Khalid has revealed that his upcoming album wouldn’t have been possible if he “wasn’t outed”.
The singer-songwriter was publicly outed by an ex on social media in November 2024 and has since embraced his sexuality through his music and aesthetic — particularly in the video for his single ‘Out of Body’, which features his first male love interest.
Khalid previously shared that the album, titled After the Sun Goes Down, is “about taking my power back, living in my truth, and being able to express myself freely.”
In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Khalid said the record “wouldn’t have come to be if I wasn’t outed” and that, unlike his first three releases, he’s no longer holding back.
“I wanted to give enough of myself where I felt like I wasn’t completely hiding, but I didn’t want to give too much where I felt exposed,” he explained. “As an artist, sometimes you do find the pressure to create yourself to be accepted by all sides.”
Khalid, who has been out as gay to his loved ones for years and has previously dated men, said being outed on social media was ultimately a “blessing in disguise.”
However, at the time, he was, understandably, “caught off guard.” “I think what’s so nasty about it all is that my own story got stripped away from me,” he said. “I decided I’m just going to choose to love who I am unconditionally because it’s all I got on this earth.”
On After the Sun Goes Down, Khalid was inspired to write material reminiscent of the music he listened to growing up, calling the album a “huge ode to the beautiful icons that came before me.”
“Singing a melody of a Britney [Spears] song or watching a Rihanna video really charged my freedom of expression as a child,” he said. “I’ve always dreamt of being this pop star. I really tapped into that little boy and gave him his shine that he always wanted.”
In the ‘Out of Body’ video, Khalid and his dancers move through hypnotic choreography under hazy streetlights before things heat up between him and his male love interest in a public toilet.
Reflecting on the shoot, Khalid told PEOPLE, “I’m doing some very naughty things. When it was done, you watch the screen and gag at yourself. I’m like, ‘Hold on, that’s me? Wow!’”
After the Sun Goes Down, featuring the singles ‘In Plain Sight’ and ‘Out of Body’, will be released on 10 October.
Khalid described the album as “a celebration of being out and a representation of my queerness,” adding: “My friends listen to the new music and are like, ‘Khalid, who is this guy? What is this side of you?’ It’s vulnerability, in a sense — I’m embracing my sexuality relentlessly, fearlessly.”
Watch the music video for ‘Out of Body’ below.
