Out now is Moustache, the first part of a hot’n’hairy trilogy, from the West Midlands’ very own Tom Aspaul. The independent singer/songwriter has been busy getting inspired from his side hustles, aka Go-Go Dancing and OnlyFans, as well as horny hook ups in Australia and his love for the Balkan diva Azis.

Loverboy caught up with Tom to get the latest gossip — the heartbreak, the drama, the questionable life choices — all of which are lyrically laid bare on Moustache. Previous albums have been built around bold concepts — psychedelic escapism in Sweden, the queer disco fantasy of Black Country Disco — but with Moustache, the concept is Tom Aspaul himself. It’s both his most personal and musically forward-thinking project yet. Lead single, ‘You Can Try Me’ is a seductive bop about being the other lover, ‘New Position’ has Tom wanting more from a partner and on ‘Black Leather’ he unpacks being objectified when you’re just trying to do your job.

Tom’s also celebrating his 40th birthday with a show at London’s RVT & has a upcoming documentary on what it means to be an independent queer British pop boy in 2026.

Congratulations on the release of Moustache! How did you feel pre-release this time compared to other albums?
Thank you. I’m more excited in general. More relaxed as well. It feels easier. This record just sits more comfortably with my fans. It’s more accessible. I love Cabin Fever but it was quite conceptual. Not everyone has been on an acid trip in Sweden.

But they need to!
Yes, they should! Haha…I also think there was a bit of a disconnect with the music on Cabin Fever and who I am. It was a bit more serious. Something that directed this album was seeing how popular ‘Thessaloniki’ and fan favourite ‘Effigy’ still are. One is about heartbreak on the dancefloor and the other a sexy song about a threesome. So my approach to Moustache was more akin to Life in Plastic. It’s about fun, sex and love. Tracks 1-5 are so fun. I’m so proud of that run. They are like the best five tracks on any album. No offence to tracks 6-8!

One thing that I noticed on this album is how assertive you are. Your lyrics are like ‘I need this’, ‘I want that’, ‘Do this’. You produced a track by yourself too. Also you’re using your lower register more…
Yeah, you’re right. It is a bit more assertive but if you listen to the overarching feeling of the album, I never get what I want.

Is that feeling of self-assertion connected to anything? Go-Go Dancing? Turning 40?
I’ve always been an exhibitionist, but the older you get, the more you do think, ‘Fuck it.’ There’s a song specifically about Go-Go Dancing on the album called ‘Black Leather’. It’s quite dark. It’s about how people grope you when you’re dancing, which I don’t like. People think they are entitled to treat you like a piece of meat.

This is the one you self-produced too, right?
Yes, I had to do YouTube tutorials to learn how to mix properly. Normally I have someone curtailing all my crazy ideas but on this I had the chance to really let rip on all my weird little work. It was very hard so I’m really proud of that. There’s a really odd Balkan intro too. It’s like Azis is suddenly in the room…

Ahaha…tell us about this outro…
I literally downloaded a Bulgarian sample pack of saxopones but yeah it’s a little nod to Azis. He’s one of my favourites and probably the most famous Balkan artist. Initially he started out very gender Queer but now he’s really masc presenting which is a shame. He’s also Roma which is part of my own heritage on my Mum’s side so it’s all a nod to that culture. I love that kind of music. It just gets me going. I’ve touched on it before but have always been quite subtle. This time I was like, ‘Nah we’re going all the way!’

First single, ‘You Can Try Me’ has a fun line about listening to Björk and looking at birds…
Yes, I was in Melbourne. One night I’d been out but I had come home early because I had wine tasting the next day. Then a friend messaged me, came over and we started listening to Björk. It was like ‘All Is Full Of Love’, ‘Bachelorette’, ‘Earth Intruders’ – very weird ‘going out’ music but he managed to persuade me. Then he was like, ‘By the way did you know I talk to birds?’ and showed me videos of him in the park with these corvids.
This was just the start of the night because then we went to Melbourne institution, The Peel. All of a sudden I’m dancing with this Brasilian who’s wearing nothing apart from some neon yellow jockey shorts. He was the rest of my night.

So that lyric, ‘I like it when you let me eat you out the most, so follow me up to the Gold Coast…’
Yeah that was about him. I was heading up the Gold Coast and I remember saying to him, ‘Can you just come with me?’ and he was like, ‘No! It’s too far.’

What’s your favourite lyrics on the album?
I do think there is something a bit wistful, mystical and romantic about ‘Kiss my moustache in the night air.’ It kind of has a double meaning too because it sounds like I’m saying, ‘Kiss my ass’. I wrote that song when I was seeing someone for a couple weeks with their ex. So it’s quite melancholic. It’s a bitch to sing that one.

‘Hope He’s Cool With It’ is about a complicated romance too…
Yeah, that one is about a married couple I was messaging on Grindr when I was in Italy. The line is, ‘I can see a ring on your third finger. And I hope he’s cool with it.’ Nothing ever happened there, it was all just conversation. But yeah, both of them are about complicated relationships.

We’ve also got your 40th then at the RVT later this year…
Yeah, I’m really excited. It’s a live show cum 40th birthday. RVT has a special place in my heart. I did my first big London show there, I love it what it stands for. It’s a chance for me to hang out with everyone’s that’s been so supportive over the years. It will be a celebration of the album but also a Greatest Hits show. Lol. I’m going to do ‘Indiana’ obviously and at the stroke of midnight I’m going to do a cabaret style performance with some Judy Garland which no one knows about. Only like three songs but I think people will be surprised. I’m having an Ariana Grande tribute act too!

You have a documentary in the works too. What’s the latest?
It was originally about the making of Cabin Fever. But since Kate Nash and others have spoken about how hard it is to be an independent artist in Broken Britain and using OnlyFans, the film has kind of taken on a life of its own. This production company are currently re-editting it and we’ll submit it to festivals at the start of next year. It’s quite exposing. You see the dichotomy between how I present myself online and the reality. It’s quite funny as well. I’m quite cheeky with the cameraman. I’m excited for people to see it.

Lastly we are named after the biggest-selling single of 2001. So I want to know…what does the future hold for Mariah Carey?
I don’t know. I don’t think she will stop making music. She’s Mariah Carey! I really wish she would stop doing Christmas though. However I do respect the hustle.