Khalid at Grammy Museum L.A. Live on Oct 14, 2024 in Los Angeles
Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Khalid is opening up about his sexuality — and making it clear that he’s happy with who he is. In a series of X posts on Friday, the American Teen singer confirmed that he’s gay after being outed on the platform.
“There yall go. next topic please lol,” the singer first wrote, using the LGBTQ flag, before responding to a fan to confirm, “I am [gay]! And that’s okay.”
“I got outted and the world still continues to turn,” Khalid continued. “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.”
The posts came shortly after an X user, Hugo Almonte, went on a posting rampage about the artists he’s had sex with, and wrote that “one of your favorite gay R&B singers” once offered him drugs and “tried to set me up and lie that I broke into his house.”
Almonte, whose own music has less than 750 monthly listeners, claimed that the “gay artists that are out right now” are “shitty as fuck.” He followed up the posts by sharing a photo with Khalid.
Khalid has yet to respond to Almonte’s claims, but replied to one user who wrote that the “closet was glass.” Khalid’s response was graceful: “I wasn’t hiding anything! It’s just not any of your business.”
Following his posts on social media, Almonte said in a statement to Rolling Stone that it was his intention to “share how he tried to use his power to silence me because I simply ended our relationship,” though did not name Khalid directly. Almonte claimed he has received death threats, and said “it’s crazy that these people said I was chasing clout, when I was holding onto this for five years, and I finally had enough.”
Khalid’s team did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone‘s request for comment.
The R&B star was quickly defended by fans and fellow gay artists, including producers MNEK and Amorphous, who condemned Almonte’s posts.
“Your music can barely allow you to afford a small fry at jack in the box and you’re pressed about outing someone who has three diamond records. y’all are not the same, babes,” wrote Amorphous on X. “If you’re intentionally going out of your way to be shady or cause mess, do not be shocked if your failing music career is brought up.”
“loser Loser LOSER LOSER behaviour,” wrote pop-R&B producer MNEK.
This article was updated on Nov. 23 at 12:18 a.m. ET to include a statement from Hugo Almonte.
From Rolling Stone US.
