celeb news 90s R&B star Tevin Campbell comes out as a gay man

[Hector]

 

After a career in the public eye with huge chart hits, lauded Broadway performances and a much-beloved song in ’90s Disney classic, R&B star Tevin Campbell is ready to let fans in on a part of his personal life. In a new interview on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, Campbell confirmed that he identifies as a gay man, and took a look back on what led him to officially opening up to his fans.

 

Fans have long speculated about Campbell’s sexuality, but the singer has kept his private life out of the public eye since the inception of his career. But that speculation came to a head earlier this year when Campbell tweeted (and later deleted) the phrase “Tevin is…” followed by a rainbow flag emoji.

 

The singer signed his first major label record deal with Warner Music back in 1991, releasing his debut album T.E.V.I.N. to critical acclaim. Song such as “Can We Talk” and “Tell Me What You Want Me to Do” would go on to break into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Many fans also know Campbell as the voice of Powerline from 1995’s A Goofy Movie.

 

Campbell, who referred to himself as a “former child star,” revealed that throughout his early years in the industry, he never really concealed his identity from those around him. “I didn’t hide anything about me. I didn’t try to act a certain way or anything,” he said. “You just couldn’t be [gay] back then.”

 

It wasn’t until 2005, when he appeared as Seaweed J. Stubbs in the Broadway musical Hairspray, that Campbell says he felt he’d truly found himself. “Being around people who were like me, LGBTQ+ people that were living normal lives and had partners. I had never seen that,” he said. “That was a great time in my life.”

 

The “I 2 I” singer also praised stars such as Lil Nas X and Frank Ocean, who have found success in R&B and hip-hop while also being openly queer. “It wasn’t like that in the ’90s, but I’m glad I get to see it. I’m glad that’s changing,” he said. “There are a lot of kids, especially young Black boys that need to see representation. They’re not being taught to love themselves because of who they are.”

 

Congrats  Stream his biggest hits:

 

 

 

 

[SaintWest]

Proud of him. 

[StonedSoulPicnic]

Congrats to him. 

[Pop culture]

Omg king 

Would love for him to sing his songs with male pronouns

[Rihbeyga]

A whole glass closet. 

[dabunique]

its about time lol

 

but i'm happy he feels comfortable saying it

 

lemme stream I'm Ready in his honor

 

@Armani? check out ur boy

[imabadkid]

good for him. there were rumors for years and I get people love to speculate on people’s sexuality especially when it’s a man but it’s also intrusive. he did it on his own time on his own terms 

[Nazareth]

7 minutes ago, Rihbeyga said:

A whole glass closet. 

 

Happy that he found it in himself to live his life as an openly gay man. 

[99sandthe2000s]

11 minutes ago, Rihbeyga said:

A whole glass closet. 

happy to see him living his truth 

[liquiddiamonds]

Streets been knew since back then

[LatinFreak]

 

But good for Him. 

[Specter]

Omg where is that member who was either the one and only Tevin Campbell stan or Tevin Campbell himself

 

Someone @ them and let them know

 

 

[Bloodflowers.]

I wonder if that ATRL stan knew him more personally to be his #1 stan around here

 

[Album Leak]

Congrats to him!!!

The Goofy Movie just became that much more iconic 

 

 

[kandicha]

Congratulations to him! It must feel so amazing to be out and to get to see the younger generation like Frank Ocean and Lil Nas X to not have to hide.

[Protocol]

What’s this “identifies as…” ****? You’re either gay or you aren’t, being a gay man is a biological response (your d gets hard or not), how you identify is meaningless. He was just closeted before. Weird Orwellian attempt at subtle language manipulation to normalize being closeted.

[Mtjjproducer]

I thought he came out a few years ago. Or am I thinking about another 90s star???

[Beyondslay]

We been knew but good for him.

 

[Armani?]

26 minutes ago, dabunique said:

its about time lol

 

but i'm happy he feels comfortable saying it

 

lemme stream I'm Ready in his honor

 

@Armani? check out ur boy

This was lowkey unnecessary. He called himself pansexual or something like that some years ago

 

But good for him

[DoubleRainbow!]

Wasn't that an ATRLer?

[Headlock]

14 minutes ago, Protocol said:

What’s this “identifies as…” ****? You’re either gay or you aren’t, being a gay man is a biological response (your d gets hard or not), how you identify is meaningless. He was just closeted before. Weird Orwellian attempt at subtle language manipulation to normalize being closeted.

It's normalizing inclusive language for LGBTQ+ identities, jfc, it has nothing to do with being closeted 

[cockatoo]

11 minutes ago, Protocol said:

What’s this “identifies as…” ****? You’re either gay or you aren’t, being a gay man is a biological response (your d gets hard or not), how you identify is meaningless. He was just closeted before. Weird Orwellian attempt at subtle language manipulation to normalize being closeted.

breathe baby it will be ok

 

OT: Good for him 

[Album Leak]

16 minutes ago, Protocol said:

What’s this “identifies as…” ****? You’re either gay or you aren’t, being a gay man is a biological response (your d gets hard or not), how you identify is meaningless. He was just closeted before. Weird Orwellian attempt at subtle language manipulation to normalize being closeted.

Agreed tbh. Gay isn't (just) an identity you occupy. It's a reality that you are.

[Protocol]

6 minutes ago, Headlock said:

It's normalizing inclusive language for LGBTQ+ identities, jfc, it has nothing to do with being closeted 

This thread is about a gay man, and being gay is not an “identity”, it’s a biological reality regardless of what you identify as.

[Katamari]

Okay power line / Ashley’s banks birthday serenader ! Live yo truth