When one is asked to name a music artist who is either gay or lesbian or even bisexual, the first few names that come to one’s head are Sir Elton John, George Michael and Prince. However, over the past few years, more musicians have emerged who have acknowledged their sexuality publicly. Here are some well known musicians that you may not have known play for their own team or both teams.
Billie Joe Armstrong
Yes, the lead vocalist of multiple Grammy Award winning American punk rock band Green Day, swings both ways. In an interview with The Advocate in 1995, Armstrong said that he thought he had always been bisexual. Referring to the band’s 1994 record ‘Dookie’ and its track ‘Coming Clean’, in an interview with Rolling Stone, Armstrong said that the record touches on bisexuality a lot. It was a song about Armstrong questioning himself. He said that people are acting out what they are feeling: gay, bisexual or transgender, and that opens up something in society that becomes more acceptable.
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David Bowie
One seldom finds clear evidence of two-time Grammy Award winning British pop rock singer, David Bowie’s sexual orientation. In the January 1972 issue of Melody Maker, Bowie declared himself as gay. However, in an interview with Playboy four years later, Bowie agreed that he was bisexual. He further stated that it was the best thing that ever happened to him. According to his first wife Angie, Bowie had a relationship with Mick Jagger as she revealed in the 2012 book ‘Mick: the Wild Life and Mad Genius of Jagger.’ When he was asked to address this back in 2002, Bowie said that he regretted coming out to people as bisexual, while citing America as a very America is a “very puritanical place.”
Fergie
The Black Eyed Peas vocalist has a wonderful marriage, with a handsome husband and an adorable son. But, the ‘Glamorous’ singer has been very blatant in identifying herself as bisexual. In May 2009, she officially came out as bisexual in the British tabloid newspaper The Sun. A few months later, the 40-year old singer said that she was very open and honest about that from the very beginning, and everyone was acting like it was some new trend. Fergie revealed that she thinks women are beautiful, and that she has had a lot of fun with women, and she is not ashamed of it. However, the problem is, she added was that she also loves a well-endowed man.”
Frank Ocean
The American singer/songwriter, best known for his debut studio album ‘Channel Orange’ bared all his emotions in tumblr post back in 2012, in which he revealed that his first love experience was with another man. In that post, Ocean said that he was unaware on what would happen next, but that is OK, he did not have any more secrets. Ocean said that he felt like a free man. A week later, pop diva Beyoncé posted on her website a photo of Ocean that said, “Be fearless. Be honest. Be generous. Be brave. Be poetic. Be open. Be free. Be yourself. Be in love. Be happy. Be inspiration.”
Vanessa Carlton
Many remember her as the singer behind the modern classic ‘A Thousand Years’, but a special few at the 2012 Nashville Pride concert remember her as the woman who embraced her bisexuality. To a crowd of 18,000, Carlton announced that she is a proud bisexual woman. Three years later, in a ceremony officiated by former Fleetwood Mac singer, Stevie Nicks, Carlton married John McCauley, lead vocalist of American alternative rock act Deer Tick. The couple had their first child- Sidney, earlier this year in January.
Markus Feehily
Some might know him as one of the core members of Irish boy band Westlife. Fewer would know of his sexual orientation. Around ten years ago, during the peak of Westlife’s success in 2005, Feehily revealed he was gay and that he was very proud of who he is, adding that it was the right time to let people know the truth. In the same year, Feehily also announced his romantic relationship with British fashion photographer Kevin McDaid, former member of the now-defunct British boy band V. After five years together, Feehily and McDaid were engaged in February 2010. But, in December 2011, Feehily announced via his Twitter account that he and Kevin had split up.
Azealia Banks
The 24-year old American hip hop artist has referred to herself as bisexual multiple times. Around two years ago, in an interview with Rolling Stone, when asked if she felt a special affection for her gay fans, the ‘212’ singer admitted to being bisexual. But even though she considers herself bisexual, Banks told New York Times that she was not trying to be the bisexual, lesbian rapper. “I do not live on other people’s terms,” she added.
Brandi Carlile
Carlile is perhaps best known for her track ‘The Story’ which was featured on the medical drama TV show- ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in 2007. The ‘Give Up the Ghost’ singer, identified herself as a lesbian in 2022, when she was in her early 20s. At the time, Carlisle told the Los Angeles Times that there were people before her who paved the way. In June 2012 she announced she was engaged to Catherine Shepherd, who she married three months later. The couple welcomed their first child, Evangeline in June last year.
Rostam Batmanglij
The lead keyboardist of Vampire Weekend, is also one half of the futurepop electronic act- Discovery. To showcase more of his musical versatility, Batmanglij produced a dancehall song about a gay relationship called ‘Diplomats Son’. He also produced a pop song called ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’, featuring Angel Deradoorian, which was featured on Discovery’s debut album – ‘LP’. In his interview with Out magazine, Batmanglij said that while writing ‘I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’, he was having fun, but at the same time it was honest; the lyrics were meaningful to him, and that they came from his heart. Batmanglij also added that he was disappointed when the song did not become a gay anthem.
Olly Alexander
Alexander is the lead vocalist of the BBC Sound of 2015 winning soulful electronic pop act from London, Years & Years. In a song titled ‘Memo’, from the band’s debut album – ‘Communion’, Alexander wrote from a gay perspective about romance and heartbreak between two men. When asked whether he really did write from a gay perspective, Alexander affirmed that he was definitely writing from that perspective. He also cited that he once watched Joni Mitchell do this interview where she said songwriting became easier when she started writing about ‘you and me’. Alexander is currently in a relationship with Neil Milan Amin-Smith, violinist of the Grammy Award winning electronic act, Clean Bandit.
