In the empowering track "Disobey," George Perris celebrates his freedom. The song describes a "chain on my mind" that's been there since the singer can remember, but he's making the conscious decision to free himself from societal expectations and live life on his own terms.

In the latest episode of Press Play at Home, Perris shouts — or rather, sings — his freedom from the rooftops. Accompanied by an acoustic guitar and vocal harmony, the singer brings "Disobey" to life atop a building in his native Athens, Greece, against the backdrop of a sunset. 

This live version underscores the song's message of freedom: Closeup shots of Perris' face as he's singing suggest a peaceful confidence, and behind him are the wide open spaces of the city skyline. 

It's a fitting musical message for a powerful turning point in Perris' life. He wrote the song three years ago in Stockholm, Sweden, with collaborators Mark Caplice and Moh Denebi, at a time when personal freedom was at the forefront of his mind.

Releasing the song in 2021 turned out to be a stepping stone in an even larger move toward living authentically. In March of this year, he revealed to People that he is gay. Though he didn't quite consider it a coming out — he is openly gay in his personal life — it was the first time he'd ever spoken about his sexuality as a public figure. 

"It had a cost for me because there was a part of me that wanted to talk about it," Perris reflected. "A lot of people told me, 'You shouldn't come out,' 'You shouldn't talk about that publicly,' 'It'll destroy your career.'"

But on the contrary, sharing that part of himself with his fans became a potent musical inspiration for the singer. A year after he embraced themes of personal freedom with the release of "Disobey," he's continuing to take cues from similar themes of authentic living and sharing himself fully with his listeners. 

His most recent collection, No Armor, is a group of cover performances of the songs that have been most influential to him over the years, from artists such as Billie Eilish, Joni Mitchell and ABBA. Perris made his performances uniquely his own, arranging each track with a cast of Mediterranean instruments. 

Press play above to watch Perris' triumphant performance of "Disobey," and keep checking GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Press Play at Home. 

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