 men came into my life. They may have been ***holes but they were good men, because if it weren't for them then I wouldn't be where I am today," he says.

Joshua Thomas

Nagpur-based Arland came to Mumbai in 2015, with an avid interest in make-up and styling. His journey, like he describes it, started off with dusting salons, only to later collaborate with make-up brands like Givenchy and NYX, and walk the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week alongside actor Prateik Babbar this year. He often returns to memories from his failed relationships while his career witnesses a meteoric rise. Especially those of the early days, where he fell for his partners unconditionally.

"There were two kinds of people I met. Before we got into the relationship, some would say they love everything about me and then question me about wearing too much make-up. They only loved my Instagram pictures. The others wanted to literally be the picture, but I just wanted to be a guy in shorts and chappals," Arland shares.

Then came the misconceptions of being part of the LGBTQ community, and expectations that proved too hard to fulfil. "Sometimes it felt like, as a gay boy, you had to fill the space of a woman. I've always been fascinated with older men, but can you imagine pacifying a 45-year-old? Their world seemed so sorted. And here I am today, talking business and paying my bills. But like every other person with a voice on the Internet, I still get called out for being too full of myself."

Currently working as a senior manager of artistry with MyGlamm, a make-up brand and education platform, Arland hopes to spill the beans on his personal life this evening; his goal isn't to make people pessimistic, but rather give them a reality check. Referring to the British singer, he sums up humorously, "I'm actually just Adele'ing. I don't get happy endings. Because what's the ending to life, really? It's death and there's nothing after that."

On Tonight, 8.30 pm to 10 pm
At The Hive at Gostana, Ground Floor, Parbhat Kunj, 24th Road, Bandra West.
Log on to insider.in
Call 9619962969
Cost Rs 350 (plus Rs 100 cover charge)

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