BY: DM
Published 5 months ago
Singer Khalid is back — and he’s not playing coy about the chapter that changed his life. In an October interview, the singer spoke about being publicly outed last year and how that moment pushed him to reclaim his narrative.
He confirmed his sexuality on X (formerly Twitter) in November 2024 after posts from singer Hugo D Almonte sparked speculation, according to Entertainment Weekly. Khalid posted a rainbow emoji and wrote, “there yall go. Next topic, please lol.” When a fan asked for clarity, he replied, “I am! And that’s okay,” adding, “I got outed and the world still continues to turn… I am not ashamed of my sexuality!”
Now, Khalid has turned the messy incident into art. He’s back with new music and speaks openly about how being outed became a blessing in disguise.
Khalid lives his best out life after being outed.
Being outed is never ideal, but Khalid has managed to make the most of the intrusive act. “I was caught off guard. I think what’s so nasty about it all is that my own story got stripped away from me,” the singer told People magazine. “I decided I’m just going to choose to love who I am unconditionally because it’s all I’ve got on this earth.”
You can see that shift clearly in his new single and video “Out of Body,” where Khalid gets hot and heavy with one of his backup dancers. He says being forced out of the closet gave him the freedom to express himself fully. Now, he’s creating music that feels authentic — channeling the pop icons who first inspired his love for music.
“I wanted to make music that I like to listen to myself,” Khalid says. “It’s like a huge ode to just the beautiful icons that come before me. Singing a melody of a Britney [Spears] song or watching a Rihanna video really charged my freedom of expression as a child. 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.”
Khalid’s ex also made wild claims about their time together.
Khalid has been clear that keeping his romantic life private wasn’t about shame — it was about setting boundaries. Almonte, the ex whose posts sparked the outing, later shared a series of since-deleted messages and Instagram Stories that mixed an apology with an attempt to explain his side, according to HotNewHipHop.
“I’ve been reflecting deeply on everything that’s happened, and it’s time I speak up. I’ve seen the comments, the backlash, and the disappointment,” Almonte wrote. “I understand why people are upset, and I take full responsibility for my actions. I made a mistake-a serious one. Outed someone, and that was wrong. No matter the circumstances, it wasn’t my place to reveal something so personal. For that, I am truly sorry.”
Almonte’s statements also included specific accusations about Khalid. He claimed the “Location” singer had falsely accused him of breaking into their home — a claim Khalid publicly denied in a post on X.
Can being outed publicly ever empower someone, or is it always a violation? Comment below!
