If The Stars Were Mine

Queer Broadway and television actor Claybourne Elder is set to release his anticipated debut solo album If The Stars Were Mine on April 3. Produced by Claybourne Elder and Andrew House and co-produced by Bryan Perri, the album is defined by its inventive arrangements and range of material. Familiar songs are reimagined in ways that are often surprising—sometimes intimate, sometimes daring—inviting listeners to hear well-known material through a fresh lense. The track list moves effortlessly from Whitney Houston to Sondheim and the Great American Songbook, unified by Elder’s singular ability to blend storytelling, humor, and emotional candor with a voice critics consistently praise for its warmth, clarity, and expressive power.

Regarding his inspiration for the album, Elder says, “To me, the songs feel like journal entries. I’ve always lived somewhere between a song and a punchline, and this album holds those contradictions without apology: faith and queerness, humor and longing, Broadway and Whitney Houston. It’s not a playlist—it’s a map of my heart. If someone listens and recognizes a piece of themselves, or feels a little less alone for three minutes at a time—that would be enough for me. I’ve gotten to hide inside some great characters in my career–someone else’s feelings, someone else’s story. Now I’m taking those words and making them my own.” 

Throughout his career, Claybourne has received nominations from award bodies including the Grammys, Screen Actors Guild, Drama Desk, and Lucille Lortel. Recently, Elder is widely known for playing John Adams on HBO’s hit series The Gilded Age and for his recent turn on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning revival of Company. His extensive stage career includes Bonnie and Clyde, Sunday in the Park with George, Torch Song, Wild Party and Sondheim on Sondheim, among many others.

Beyond the stage and screen, Elder is the founder of City of Strangers, an initiative that provides free Broadway tickets to people who might not otherwise have access. The program has given away more than 3,500 tickets and has received national attention from This American Life, CBS This Morning, and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Of the album, Elder continues, “If the Stars Were Mine’ started as a song I sing to my son at bedtime—something I’ve done almost every night of his life. I had gotten so used to singing in front of people that sitting in the quiet dark with him and singing reminded me of how lovely and intimate a song can be. When I set out to make this album, I wanted to make music that had that intimacy and felt more like me than a character.”

To celebrate the release of his upcoming debut album, Claybourne will perform a series of album release concerts at New York’s legendary cabaret venue 54 Below. Known for evenings that critics have described as effortless, emotionally resonant, and laugh-out-loud funny, Claybourne blends masterful storytelling and his richly expressive voice. Claybourne will perform selections from If The Stars Were Mine with live shows at 54 Below on April 3, 4 and 15. 

These release concerts offer audiences the chance to experience If the Stars Were Mine as it was meant to be heard: live, intimate, and infused with the heart, humor, and humanity that have made his performances so widely celebrated.

Q Magazine: supporting our community since 2004. Watch for more information about this release in the March 2026 Edition of Q Magazine.