Troye Sivan addresses ‘Rush’ video body diversity criticism and ‘insecurities’ with his own body image

Troye Sivan has addressed the backlash surrounding the lack of body diversity in his latest music video, ‘Rush’.

A record label rep described the upcoming parent album, ‘Something To Give Each Other’, as “a celebration of sex, dance, sweat, community, queerness, love and friendship.”

However, the music video kickstarted online discourse about the lack of representative bodies.

“I adore Troye Sivan, but this ‘Rush’ video is making me feel some type of way,” one viewer wrote on Twitter.

“It seems like a case study on how white gays choose to view queer people as a whole. There’s not a single fat person in the entire video. Just white twinks and chiseled bodies.”

Breaking his silence on the topic, the 28-year-old Australian pop star shared he’s disheartened by the backlash.

Speaking to Billboard on Tuesday (18 July), Troye shared he and creative director Gordon von Steiner didn’t consider the issue ahead of making the music video.

“I definitely hear the critique,” Troye acknowledged. 

“To be honest, it just wasn’t a thought we had — we obviously weren’t saying, ‘We want to have one specific type of person in the video.’”

Troye also added: “We just made the video, and there wasn’t a ton of thought put behind that.”

“I’ve had my own insecurities with my body image.”

Troye then noted that he has issue with some of the criticism surrounding the music video. He then refered to a Vulture article that remarked on the ‘Rush’ discourse.

“They were talking about [the lack of body diversity], and in the same sentence, this person said ‘Eat something, you stupid twinks’.”

Troye then continued: “That really bummed me out to read that — because I’ve had my own insecurities with my body image.”

“I think that everyone’s body is as beautiful as it is, including my own, and it just sucks to see people talking about other people’s bodies.”

Troye’s new album will be out on 13 October.