Becky Hill says she thinks she identifies as queer
"Queer seems to be the most fitting identity for who I am," says the chart-topping singer and former star of The Voice.
By Will Stroude
Words: Will Stroude
Becky Hill has opened up about her sexuality publicly, revealing that she thinks she identifies as queer.
The British singer, 27, admitted on Twitter that she has “definitely felt uncomfortable” identifying as straight and that “queer seems to be the most fitting identity” for her.
Hill, who first rose to prominence on the first UK series of The Voice in 2012 and scored a UK chart-topper with Oliver Heldens in the form of ‘Gecko (Overdrive)’ two years later, spoke candidly about her sexuality after being asked by a fan asked on Twitter whether she’d “come out yet”.
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“We’re all waiting to welcome you and it’s almost Pride season!” the fan wrote in a now-deleted tweet.
The message prompted Hill to bravely speak out about her still-evolving identity in real-time, writing: “ok here it goes.. i’m not 100% on this (still figuring myself out) but i *think* i’m queer!”
The Worcestershire-born musician continued: “i’ve definitely felt uncomfortable branding myself as straight, or anything else for that matter, but queer seems to be the most fitting identity for who i am.”
😂 ok here it goes.. i’m not 100% on this (still figuring myself out) but i *think* i’m queer! i’ve definitely felt uncomfortable branding myself as straight, or anything else for that matter, but queer seems to be the most fitting identity for who i am 🏳️🌈🌈 https://t.co/Yl8jLkz88k
— Becky Hill (@BeckyHill) April 11, 2021
Hill, who has scored nine UK Top 40 singles since her breakthrough on The Voice almost ten years ago, was quickly inundated with messages of support following her frank response to the rather blunt original comment.
Replying to a well-wisher who ‘welcomed’ her to the LGBTQ community, Hill wrote: “only ever been myself & hoping everyone else feels they can do the same!! the warmest of welcomes! i’m not just a visitor anymore!”
Hill’s courageous and seemingly casual discussion of her sexuality – as well as her admission that she’s still not “100% sure” about her identity – marks a refreshing evolution in the traditional ‘coming out’ narrative, which dictates that LGBTQ people must label themselves before announcing that label to the world.
In a pop landscape increasingly dominated by LGBTQ artists, here’s hoping more people feel empowered to speak frankly about their sexuality, whatever the label – and wherever they are on their journey.