ABC/Image Group LAT.J. Osborne, one half of sibling duo Brothers Osborne, has publicly discussed being gay for the first time.
“There are times when I think I’ve marginalized this part of me so that I feel better about it…and I realize that it is a big part of who I am: The way I think, the way I act, the way I perform,” he explains in a new interview with TIME. “God, think about all the times that we talk about love, and write about love. It’s the biggest thing we ever get to feel. And I’ve kept the veil on.”
T.J.’s coming out marks a historic moment for the genre, as he is now the first openly gay artist ever to be signed to a major country label.
“You know that thing — stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything? That sounds like something someone in country music would say. But if you stand for something and it’s not what they stand for, then they hate it,” the singer adds.
T.J.’s brother and band mate, John Osborne, also voices his support for his brother in the new interview, saying that T.J.’s happiness and ability to live authentically is more important than any career milestone.
“If I had to have all my money and success erased for my brother to be truly fulfilled in life, I wouldn’t even think about it,” he declares. “Not for a second.”
On Wednesday, T.J. took to Instagram to speak to his fans directly. “I’m very proud to put this out there. I wanted to let you all know that have gotten to know me over the years that the person you know is me, and now you just know more about me,” he declares in a video.
He adds that coming out will help him be more transparent and authentic in all aspects of his music and life. “I know it’s gonna help my relationship with my fans, with my family, and honestly, it’s gonna help my relationship with myself,” T.J. says.
Brothers Osborne’s most recent studio album, Skeletons, came out in October 2020. It features lead single “All Night.”
By Carena Liptak
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