Can you screw it up for yourself by coming out too early? Calum Scott, the British singer we first came into contact with on Britain’s Got Talent has a story that might shine some light on the issue. Speaking on the We Need To Talk podcast with host Paul C Brunson, Scott revealed that coming out at the age of 14 led to the painful loss of his closest friends and a profound sense of isolation.
Scott remembered a seemingly casual conversation that became a turning point: ‘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?”” The singer admitted that he replied, ‘Maybe’, to which his friend responded with a terse ‘Alright’ before distancing himself and telling the rest of their friend group.
The aftermath was immediate and emotionally devastating. ‘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,’ Scott said. For a teenager whose social world revolved around his friendships, this rejection had a devastating impact: ‘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.’
This early experience of being dumped by his friends and the internalised homophobia it sparked lingered for many years. ‘Because of the loss I’d had with my friends, I resented that part of myself and had done for a long, long time,’ he explained. However, the following years saw a significant shift in his journey towards self-acceptance and confidence. ‘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 shared.
This transformation found a powerful voice in his music, notably in the song No Matter What, co-written with Toby Gad, who has worked with high-profile artists like John Legend. The track directly addresses Scott’s experience of coming out and serves as an anthem of resilience and self-love. Reflecting on the song’s significance, Scott described it as ‘a suit of armour… like the holy grail for me because it enabled me to be truly myself without any judgment on myself, without any hatred on myself.’
And he is aware that the song resonates with a much wider audience. ‘I knew more than that it wasn’t just my story, it would be millions of people around the world.’
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.attitude.co.uk/culture/music/calum-scott-abandoned-by-friends-gay-482897/ – This article supports Calum Scott’s experience of being abandoned by friends after coming out and how it affected his internalized homophobia. It also discusses his journey towards self-acceptance.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUsMTeyq_xg – This video features an interview where Calum Scott talks about the traumatic experience of being abandoned by friends upon coming out, which led to years of suppressing his sexuality.
- https://www.starobserver.com.au/artsentertainment/uk-singer-calum-scott-says-friends-abandoned-him-after-he-came-out-as-gay/214251 – This article corroborates Scott’s account of being abandoned by friends after coming out and explores how this experience affected his understanding of the pain that comes with being misunderstood.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfEjMd_qf-I – This video provides context on Calum Scott’s career and personal journey, including his appearance on Britain’s Got Talent and how he overcame challenges related to his coming out.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative does not contain outdated information or recycled news; however, no specific date is mentioned, and the story could potentially be a few months old. Lack of specific dates reduces the freshness score.
Quotes check
Score:
9
Notes:
The quotes appear original to the narrative as they haven’t been found in earlier online sources. This suggests they may be the first published instance of these quotes.
Source reliability
Score:
4
Notes:
The narrative originates from DNA Magazine, which is not as widely recognized as major mainstream publications like the BBC or Reuters. While it is a reputable source within the LGBTQ+ community, its general reliability might vary compared to more well-known outlets.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Calum Scott’s experience of coming out is plausible and consistent with common challenges faced by many young LGBTQ+ individuals. The emotional and social impact described is realistic and aligns with broader narratives about coming out during adolescence.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative is plausible and likely original, but its reliability is somewhat lower due to the source being less mainstream. Without further verification of the specific context and details, it remains difficult to fully confirm the accuracy.
