Outed as gay on social media by a former partner in 2024, Khalid admitted that the X post was both a “blessing in disguise” as well as a loss of his own story.
In a new interview with People, the now 27-year old musician explained that while the experience was painful, it had led to a deeper sense of creativity that helped shape his upcoming After the Sun Goes Down LP due out October 10.
Born Khalid Robinson, the superstar singer/songwriter admitted that he used to hold back in his music, saying:
“This album wouldn’t have come to be if I wasn’t outed.” “I wanted to give enough of myself where I felt like I wasn’t completely hiding, but I didn’t want to give too much where I felt exposed.” “As an artist, sometimes you do find the pressure to create yourself to be accepted by all sides.”
Having come out to friends and family about dating men privately before publicly confirming in November 2024 that he was gay, the American-born artist reflected on being forced to disclose his sexuality, adding:
“I was caught off guard. I think what’s so nasty about it all is that my own story got stripped away from me.” “I decided I’m just going to choose to love who I am unconditionally because it’s all I got on this earth.”
Looking toward the future, Khalid described After the Sun Goes Down as “an ode to just the beautiful icons that come before me,” explaining “Singing a melody of a Britney (Spears) song or watching a Rihanna video really charged my freedom of expression as a child,” he shared. “I’ve always dreamt of being this pop star. I really tapped into that little boy and gave him his shine that he always wanted.”
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: MTV UK