Singled Out: Roye Trout's Sugar Boy

Keavin Wiggins | 07-12-2022

Photo courtesy Auteur Research

Indie artist Roye Trout recently released a new single and video called "Sugar Boy", and to celebrate we asked him to tell us about the brand new song. Here is the story:

I wrote the song "Sugar Boy" about an ill fated, unrequited love. Something that most of us know all too well. I was inspired by a story from my childhood that really resonated with me. It is the story of a pastry chef, contracted by the Emperor to work in the royal kitchen. The chef falls in love with the Emperor's concubine and becomes determined to win her attention. The concubine has an insatiable sweet tooth, and is never fully satisfied by the increasingly elaborate desserts that the chef conjures up in his kitchen. Desperate, the chef makes a deal with an evil spirit, asking to become that which the concubine desires. The malicious spirit deceives the chef, and turns him into pure sugar.

To the chef's surprise, the concubine takes notice in him and falls in love with his sweetness. The two make plans to run away together, and agree to meet outside the city walls the following night. The next day, the Emperor commissions the chef to create a special dessert for his banquet. The chef, excited with the plan to run away with the concubine, creates the most elaborate dessert of his career, filled with rich and exotic flavours. The chef proudly serves his masterpiece to the banquet guests and quickly flees to the meeting point. The concubine, having tasted the chef's dessert, finally sees her sweet tooth satisfied and forgets the plan to meet the chef.

The chef stands outside the city walls, waiting for his love for a dozen days and a dozen nights. On the thirteenth day, a violent storm blows in, and undeterred, the chef remains at the rendezvous point, confident that the concubine will meet him. There, the Sugar Boy remains patiently until the rains wash him away.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more about Roye here