Can We Just Stay Friends?

One definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

James Charles relates to this, having lived out multiple public cancellations surrounding his pursuits of love, because, as his new song, “Can We Just Be Friends,” proclaims: “I guess that I’m insane/ Are you entertained?”

James Charles is a 24-year-old makeup artist and YouTuber, known as one of the most scandalous internet celebrities. You can click here to read about all his controversies in succession.

Now, starting this year, he’s embarking on a new era, moving away from past failed dating experiences and traumas to pursue a music career.

“Whether it's queer people, trans people, plus-sized people, even people of color, there are so many people that are fetishized or used as an experiment in the bedroom," Charles stated.

His recently released song "Can We Just Be Friends" comes with a music video that is a self-directed dark ballad that depicts the sick, cyclical fantasy of wanting something that will clearly never happen.

Let’s take a look at James's new music video, which resonates with the weak spot of many queers in Azerbaijan—unfulfilled cis-hetero love, unrequited young love, being seen as a sex object, and the loneliness in relationships.