"I am bi your side. / All ways"
I've been a fan of Jason Mraz’s music for some time. In 2003 I drove 450 miles to see him perform the first time at the Del Mar Race Track near San Diego.
He writes, he sings, and he’s a guitar virtuoso. I once saw him do a 30-minute extemporaneous riff with his guitar which was absolutely amazing. And he always looks so happy performing before a crowd. I must have seen him perform live over a dozen times (perhaps two dozen).
Originally from Virginia, Mraz moved to San Diego in 1999. Together with newfound friend Toca Rivera, he performed regularly at Java Joe’s.
In 2001 he was signed by Electra Records, and in 2002 released his first studio album, “Waiting for My Rocket to Come”. It reached #3 on the Billboard 100, and “The Matrix” became a #1 single.
Since then he’s released 5 more albums, receiving multiple awards for his efforts including:
Songwriters Hall of Fame (2009)
ASCAP Song of the Year 2010 (“I’m Yours”)
Surfrider Foundation Clean Water Award (2010)
Surf Industry Manufacturers Association Humanitarian of the Year 2010
ASCAP Foundation Champion Award 2012
Teen Choice (twice) & People’s Choice (once)
In addition, Mraz has supported, campaigned for, and raised money for multiple charities.
Recognized by Instinct Magazine for his support of LGBT Rights
A rescue mission to Ghana to raise awareness of children sold into slavery
Raising awareness of the need to support saving the world’s oceans
Headlining a concert in Myanmar to raise awareness of human trafficking.
Mraz is a vegan and owns a 5.5 acre avocado farm in California.
Jason Mraz was engaged to singer Tristan Prettyman in 2010 but it was called off. In 2015 he married longtime girlfriend Christina Carano.
In 2018, as part of Billboard Magazine’s tribute for Gay Pride Month, Mraz penned a poem which included the line: "I am bi your side. / All ways."
This immediately raised assumptions that Mraz was coming out as bisexual. In 2019, in another Billboard article Mraz revealed he had had experiences with men, even while dating Carano. His wife added that she thought of him as “two-spirited”.
A month later in an interview with the New York Post Jason confirmed he identifies as bisexual.
Bi, straight, or gay, I think we could all benefit from being more like Jason Mraz.
