Greyson Chance, whose career-launching performance of Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at a sixth-grade talent show has has had more than 59 million views since it was uploaded in 2010, has come out as gay on Instagram.

Shortly after the “Paparazzi” performance went viral, Chance was invited on Ellen DeGeneres’s show and subsequently became the first artist signed to her label, eleveneleven.

Wrote Chance, who’s now 19, on Instagram:

The decision to write this came after I received a message from a brave individual. Such message inspired me to shed light on an aspect of my private life which I have kept distant from my career in Music.

I came to fully recognize that I was gay when I was sixteen. I decided not to publicize my sexuality largely due to a matter of privacy, as I was still trying to find comfort and confidence within my own skin. Further, I always found conversations regarding music, politics, art, books – and the greatness of Nas’ catalog – to be far more interesting than what type of guy I was into. This is still true today.

While this message is most definitely overdue, I encourage anyone who is navigating their sexuality to devote as much time as they need to the process of finding self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-love. Hell, for me, it took years to write this message. Nevertheless, I figured now was the time to let a few more friends know that I am happy, I am here for you, and I am proud of who I am.

Cheers
-G

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