If one less kid can grow up without hiding who they are along the way or having to believe that who they love is something that will make them lonely, then everything I went through will be worth it.
— Calum Scott
I remember when we were going to release 'Dancing On My Own,' and I went into the record label crying to them that I was terrified people wouldn't support me anymore if they knew I was gay.
I'm very keen on making the world a better place, whether that's changing people's attitudes or giving people the confidence to be who they are.
The creative process has been a little bit of an experience, really - to try and make that work for me. The only way I know how to do that is just to remain genuine, humble, and true to everything I know already in my life.
For a lot of people, music is about the show, the lights, and all that. With Filipino music fans, they genuinely listen to songs.
Song writing has been a lifeline for me.
I worked in an office for eight years, so I know what it's like to slog through for money, but now to be able travel the world and sing to so many people, it's a complete dream come true.
Being honest to who I am led me to write 'If Our Love Is Wrong,' and that allowed me to fully realize the direction I should be heading to - human nature, real emotions, and issues about LGBT.
I'm single, which is good because I can concentrate the hell out of my performances. At some point, I'm going to want to find someone to chill out with at the end of the night and talk about things.
I find myself in a position where I have a voice that has the potential to influence - I want to use that to inspire confidence in those that have yet to find it, to inspire compassion in those who don't understand, but most importantly, to inspire love in everyone through the experiences and stories that we can all relate to or empathize with.
The amount of people that have said, 'You've inspired me to be confident. I've come out to my friends because of you,' that reduces me to tears every time, because I'm just, like, little old me from Hull has had an implication on somebody's life. That's massive to me. Massive.
It is important for me to tell my story so that others feel comfortable telling theirs.
I met a guy, and we were seeing each other for about a month or so, but as it got more intense, I started to freak out a little bit. I hadn't been in a relationship for quite a while, and I just said I was going away and not sure if it was going to work.
My mates who are younger than me are all slagging me for it - saying I am so much older and my crow's feet are showing.
My fans have been incredible since day one... Literally, the only reason I get to do what I do! I love every single one of them, and I am still being discovered by people! Just want to share what I do with everyone!
I am so confident and empowered by my sexuality; it plays an enormous part in my life.
I'd like to think I'm a versatile artist without straying too far from who I am.
When my friends started to care about getting girlfriends, I really didn't. I started to think, literally, 'What's wrong with me?' and, 'Why can't I be normal like everybody else?'
I'd gone from being a normal HR worker from Hull to being recognised in the street, being on TV. As much as it was exciting, thrilling, and a big, huge adrenaline rush.
Two gay guys doing a beautiful duet - I think it would just be so powerful, you know.
I tried to surround myself with people who have accepted me for being me. And I want to create that image to my fans as well. And that's the advice I give to them. To be happy for who you are, and to surround yourself with people who are happy for being you.
It takes a lot of emotional high and struggles to write songs.
I've tried to write in a way that transcends beyond just sexuality and is more about letting go of our fear and trusting the people around us.
Just celebrate who you are and be happy with you are. Take all the ups and downs together, as you're only human.
Most of my songs are inspired by both falling in love and heartache. And it was a turning point for me as a singer and songwriter as it dawned on me that I wasn't being honest enough about what I truly feel.
I cannot thank the LGBT+ community enough for their support, for their love, for their acceptance, and for the first time in a letter, I am incredibly proud to say that I am gay and have never been happier.
As many of you know, my story begins where most people's in the LGBT+ community begins... with fear. I knew I was different from my peers, my friends, and those around me when I started to discover who I was and who I identified as from a young age.
I want to reach out to everybody with my music and my album, but you're never going to please everybody. Someone's going to say something because, you know, it's an opinionated industry.
I don't consider myself a flag bearer in the parade, but I have never felt stronger about who I am.
Since I became more confident, I've thought, 'Right, let me get myself on the market'. So I joined Tinder and Chappie, and it was funny because, at first, the sites thought I was an imposter.
I have worked with a lot of people, all very different creatives, helping me hone my craft and discover myself as an artist and the record I want to make. It's such an amazing process seeing and hearing the tracks that people could eventually be listening to on my debut album!
I would say I am one of those people who just love to connect to people doing something I love. Can't lie, love a ballad, so expect big, powerful, emotive stuff from me!
I had told one of my friends that I felt like I might be gay or that I just wasn't into girls, and I was abandoned.
If you're real, you've never got anything to hide away from. You're not trying to fake anything, you're not trying to have this other persona - you're just yourself. And if I could be myself for as long as possible, I will.
I remember learning as a kid that love meant loneliness and confusion.
I'd gone through life being obsessed about my sexuality. People would ask about relationships, girlfriends, you start referring to people as 'they' so there's no judgment and you can be ambiguous. People around me knew, but I still struggled with talking about it openly.
I'm kind of unlucky in love and I have, for some reason, always fallen for the straight guy.
I was suppressed for many years. From the outside, you'd think I had a very normal life.
'No Matter What' is, without question, the most personal song I have ever written and the one I am most proud of.
I purposely didn't change the pronouns in 'Dancing On My Own' so that it was from a gay man's perspective.
I used to work full time in an office, hiding away in my desk. Now, I have the opportunity to do something I love. And every day is a dream come true for me. I'm just generally grateful for all the love and support, and I will continue to give my 101 percent.
I've been a huge fan of Adele, Sam Smith, and Ed Sheeran, and those amazing artists draw inspiration from their present and past experiences; they write songs from their heart.
I will continue to be open in my music and in interviews and keep those conversations going about the issues we face as an LGBT+ community until those conversations no longer need to be had.
When somebody says, 'I don't like your cover'... that's fair enough, but then this person has just written to me and said that they've come out to their family because of my interpretation. So I've got to balance everything. And yeah... that warms my heart.
As a singer, you want to connect with as many people as possible; that's my whole thing.
I feel very privileged to do what I do, so I'm just going to keep working hard and enjoy every minute of it because it could be over just like that.
I am doing something I love, travelling the world, meeting fans, feeling confident, and I am no longer restricted by my sexuality.
To be in the charts and hanging around with such huge names in the industry just feels like a complete privilege! I can't even explain how it feels - complete dream come true.
I had to be honest in my songwriting for it to be where it is, and it's always scary wondering if anyone will connect with that.
I used to hate myself for being gay. I couldn't come to terms with it.
