“My Life Was Ruined”: Calum Scott Reveals How Coming Out Cost Him His Closest Friends At 14
Calum Scott, known for his soulful voice, which reached millions via Britain’s Got Talent, recently shared a deeply personal story about his difficult experience coming out as a teenager. Speaking on the We Need To Talk podcast with host Paul C Brunson, Scott opened up about the isolation he faced.
He revealed that telling a friend about his sexuality at just 14 led to him being cut off by his peer group. “I had a lot of internalised homophobia because I was abandoned by my friends when I came out as being gay,” Scott explained on the podcast.
“My Life Was Ruined”
Recalling the specific moment, Scott described a casual conversation that took an unexpected turn. “We were just talking and it would come up again and I was just so down and fed up of the questioning, when he asked me I was like, ‘I don’t know if I’m interested in girls’ and he was like ‘What? Are you trying to tell me you’re gay?” Scott shared. He responded with, “Maybe”. His friend’s reaction was brief – “Alright” – before skating away to inform the rest of their group.
The consequences were immediate and harsh. “The next day, nobody came to call for me, nobody came to walk me to school, and I went up to school and none of them wanted to talk to me at lunch,” the singer revealed. At that age, the impact was shattering. “My whole life was my friendship group at that point, so for me my life was ruined from something I didn’t really understand and that was horrible, probably one of the lowest times in my life, I’d say personally.”
Finding Strength In Music And Self-Acceptance
This early rejection cast a long shadow. Scott admitted the experience affected how he viewed himself for years. “Because of the loss I’d had with my friends, I resented that part of myself and had done for a long,g long time,” he said.
Thankfully, time brought perspective and healing. Scott, who found fame covering Robyn’s Dancing On My Own and turned it into a massive UK hit in 2016, eventually reached a place of self-acceptance. “I think I would say the last five years have just gone full 180 on it and I’m like, ‘I love who I am, ’” he stated.
This personal growth found an outlet in his music, particularly the song No Matter What. Written with Toby Gad, known for his work with John Legend, the track addresses his coming out experiences directly. He described the song’s creation as empowering. “As soon as I wrote that… I feel like that gave me a suit of armour, it was like the holy grail for me because it enabled me to be truly myself without any judgment on myself, without any hatred on myself,” Scott reflected.
He recognised the song held significance beyond his own story, adding, “I knew more than that it wasn’t just my story, it would be millions of people around the world.” For many, haven’t songs like these provided comfort during tough times?
Calum Scott’s willingness to share such a vulnerable part of his past highlights the difficulties many young LGBTQIA+ people can face, but also offers a powerful message about finding peace and pride in who you are.
