Grammy-nominated R&B artist Khalid has publicly come out as gay through a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), following what he described as being "outted" online.
The 26-year-old "Location" singer addressed his sexuality directly on Friday evening, first sharing a rainbow flag emoji with the caption "there yall go. next topic please lol." When a user questioned his sexuality, Khalid responded confidently: "I am! And that's okay."
"I got outted and the world still continues to turn," the singer wrote. "Let's get this straight (lmao) I am not ashamed of my sexuality! In reality it ain't nobodies business! But I am okay with me... love yall."
While Khalid has previously shown support for LGBTQ+ causes through his music - including recording "Love Lies" for the Love, Simon soundtrack and releasing what fans call the "LGBTQ anthem" satellite in 2022 - this marks the first time he has explicitly addressed his own sexuality.
When some fans suggested he had been hiding his identity, the "Young Dumb & Broke" singer firmly stated: "I wasn't hiding anything! It's just not any of your business." He emphasized this point by adding "thank you!!!! I was never hiding" in response to supportive messages from fans.
The El Paso-raised artist burst onto the music scene in 2016 with his debut single "Location" while still in high school. His career quickly soared, leading to five Grammy nominations and collaborations with major artists including Justin Bieber, Marshmello, and Billie Eilish.
Khalid's representatives have not responded to requests for comment regarding the circumstances of his coming out. The singer's third studio album, "Sincere," was released in August.
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