The UK-born American pop provocateur embraces sex, spectacle and self-discovery across a fearless five-track return
Nick Hissom, aka Hizzy, steps fully into his most unapologetic era yet with new five-track EP Hot Boy Things, a high-energy collision of early-2000s pop, European dance music, American club production and brutally candid songwriting.
Born from the immediate and often messy aftermath of a highly publicised breakup, Hot Boy Things represents something bigger than heartbreak. It is Hissom’s reintroduction as an openly gay artist operating without the societal or relationship constraints that previously surrounded him. Sexy, confrontational, playful and occasionally vulnerable, the record turns personal upheaval into liberation.
“Because hotness is a state of mind, and you deserve everything,” says Hissom.
Raised in the UK on the sounds and spectacle of Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and Daft Punk, Hissom describes his own musical universe as “classy, with a little yeehaw.” Across Hot Boy Things, that philosophy comes alive through booming synths, club-ready drums, breathy vocals and an ambitious visual identity built around choreography, fashion, sexuality and theatrical pop excess.
The title track ‘Hot Boy Things’ sits at the centre of this new era. Drawing comparisons to a “boy Britney Spears” and Magic Mike, the explosive synth-pop track tackles dating, desire and the process of becoming a “hot boy”. Its accompanying visual pushes the concept further with hip-hop-inspired styling and attention-grabbing chair choreography, positioning Hissom as both singer and full-scale pop performer.
The provocative ‘Sexify’ turns unwanted objectification into a club anthem. Inspired by the relentless energy of Benny Benassi’s ‘Satisfaction’, the track responds to media attention surrounding Hissom’s personal life while confronting what he sees as double standards surrounding gay sexuality and censorship. The single has already made an impact on the charts, reaching #10 on the Music Week UK Club Chart, alongside previous peaks of #3 on Amazon’s Dance Chart and #6 on the iTunes Dance Chart.
Hissom then takes his “classy, with a little yeehaw” mantra literally on ‘Yeehaw’. Drawing upon his family’s Texan roots, the Western-themed synth-pop track collides cowboy imagery with glossy pop provocation. Its visual goes all-in on the fantasy, featuring desert fashion, cowboys, mechanical bull riding and a tongue-in-cheek recreation of Paris Hilton’s infamous 2005 Carl’s Jr. “I Love Paris” car wash commercial reimagined through Hissom’s own male gaze.
But Hot Boy Things isn’t solely built on provocation. ‘Amazing’ strips back the sexual bravado to reveal Hissom’s softer singer-songwriter side. Dreamy and ethereal, the track showcases his vocal tone and songwriting while directly countering the idea that sexuality is the only thing driving his artistry. Sweet but confident, it offers a glimpse behind the spectacle.
Closing track ‘Dangerous (Get Locked)’ brings the EP firmly back to reality. Autobiographical and defiant, it addresses the scrutiny that comes with trying to build a career in the public eye. Rather than allowing outside commentary to dictate his direction, Hissom turns his attention back towards the studio, the work and the determination required to make his ambitions happen.
Together, the five tracks document a transformation: heartbreak becomes freedom, scrutiny becomes fuel, and sexuality becomes something Hissom controls rather than something defined for him.
The project arrives as Hissom increasingly establishes a pop identity built to provoke conversation. Previous visuals have already generated controversy, including a steamy music video removed from YouTube after its release, which Hissom believed was deemed too explicit for the platform. Rather than retreating, he has continued to place unapologetically queer sexuality, high-concept visuals and pop spectacle at the centre of his work.
Hissom will also bring the Hot Boy Things era to Europe this autumn, heading to the UK and Germany from October 12–25 for a run of live shows. The dates will give European audiences the chance to experience the project’s mix of high-energy pop, choreography and theatrical performance firsthand, as Hissom takes his bold new chapter from the screen to the stage.
With Hot Boy Things, Hissom isn’t interested in playing safe. It’s a five-track declaration of independence from an artist emerging from heartbreak, louder, freer and considerably less concerned with what anyone thinks.
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