On His Debut Album, Jonah Mutono Embraces His Identity And His Name

Jonah Mutono's debut album GERG is really more of a re-entry. Unti late last year, Mutono released music under the name "Kidepo." But starting with the single "Shoulders," and now with GERG, he's sharing his real name and story of self-acceptance for the first time.

The name shift was part of Mutono's decision to come out, one made complicated by his deep roots in Uganda, a country whose government has outlawed homosexuality and surpessed LBGTQ activism.

NPR's Scott Simon spoke to Jonah Mutono about releasing music under a new name and the songs he wrote while trying to understand how his own sexuality could co-exist with the communities he had valued throughout his life. Listen to the radio version in the audio link above, and read on for a transcript of the interview.

This interview has been edited for