Tevin Campbell opens up about his sexuality as a gay man

Singer Tevin Campbell is opening up about his sexuality and his life and career while being in the music industry.

Tevin Campbell opens up about his sexuality

Known for his ’90s hits “Can We Talk” and “I’m Ready”, the R&B star confirmed to PEOPLE in a podcast that he is gay.

Navigating in a heteronormative industry,  Campbell says he didn’t “hide anything” about himself all those years ago. “I didn’t try to act a certain way or anything.” But also adding that, “you just couldn’t be [gay] back then.”

After taking a break in the late 1990s after his third studio album didn’t perform well, Campbell’s personal journey with his sexuality began.

“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 shares.

While there has been speculation on Campbell’s sexual identity throughout the years, the singer has kept his personal life private since the start of his career. But that speculation came to a “end” earlier this year when Campbell tweeted (and later deleted) the phrase “Tevin is…” followed by a rainbow flag emoji.

“It was a casual thing for me,” Campbell says of what many took as his “coming out”. In truth, he adds, “I love my fans, but what they think about my sexuality is of no importance to me.”

Loving himself

For Campbell, who has new music in the works, his top priority is loving himself.

“What makes me happiest right now is how far I’ve come in life,” he says, “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.”