20 Musicians Who Were Forced To Pretend To Be Straight
Being a musician doesn’t necessarily mean you are always free to truly express who you are. Sure, these artists dress themselves up a certain way to try to reflect what they're feeling and what they're all about, but some were also forced to keep a certain aspect of themselves hidden from public eye.
Several years back, this concept wasn’t as open & accepting as it is today. For as long as anyone can remember, heterosexuality had always been viewed as the "norm." Hence, musicians were forced to align with this even if they knew they didn’t fit the mold.
As a result, several music artists felt the need to hide their true selves and only came out later on in their careers. Check out these musicians who were once forced to be straight:
20 Lance Bass Hid His True Self While With ‘N Sync
Lance Bass was once a member of the 90s pop boy band ‘NSync. Throughout his time with the group, he kept a straight image, becoming known as a crooner who was capable of driving girls crazy. Eventually, Bass decided it was time to come out when he appeared in a July 2006 cover story on People magazine.
19 Darren Hayes Only Came Out Upon Marrying His Boyfriend
Darren Stanley Hayes is a singer, songwriter, and former front man of the pop duo Savage Garden. Hayes only decided to publicly come out as a gay man upon the group’s split in 2001. While speaking to Billboard, Hayes said the band would have suffered had he come out much sooner. He explained, “I remember distinctly the message I got from the top down was that being gay was detrimental to sales. It was never stated, but heavily implied. You could tell it was the topic of many discussions, and I was marketed in a way that appealed to women.”
18 Rob Halford Wasn’t Open About It Until Coming Out On MTV
Rob Halford is a British musician who is best known as the lead singer for the heavy metal band Judas Priest. Initially, Halford hinted about his sexuality on the lyrics of the 1977 song “Raw Deal.” However, he only admitted to being gay during an interview in 1998. While speaking to 96.7 KCAL Rocks, Halford explained, “It talks about Fire Island, which is the big gay hangout in New York. And I talk about these guys in the bar and everything.”
17 Angel Haze Only Came Out In 2015
American rapper and singer Angel Haze is known for tracks such as “Werkin’ Girls,” “Babe Ruthless,” and “Battle Cry.” According to Out, Haze made the decision to come out as agender back in February 2015 through a post on Twitter. In the past, she had reportedly dated model Ireland Baldwin, the daughter of actor Alec Baldwin and actress Kim Basinger.
16 Michael Stipe Only Revealed His Sexuality In 2001
Singer and songwriter Michael Stipe is a former lead singer for the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe made the decision to reveal his sexuality in September 1994, around the time that his band had just released the records “Automatic for the People” and “Out of Time.” In a 2014 article he wrote for The Guardian, Stipe recalled, “In 1994, most people had a largely binary perception of sexuality – the message was complicated for them. I am thrilled to see how much this has changed in those 20 years.”
15 Melissa Etheridge Only Came Out On The Same Year As Her Grammy Win
Melissa Etheridge is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, and activist who publicly came out in 1993, the same year that she won a Grammy for the song “Ain’t It Heavy.” To make things clear however, her coming out had nothing to do with the album “Yes I Am” later that year. Etheridge told Billboard, “One hundred percent truthfully, I had written the song ‘Yes I Am’ originally for the album before that, and it’s a love song. It’s about saying positively, ‘Yes, I am that lover.’”
14 Clairo Only Came Out After Her Coachella Performance
Clairo is an Atlanta-born singer and songwriter known for her song “Pretty Girl.” Earlier this year, Clairo made the decision to come out following a successful set at Coachella where fans sang along to her hit song. During an interview, she told Out, “I'm still not really sure what my sexuality is, but I do know that it's not straight.” Prior to this, she also hinted about her preferences in a tweet saying, “B.O.M.D. is also G.O.M.D. for ur information.” B.O.M.D. is Clairo’s acronym for boy of my dreams.
13 Lil Nas X Had No Plans To Reveal His Sexuality Until Posting On Twitter
Lil Nas X is an American artist known for tracks such as “Old Town Road” and “Panini.” Last July, the rapper posted a message on Twitter saying, “some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. but before this month ends i want y’all to listen closely to c7osure.” Lyrics to “C7osure” include the lines, “No more red light for me baby, only green, I gotta go/Pack my past up in the back, oh, let my future take ahold/This is what I gotta do, can’t be regrettin’ when I’m old.”
12 Ricky Martin Hid His Lovers Before Coming Out
Spanish singer Ricky Martin first made a mark in the music scene during the 90s where he became known for hits such as “Livin’ la Vida Loca,” “La Copa de la Vida,” and “Shake Your Bon-Bon.” Martin made the decision to come out in 2010. On his website, he explained, “These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.”
