‘The Voice SA’ winner Craig Lucas comes out in lengthy emotional letter
The singer won the second season of the singing competition show
By Steve Brown
The winner of The Voice South Africa has come out as gay in an emotional letter.
Craig Lucas, who won the second season of The Voice SA, shared the lengthy post on his social media accounts where he revealed he struggled with depression and his sexuality over the last few years.
Known for singing ‘Hearts Exposed’, Lucas also shared his family has a history of mental illness and revealed he lost his father to suicide at the age of three.
He recounted the first time he knew he had feelings for another man and said: “I was so enamoured that often I didn’t hear what he was saying, but it didn’t matter.
“All that mattered in that moment was that he was there, and that I was there with him. That was the moment that it hit me – I was in love.
“I was unequivocally, profoundly, violently in love. I was unequivocally, profoundly, violent in love with a man.
“My head started spinning and I felt like I wanted to throw up. I made up an excuse to get home. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.”
An open letter to my family, my friends and my fans. pic.twitter.com/v2kpqzCaAG
— Craig Lucas (@Craigycracks) September 4, 2018
Lucas admitted to sharing his story back in 2016 but then he auditioned for The Voice SA and was advised to hide his sexuality in a bid to win the show, which he did.
But now, he is able to live his life the way he wants but acknowledges that he may lose friends and fans after coming out.
He continued: “I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I expect to lose a couple of friends and fans, and I expect a couple of familial relationships to become strained as a result of this letter but it’s OK.
“I sing about ‘Hearts Exposed’ but hid mine. So here I am pulling my best Frank Ocean. I welcome whatever is coming my way with an open heart and an open mind.
“Until then, I have some making up to do with the people who stuck by my side even when I was at my worst, and some amazing fucking songs to write.”
