So Sick Edits

Jake Shears Celebrates Pride on New Single ‘Do the Television’

Jakes Shears has dropped “Do the Television,” a funk-laden disco number, to herald in Pride month. The single was produced by Vaughn Oliver and co-written by Shears, Vaughn and Ryland Blackinton. 

“‘Do The Television’ was first started about 12 years ago, written as an idea for the Scissor Sisters Night Work album,” Shears explained in a statement. “I always really loved elements of the song, and wanted to give it a life, so I decided to re-record it with a brand new chorus. Influenced by both mid-era Bowie and Lionel Richie, its flavor is representative of this new batch of songs I’ve been writing.”

He added, “One of my favorite things about ‘Do The Television’ is its progression from feeling chilly & removed to warmth & abandon – ending in a very different place than where it starts. It’s about language and the loss of meaning, changing symbols, forgotten history and following the loudest voice in the room.” 

“Do The Television” is Shears’ first solo single since last year’s “Meltdown,” which followed his self-titled debut solo album and an EP of B-sides. He also recently collaborated with Boys Noize on “All I Want.”

Last year, Shears told Rolling Stone that he’s flattered when fans compare his recent music to Scissors Sisters.

“I take it as a compliment,” he said. “And like to think of all my solo stuff as being in the same body of work as Scissor Sisters, in a way. I’m carrying on the sounds and the genre vocabulary we built and hopefully pushing them into new territory.”