Khalid Fans Defend Star Against Homophobic Backlash to Queer ‘Out Of Body’ Music Video

After being outed by his jilted ex, Khalid is now facing homophobic backlash for expressing himself in his latest music video.

via: Pink News

Khalid, born Khalid Donnel Robinson, is set to drop the video for new single “Out Of Body” on Friday 26 September, as he prepares to launch his first album after coming out as gay.

He came out as gay last year after being outed, declaring that he was “not ashamed” of his sexuality.

On 23 September, the five-time Grammy nominee shared a brief 15-second clip of the music video, which features the star being pressed against a grimy bathroom sink by a man who then appears to go in for a kiss. In the next scene, a hand comes up towards Khalid’s chest, suggesting the man is on his knees.

The clip continues with Khalid being joined in the bathroom by four other men, one shirtless, others in various tight-fitting and mesh garments. A woman also appears in the clip, dancing against the wall.

Over trancey, industrial-strength synths, Khalid moans “So out of body,” as the group appear to grind on each other.

“Out Of Body” is the second single from the 27-year-old “Eastside” singer’s fourth studio album After the Sun Goes Down, which is due for release on 10 October. The first single, “In Plain Sight”, was released in August.

The musician was lathered with praise by fans after posting the clip of “Out Of Body”, but grim, thinly-veiled comments came in thick and fast too – despite the full music video not being out yet.

Some compared Khaled unfavourably with other visibly queer musicians Sam Smith, Troye Sivan, and Lil Nas X, while others moaned about him expressing his sexuality.

“Coming out as g4y in the music industry doesn’t mean you have to hold on to all the stereotypes cause honestly this is disgusting,” reads one miserable comment.

“Gay n****s in the industry always gotta show us in the light of being sexual deviants. Like we have nothing better to offer than sex,” moaned a second.

A third claimed that Khalid’s new music signified “another good artiste down” while a fourth said he was “turning into the Black Sam Smith,” after Smith fully embraced their queerness on their last album, Gloria.

“He got Lil Nas X’d,” another added.

Others have scrambled to his defence, lamenting that queer artists are expected to limit how they express themselves.

“I don’t get the offense over this. [Music videos] like this are done by straight people too and you won’t see anyone in the [quote tweets] talking about ‘straight people are embarrassing us and portraying us as sexual deviants,’” wrote one social media user.

“Stop restricting queers expression just because you feel uncomfortable,” they added.

“Y’all have been shady about Khalid being gay for years,” a second wrote. “He gets outed then stands in it now with his music and it’s a problem. This is why our artists, Black, gay or both, can barely blow up because y’all can’t just shut up and support. The community is so aggravating sometimes.”

A third added: “Y’all’s reactions to Khalid is very telling. Y’all don’t know what you want fr.”

“Y’all saying he doing too much, but if he were to continue being straight presenting that wouldn’t have been good enough either,” a fourth wrote.

Another Khalid fan refused to be drawn into the backlash, opting just to praise the singer instead: “I love when an artist get to be more expressive and this video is already amazing and the QUALITY!!”

“Out Of Body” drops on 26 September, with After the Sun Goes Down being released on 10 October.