Tevin Campbell recently opened up about his sexuality and his life and career while making major hits in the music industry.
I don’t know about y’all but I’m happy to see our Black music icons like Queen Latifah, Da Brat, and Tevin Campbell stepping fully into their queerness and naming themselves on their own terms.
— dr. jenn m. jackson (@JennMJacksonPhD) August 18, 2022
Widely known for his ‘90s hits “Can We Talk” Campbell told PEOPLE that he didn’t “hide anything” about himself all those years ago. “I didn’t try to act a certain way or anything.” Also adding that, “you just couldn’t be [gay] back then.”
“When I came out to my family and friends [at] about 19 or 20, that was it for me. And then I went on the road of discovering myself. I didn’t know who I was,” Campbell shared.
“Being around people who were like me, LGBTQ+ people that were living normal lives and had partners. I had never seen that. That was a great time in my life.”
That great time seems to have carried on as Campbell now exist in a space full of self-love and immense gratitude.
“What makes me happiest right now is how far I’ve come in life,” he said, “You know, there are a lot of child stars that don’t make it. But a lot of us do… and the fact that I’ve embraced me.”
Despite years of speculation, Campbell has largely kept his private life private. Earlier this year, he responded to a Twitter user’s question about famous singers who are rumored to be gay. He simply tweeted “Tevin is…” adding a rainbow emoji.
Good for him. I’m Ready is one of my favorite songs.
Campbell: “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.” https://t.co/tX3uPglTcY
— Erline Andrews (@ErlineP) August 18, 2022
“It was a casual thing for me,” Campbell says of what many took as a coming out statement. In truth, he adds, “I love my fans, but what they think about my sexuality is of no importance to me.”