Pop star George Micheal, who died over the Christmas weekend at the age of 53, said in 1998, “I spent the first half of my career being accused of being gay when I hadn’t had anything like a gay relationship.”
Moments later, Michael would confirm he was, in fact, gay but didn’t realize it until later in life.
In the interview with CNN, Michael said, “I spent my years growing up being told what my sexuality was ‘really,’ you know, which was kind of confusing.”
Then “by the time I’d worked out what it was,” the singer said, he “was so indignant at the way I’d been treated” he decided to keep it to himself.
“I don’t think they need to know, I don’t think I should have to tell them,” Michael said. “But, you know, this is as good a time as any.”
Watch:
George Michael came out during an interview with CNN in 1998; he spoke about how his sexuality influenced his songs https://t.co/qmnQsWbEyKpic.twitter.com/BYLgl0kbYQ
— CNN International (@cnni) December 26, 2016
The singer went on to insist the songs he’d written as a younger man were, in fact, about women. After he’d come to terms with his sexuality, he says, they “have been fairly obviously about men.”