Five Things About Lucas Silveira

"Amazing Food, Amazing People, and Music." Says singer-songwriter, Lucas Silveira, in an attempt to sum up Austin in our five-word challenge. The Cliks' mastermind added: "Taco Cabana" and "best road food."

After a summer touring Canada and heading to the states for autumn and winter, he's excited to be playing Austin this Sunday.

Fans know that The Cliks released their fourth album, Black Tie Elevator last April after a five-year break. As for their current tour, Silveira and his new band lineup hit the road halfway through October with visions of tacos dancing in their heads.

But for a band that's been around for nearly a decade with only one permanent member, we wondered just who is Lucas Silveira? Here are five things you might not have known.

1. Silveira took a five-year hiatus from touring to focus on his transition and his writing; the result was Black Tie Elevator. "In my opinion, this record is probably my best work as an artist," says Silveira who also admits that transitioning "reshaped pretty much everything. Not just my physical appearance. My internal wiring seems different. It affected the way I delve into songwriting."

Unlike the rest of The Cliks discography, which is pretty rock-based, Elevator has a more feel-it-in-your-hips sound. "I've always loved soul music, but I never wrote it before, because I didn't think I could pull it off. I don't know if it was my new voice or if it was hormonal, but this time around it just poured out of me."

Album cover painted by Silveira

2. The singer on the song "4 Letter Words" is Silveira's wife. Though the song wasn't originally written about Skye, he says it "became about the two of us." The pair met while Silveira was working on Elevator and living in Brooklyn. "There was this parallel of falling in love with someone but not being able to love myself," says Silveira. "That song specifically is about getting involved but not necessarily being able to – so you keep all these feelings to yourself. When Skye and I met, we took our time getting to know each other which is why I think it worked out."

The pair tied the knot this summer with a small celebration in Portugal with his family. And though they chose to not make the marriage legal, they have a second ceremony planned next year for their Canadian families.

Skye is also the band's keyboardist. "She's a great piano player, and having her on the road with me is amazing." Can we get an "Awwwwww…"?

3. He went to Hogwarts but graduated a few years before Harry got there.

Ok, fine, he didn't really go to Hogwarts, but the singer is a huge fan of the Harry Potter books. "I don't know what it is about the series, but I love it. They're like a beautiful escape." He confesses to have just bought the movies in Blu-ray 3D. "I'm such a nerd; it makes me feel like a little kid."

4. He's afraid of losing fans. "It's going to be great to reconnect with people again on this tour, but it could be a bit of a tough go," Silveira admits. "I'm worried we might have lost some of our lesbian fanbase." Unfortunately this fear is not entirely unfounded. Since transitioning, he's received a startling amount of negative emails from former supporters. "A lot tell me that they liked me – and my voice – better before. Some emails tell me I'm mentally ill," Silveira pauses. "A gay guy once told me that he didn't want me to bring down 'Gay.' It's bizarre, but I get more rejection from gay and lesbian people. I realize where it comes from, but it doesn't make it better."

Luckily, the musician says he's gotten better a shaking it off these days. "I am who I am, I always will be. You have to let stuff like that go." And the fans that have stuck around are quick to come to his online defense. "When they're there, we have really supportive fans."

5. Canadian mag Chart Attack named Silveira Canada's Sexiest Man in 2010. At first, Silveira had a good laugh, not to mention an even better ego boost. But when several emails popped up in his inbox from young transmen he realized, maybe it meant something more. "These kids said I had given them hope for the future," says Silveira. "As somebody who's come out and attempted to do the best I can, it was pretty great to hear. Chart Attack is mainstream magazine in Canada. To have them normalize someone like me, it's a big step."

Bonus round: The tatted musician has Dia de los Muertos sugar skull on his neck rendered by the infamous (and gorgeous) Kat Von D.

So see if you can spot the skull from the audience this Sunday night at Red 7. Tickets are on sale now.