“You Have to Save Us”: The Four Words That Inspired Dan Reynolds’ $1 Million LoveLoud Movement
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Sometimes, a few words are enough to change everything. For Dan Reynolds, frontman of Imagine Dragons, that moment came in the form of a heartbreaking message from a friend: “You have to save us.”
Those four words, delivered during one of the darkest chapters of Reynolds’ spiritual journey, became the catalyst for what would grow into one of the most influential LGBTQ+ advocacy movements in modern music — the LoveLoud Festival, a Utah-born event that has raised more than $1 million for LGBTQ+ youth charities.
A Crisis of Faith and Purpose
Before launching LoveLoud, Reynolds was navigating deep personal and spiritual turmoil. Raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), he had made multiple attempts to distance himself from the faith as he struggled to reconcile its teachings with the realities faced by LGBTQ+ members of his community.
His friend’s plea — “You have to save us” — arrived just as he contemplated leaving the church for a third time. It was more than a cry for help; it was a call to action that forced Reynolds to confront a growing crisis of acceptance among queer youth within the Mormon community and beyond.
In 2017, he responded the only way he knew how — by creating a space where love, music, and faith could coexist. Thus, the LoveLoud Foundation and its flagship festival were born, with the mission to “ignite the vital conversation about what it means to unconditionally love, understand, accept, and support our LGBTQ+ friends and family.”
The Alarming Reality
The urgency behind LoveLoud’s creation cannot be overstated. Utah, Reynolds’ home state, has long faced a youth mental health crisis, with suicide ranking among the leading causes of death for teenagers. Studies show that LGBTQ+ youth are seven times more likely to attempt suicide when they feel rejected by their family or community.
Reynolds’ vision was clear: use music and open dialogue to counter despair with belonging.
The first LoveLoud Festival, held in 2017 at Utah Valley University’s Brent Brown Ballpark, drew 17,000 attendees — families, faith leaders, and young people seeking connection. By the following year, the festival had raised over $1 million for organizations including The Trevor Project, Encircle, GLAAD, and the Tegan and Sara Foundation.
From Stage to Screen: Believer
Reynolds’ journey was chronicled in the HBO documentary Believer, which received Emmy and GLAAD Media Award nominations. The film followed his transformation from conflicted church member to outspoken ally, highlighting the tension between his faith background and his mission to protect vulnerable youth.
In interviews, Reynolds described LoveLoud not as rebellion, but as a plea for compassion. “It’s about saving lives,” he said. “It’s about saying that every kid deserves to be loved exactly as they are.”
Music as the Messenger
Reynolds used the same passion that fueled Imagine Dragons’ arena-filling anthems to power his advocacy. At LoveLoud events, he performs songs like “Believer,” “Demons,” and “It’s Time,” transforming concert crowds into unified calls for empathy and acceptance.
The refrain from “It’s Time” — “I’m never changing who I am” — has become an unofficial mantra for the festival, encapsulating the freedom to live authentically.
Building Bridges, Not Walls
While some viewed the event as a challenge to the LDS Church, the institution responded with cautious support. In a 2017 statement, church leaders wrote:
“We applaud the LoveLoud Festival for LGBT youth’s aim to bring people together to address teen safety and to express respect and love for all of God’s children.”
It was a small but meaningful acknowledgment — a sign that dialogue was possible.
A Continuing Mission
Beyond the festival, Reynolds has taken his message to major platforms, including the Billboard Music Awards, where he condemned conversion therapy and urged audiences to support LGBTQ+ youth.
Today, the LoveLoud Foundation has grown into a national movement, hosting events across the U.S. and inspiring thousands to advocate for inclusion in their own communities.
Four Words That Changed Lives
What began as a desperate text from a friend evolved into a multimillion-dollar mission of hope. In transforming pain into purpose, Dan Reynolds not only answered that four-word plea — “You have to save us” — but also created a legacy that continues to save lives, one song and one act of love at a time.
