Tevin Campbell Confesses His Homosexuality

Following a career marked by massive chart-topping successes, acclaimed Broadway performances, and a beloved contribution to a classic '90s Disney film, the R&B sensation Tevin Campbell is prepared to share a personal aspect of his life with his admirers. During a recent discussion on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, Campbell affirmed his identity as a gay man and reflected on the journey that led him to openly communicate this with his supporters.

"What brings me the most joy presently is the progress I've achieved in my life," he conveyed on the podcast. "Indeed, numerous former child performers do not achieve sustained success. However, many of us do... and the very fact that I have accepted myself."

For a considerable period, fans had been postulating about Campbell's sexual orientation, yet the vocalist had maintained a private personal life from the outset of his professional endeavors. This conjecture reached a pivotal moment earlier this year when Campbell posted (and subsequently removed) a tweet containing the phrase "Tevin is..." followed by a symbol representing a rainbow flag.

The recording artist entered into his inaugural major record label agreement with Warner Music in 1991, subsequently launching his inaugural album, T.E.V.I.N., to widespread critical approval. At the tender age of just 14 in March 1991, Campbell secured his initial top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart - the song was "Round and Round," which was penned and produced by the iconic Prince for the motion picture Graffiti Bridge. Campbell's rendition of this particular track earned him a nomination for a Grammy Award in the category of best R&B vocal performance, male - this marked his first of five Grammy nominations.

Hit songs like "Can We Talk" and "Tell Me What You Want Me to Do" subsequently ascended to the top 10 positions on the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, a multitude of fans recognize Campbell as the distinctive voice behind the character Powerline in the 1995 animated feature A Goofy Movie.

Campbell, who self-identified as a "former child star," disclosed that throughout his formative years in the entertainment industry, he had not truly concealed his true self from those in his immediate vicinity. "I made no attempt to hide any aspect of my being. I did not strive to conduct myself in a particular manner or anything of that nature," he stated. "It was simply not permissible [to be gay] during that era."

It wasn't until the year 2005, when he took on the role of Seaweed J. Stubbs in the celebrated Broadway musical Hairspray, that Campbell asserts he experienced a genuine sense of self-discovery. "Being surrounded by individuals who shared similarities with me, members of the LGBTQ+ community living ordinary lives and having partners. Such a scenario was entirely novel to me," he shared. "That period represented a significant and positive chapter in my life."

The artist behind the song "I 2 I" also extended commendation to prominent figures such as Lil Nas X and Frank Ocean, who have attained considerable success in the R&B and hip-hop genres while openly identifying as queer. "Circumstances were not analogous in the decade of the '90s, but I am genuinely pleased to witness this evolution. I am grateful that this paradigm is shifting," he expressed. "There are a substantial number of young individuals, particularly young Black males, who require visible role models. They are not being encouraged to cultivate self-love owing to their inherent identities."

To hear Tevin Campbell's complete discussion on the PEOPLE Every Day podcast, please access the audio content provided below: