Pose star Dyllón Burnside drops 'Garden' to mark the start of Pride Month

• Dyllón Burnside released "Garden" on the first day of Pride Month
• The single is the lead track from his debut album, Genesis
• "Garden" reimagines the Garden of Eden story from Eve's perspective

Dyllón Burnside is ready to tell his own story. The Pose actor has launched the first single from his forthcoming debut album Genesis — a record he describes as the product of a deeply personal creative calling — choosing the opening day of Pride Month to share it with the world.

"I've spent the better part of a decade learning how to tell other people's stories, figuring out how to make my voice fit in harmony with someone else's vision, and I love that work.

"I'd be in a rehearsal room or on set and think: I have everything it takes to be the one holding this narrative. Genesis is me finally acting on that call. Owning my voice, my stories, the fruit of my own creative power," the 37-year-old tells PEOPLE, before adding: "It's the first chapter I've written entirely on my own terms."

Reimagining Eden

The lead single, "Garden," is written from Eve's perspective in the Garden of Eden, "inviting Adam into a moment of intimate connection," Burnside explains. For him, the story carried particular resonance.

"It was important for me, as I think about all the religious and sometimes social critique of queerness, to go back to the origin story. So much has been projected onto that story to harm people. And I think there's an opportunity to imagine another version of it."

The music video

The accompanying music video was equally considered in its approach, with Burnside aiming to "evoke a mood, a tension between dark and light, temptation and surrender."

"The sacred nature of sensuality. So much of the story is being told through the bodies. You'll see the tree of life made of beautiful Black bodies, the leg fan unfolding in the same way that nature unfolds, bodies deeply connected to each other and the earth, reminding us that we are all connected and we are all a part of nature."

Pride, authenticity and community

The decision to put the single out on the first day of Pride Month was a deliberate one, reflecting Burnside's desire to present himself "authentically me" through his music.

"That is what Pride celebrates. It is creativity, It is humanity, it is sexuality, it is love. The song references having a safe space to express yourself and that is what Pride represents - a community that protects and nurtures its own."

An inflexion point

With "Garden" now out in the world, Burnside describes himself as feeling "excited and proud," and views the moment as an "inflection point" in his career.

"I've spent all of my creative life trying to figure out how I blend artistry, entertainment, and making real transformative impact through art in my life and in my community. Genesis is a blueprint for how I want to engage community and cultural discourse through my work moving forward."

Burnside previously released the singles "Heaven," "Silence" and "Superpowers." "Garden" is out now.