Beartooth lead singer Caleb Shomo is speaking candidly about the backlash he says followed his decision to publicly come out as gay in May.
During an appearance on The Break Down with Nath & Johnny podcast, the 33-year-old rock frontman said he encountered “homophobia” earlier this year after sharing his sexuality and later moving forward with a divorce from his wife of 14 years.
Shomo explained that, before going public, he had already made a personal decision to stop shrinking himself for other people. “I’m not gonna water myself down at all,” he recalled, saying he wanted the freedom to wear what he liked, sing the way he wanted and fully embrace his identity onstage and off.
The Beartooth musician said he was determined to present himself authentically and enjoy the creative liberty that comes with being an artist. But that openness, he added, was not welcomed by everyone. According to Shomo, he faced significant resistance from people who were uncomfortable with how he looked, how he expressed himself and the choices he was making, describing much of the reaction as outright homophobia.
Earlier this year, Shomo addressed fans directly on Instagram after what he described as “a lot of speculation” about his private life, confirming in the post that he is a “proudly gay man.”
Two months later, in July, Caleb and Fleur Shomo, née Terry, submitted a joint divorce filing in Los Angeles Superior Court. The former couple married in 2012 and do not have children together.
Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo says he faced homophobic backlash after coming out as gay in May
Caleb Shomo and Fleur Shomo, née Terry, jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court in July
Shortly after Caleb came out, Fleur expressed support for him while also acknowledging the ‘disorientating and hurtful’ split.
Amid the adverse reaction to his sexuality, the singer said he was ‘going through so much’ and subsequently chose to ‘get off the internet for a while.’
While his band performed on Bad Omen’s Do You Feel Love? tour, he noted that he needed to be on point during each performance, but it was ‘tough.’
‘I mean, a lot of the day I’d be spent in a really, really bad place and just trying to find enough energy and enough will to get myself warmed up and get on that stage and do my f**king job,’ he shared.
Caleb said he is still met with homophobia.
‘It didn’t really change as we kept releasing more songs, and the very vocal opposition continued and still continues to,’ he told listeners.
‘And, yeah, me coming out didn’t help that. And just being honest with people about who I am and what’s been going on.’
The music artist said that as he prepares his next project, there is ‘a lot that I need to say’ and ‘work through.’
Caleb and Fleur were married 14 years before filing for divorce two months after he came out as gay
Caleb is the lead vocalist of Beartooth, which he founded in 2012; pictured in July 2014 from left to right: bassist Oshie Bichar, drummer Brandon Mullins, guitarist Taylor Lumley, Caleb, guitarist Kamron Bradbury
Caleb penned a lengthy message to his 213,000 Instagram followers in the spring, addressing ‘something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now.’
‘I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,’ he wrote. ‘I am a proudly gay man.’
He then admitted it has been ‘difficult’ for him ‘to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.’
In his statement, he explained that he ‘always’ put ‘the deepest part of my soul’ in his art and music.
Then, he reflected on four ‘very self-deprecating [Beartooth] albums’ that he created before coming out.
Caleb noted his past music explored ‘his religious upbringing, depression, self hatred, self loathing, and hopelessness.’
He said he ‘will express [himself] whole heartedly and fully’ in the music from his upcoming album.