11 Frank Ocean Only Revealed He Was Queer In 2012
Frank Ocean is a songwriter, singer and record producer who became known for songs such as “Pink + White,” “White Ferrari,” “Close to You,” and “Pyramids.” In 2012, Ocean decided to come out through an open letter in which he talked about meeting a guy. He wrote, “By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless. There was no escaping. No negotiating with the feeling. No choice. It was my first love. It changed my life.”
10 Chely Wright Only Decided To Come Out In 2010
Chely Wright is a country music singer known for songs such as “Shut Up and Drive,” and “Your Woman Misses Her Man.” Wright came out as a lesbian in 2010, making her the first-ever openly gay artist in country music. The singer told Newsweek, “In early 2006, during my breakdown, during a time I couldn't connect the dots, I took inventory of my life. I had been and always was a lesbian; I always knew it. I had always been hostage by my secret.”
9 George Michael Only Addressed His Sexuality After Being Arrested In 1998
The late George Michael was a true music icon up until his death. He became known for songs such as “Careless Whisper,” “One More Try,” “Flawless,” and more. Back in April 1998, Michael was caught engaging in an intimate act while in a public toilet by an undercover police officer. Following the incident, Michael decided to make his relationship with U.S. businessman Kenny Goss public, according to Independent.
8 Fergie Only Came Out As Bi During A Candid Interview
Fergie is a singer and former member of the hip hop group Black Eyed Peas. The music artist decided to come out as bi during an interview with Advocate in which she said, “I think women are beautiful. I've had a lot of fun with women, and I'm not ashamed of it. The problem is that I also love a well-endowed man.”
7 Jason Mraz Didn’t Reveal His Sexuality Until Coming Out In A ‘Love Letter’
Jason Mraz is an American singer and songwriter known for hits such as “I’m Yours,” “Lucky,” and “The Remedy.” In 2018, Mraz decided to take part in Billboard’s Gay Pride Month Initiative where he wrote a love letter to the LGBTQ community. This letter was essentially a poem and one line said, “I am bi your side.”
6 Rita Ora Only Came Out After Facing Backlash For A Song
Rita Ora is a music artist, actress, and television personality who has managed to stir some controversy in recent years. Just in 2018, Ora faced backlash after she released the song “Girls” due to its lyrics. There was a perception that Ora was implying that alcohol was necessary to take part in a same-sex relationship. In response, Ora explained, “I have had romantic relationships with women and men throughout my life and this is my personal journey.”
5 It Seems Ariana Grande Came Out Recently In A Song
Ariana Grande is a pop singer and actress that’s enjoyed steady following from throngs of fans in recent years. Earlier this year, there was speculation that Grande came out when she released the song “Monopoly.” In the chorus, Grande sings, “I like women and men (yeah).” Even today, the singer is yet to directly address the issue.
4 Som Hye In Only Came Out On Instagram This Year
Korean music artist and “Idol Star” actress Som Hye In took her fans by surprise when she decided to come out just a few months. The reveal was done on Instagram where she posted a photo herself kissing a woman. She also captioned the photo “chu chu My girlfriend.” She also posted a series of photos with the woman and captioned it, “My lovely girl.” And when someone tried to clarify if she was a lesbian, Som Hye In responded, “I’m bisexual. And I have girlfriend now.”
3 Janelle Monáe Didn’t Come Out Until 2018
Janelle Monáe is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, actress, and producer who decided to come out in a Rolling Stone cover story in 2018. During her interview, she remarked, “Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – I consider myself to be a free-a** m***********.” Initially, Monáe identified as a bisexual. However, she said, “But then later I read about pansexuality and was like, ‘Oh, these are things that I identify with too.’ I’m open to learning more about who I am.”
2 Sam Smith Only Came Out To The Public In 2014
Sam Smith is an English singer known for hit songs such as “Dancing With a Stranger,” “Lay Me Down,” and “I’m Not the Only One.” Smith first came out in 2014 when he told Fader that his debut album “is about a guy that I fell in love with last year, and he didn’t love me back.” In an interview recently posted on Instagram, however, Smith also came out as a non-binary.
1 Ben Platt Decided To Come Out In A Music Video
Ben Platt is a singer and actor known for songs such as “You Will Be Found,” “Words Fail,” and “River.” Earlier this year, in February, Platt came out through a music video he released for the song “Ease My Mind” where Charlie Carver played Platt’s love interest. During an interview with Variety, Platt also said, “It was really a conscious decision. You know, I’m going to be public about this, [but] to go in and edit my relationship seemed silly for no reason.”
Sources: Rolling Stone, Out, Billboard, The Guardian, Variety