Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Natalie Osborne
Listeners of country music are known for being a largely conservative bunch – but that’s not stopping T.J. Osborne from living his truth.
Indeed the singer, of country band Brothers Osborne, has come out publicly as gay in a new interview.
The star, known for songs like ‘It Ain’t My Fault’ and ‘Stay a Little Longer’, addressed his sexuality in an interview with TIME yesterday.
“I find myself being guarded”
“I’m very comfortable being gay,” T.J. said, adding: “I find myself being guarded for not wanting to talk about something that I personally don’t have a problem with. That feels so strange.”
The 36-year-old continued: “People will ask, ‘Why does this even need to be talked about?’ and personally, I agree with that. But for me to show up at an awards show with a man would be jaw-dropping to people. It wouldn’t be like, ‘Oh, cool!”
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On the future, T.J. added: “I don’t think I’m going to get run off the stage in Chicago. But in a rural town playing a county fair? I’m curious how this will go.”
T.J. and his brother John formed the band in 2012 and have since been nominated for seven Grammys.
Recalling the time T.J. came out to him, John told TIME: “He was very open and candid about it, and I was emotional, because my brother was finally able to be completely honest with me about who he was.
“How often, in life, do we hold back parts of ourselves and wish that we didn’t?”
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