Billy Porter Dazzles on Disco-Infused Single 'Children,' Inspired By 'Everything I've Gone Through'

"For the first time, my music is what I want it to be, what I want it to say, which is hope, love," he says

Published on October 15, 2021 02:00PM EDT

Put your platforms on, we're going to dance!

On Friday, Billy Porter released his single "Children" — a disco-packed track ready to bring you to your feet — that was inspired by the actor's unapologetic approach to life.

"'Children' is a song that is inspired by my life and everything I've gone through to get here," Porter, 52, said about the song on Instagram. "For the first time, my music is what I want it to be, what I want it to say, which is hope, love."

He added, "We have to choose it every day so we can fight the evil that is so pervasive. We can only fight it with love and I am so excited for my music for that."

The new track — co-written by MNEK and Jade Thirwall of Little Mix — is his debut under a new signing with Republic Records.

"Some people criticize the way you live / But don't you apologize, or dare submit," he sings on the track. "Baby, the children's where the future is / See a change starts today, better wipe those tears away."

For the Emmy- and Tony-winning actor, singing and music were his "first love." (He released album Untitled in 1997 and several Broadway LPs since the, along with a Richard Rodgers tribute record in 2017.)

"I grew up singing in the church. When I first put out commercial music in 1997, the industry was not ready for all this Black Boy Joy!" he said in a press release. "But luckily the world has caught up. I could not be more thrilled to entrust this next chapter of my music career to the Island/Republic team."

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"Make way children! Daddy's back," he added.

The track follows his feature on Jessie J's "I Want Love (twocolors Remix)" earlier this year.

Porter — who is set to release his memoir Unprotected — recently spoke to PEOPLE about his iconic fashion and style choices.

"Pose happened and I was like, 'Well, if there's any space where the character that I'm playing supported the choices of being gender fluid on the red carpet, it would be the show. I have to do this now. And that's how it evolved," he said.

"All I'm doing is picking the clothes I want to wear. People say, 'I could never pull that off.' You know how you pull it off? Put it on," he added.