Beartooth's lead singer comes out as gay as wife of more than 13 years makes statement
Warning: This article contains discussion of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community which some readers may find distressing.
Earlier this year, Caleb Shomo was subjected to a slew of homophobic comments on social media.
This came after Beartooth, the rock band he fronts, released ‘Free’ in March, making their first new music since 2023. The 33-year-old explained the track marks ‘the start of the next chapter of my music and my life’.
In the video, the lead singer sported a new look featuring eye makeup, a bejewelled choker and crop top. And yesterday (23 May), Caleb returned to social media to announce he is ‘a proudly gay man’.
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Supporting him, his wife of more than 13 years, Fleur Shomo, released a statement on Instagram to say the past few months have been a ‘very disorientating and hurtful time to navigate’ for them both.
Caleb Shomo’s statement
The star explained there had been a lot of speculation surrounding his personal life and he was compelled ‘to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further’.
Coming out as gay, he continued: “This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now.
“It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.”
Caleb said he’s always strived to ‘chase who I am, in the deepest part of my soul, from album to album’ while noting ‘four very self-deprecating albums’.
“I am grateful for all these albums, yet feel embarrassed at times that I wouldn’t allow myself to really dig up the roots for so long,” he added.
The musician touched on spending a ‘decade burying feelings with alcohol’ before deciding that when writing the upcoming album he would ‘express myself whole heartedly and fully’.
“I will only do what makes me happy at the deepest level and what is the most honest depiction of who I am,” he said. “I believe it’s impossible to love every part of you when you won’t face every part of you head on. I am trying to finally be proud of who I am and I think this is a massive part of that journey.”
Caleb thanked those who have shown him ‘love, empowerment through living life freely and openly in my presence, supporting the queer community, or simply telling me you love me whoever I am’.
Fleur Shomo’s statement
Following Caleb publicly coming out, Fleur said she will ‘always want to love, protect and support’ him.
“I have cared more about his well-being over the years than anything else in the world,” she wrote.
“To see the confusion and pain he went through and the highs and lows and wanting to help but not knowing how. You never want anything more for your person than for them to just be ok.
“You also ask yourself constantly if you're a bad person for wondering wtf this means for your world & the anger you also feel. I am the only person that is having to deal with the duality of this situation.
“To support him whilst losing everything has been incredibly hard to figure out. You can love and support your person through the hardest time in their life, whilst also be completely demolished & lose yourself at the same time.”
Fleur said no matter what people say, the ‘one thing I don’t need to question is our history’ as she added they have experienced this ‘learning curve together’.
She added that her ‘mental health has suffered’ as she thanks those who have known and been there.
“Our nearly 14yrs of marriage was wonderful and full of so much fun, adventure & love,” Fleur continued, “nobody will know anything about our marriage like we do.”
She said she already misses their marriage and ‘my husband more than anything’.
“Our story was a good one. And now it’s done,” she wrote.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected]
Topics: Music, Celebrity News, Mental Health, LGBTQ
Jess Battison