As Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo comes out as a ‘proudly gay man’, the Mirror takes a look at his life so far, from his agonising battle with depression, to his late-life realisation after 14 years of marriage
After years of burying his feelings, rock star Caleb Shomo has come out as a “proudly gay man”, with the unwavering support of his devoted wife of 13 years, Fleur.
The Beartooth frontman, 33, who first rose to prominence as a teenager in Attack Attack!, took to Instagram over the weekend, addressing growing speculation concerning his private life. He wrote: “I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further. I am a proudly gay man.”
Shortly afterwards, Fleur issued a moving statement of her own, confirming that their marriage is over but asserting: “I will always want to love, protect and support Caleb.” Here, the Mirror takes a look at the life of Caleb as he reaches this significant turning point, and what fans can expect next from the famously candid frontman.
READ MORE: Rock star Caleb Shomo comes out as ‘proudly gay man’ with support from wife of 14 years
Wife’s heartbreaking statement
While Fleur has publicly offered her blessing, she hasn’t shied away from the fact that this is a “hurtful” and “disorienting” time for her. Taking to social media, the actress and My Top 5 podcast host, addressed her complicated mix of emotions
“You never want anything more for your person than for them to just be ok,” she told followers. “You also ask yourself constantly if you’re a bad person for wondering wtf this means for your world & the anger you also feel. To support him whilst losing everything has been incredibly hard to figure out.”
Despite the pain of transition, however, Fleur also expressed gratitude for the love story she and Caleb shared: “Our nearly 14 years of marriage was wonderful and full of so much fun, adventure & love. Nobody will know anything about our marriage like we do. And no one can ever truly know what depths of love exist between two people unless they are those people. I already miss it & my husband more than anything. Our story was a good one. And now it’s done.”
The former couple met in 2010, when Caleb was touring with Attack Attack! Fleur had travelled to Florida from her home in England to visit friends in the band Bury Tomorrow, who were performing on the same bill. Because of the transatlantic distance, the pair were just friends at first, believing a romance wouldn’t be realistic.
But something shifted during his next UK tour. Speaking previously with Revolver, Caleb said: “And then the next time I went over, and we toured over there, that was when sparks flew, and it was like, ‘Yeah, this is awesome’.”
The musician has previously heaped praise on his wife, adding: “I think she’s just brought a lot of balance into my life in that scenario, and also just having that rock, like people talk about. That word is thrown around so often in marriage, but it’s true, and me being out on the road all the time and being so busy, just to kind of have somebody that’s always there, and that I can always talk to, and I know they know me better than anyone else, it’s really great. It’s amazing.”
The couple tied the knot in Hawaii in 2012. Just months ago in December, Fleur celebrated their anniversary, writing: “13 years married today,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself and the musician. And I wouldn’t change a thing. You’re still my favourite person and make me laugh like no other. I love us. My main lemon for always. You are awesome sauce. And I love you.”
‘Horrible clinical depression’
Caleb has long spoken candidly about battling “horrible clinical depression” from his schooldays onwards, a struggle that ultimately resulted in him quitting Attack Attack! in 2012., during what he called “the darkest year” of his life.
At the time he admitted battling suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and substance abuse, noting: “Having thousands of people tell you you’re a ‘fat piece of s***’ isn’t exactly the easiest thing to deal with at 17.”
That same year, Caleb formed Beartooth, with his songwriting taking on a more confessional tone. In a 2023 interview with Kerrang!, he spoke of becoming sober, swapping alcohol for breathwork, cold plunges and running.
In his coming-out announcement, Caleb revealed how masking his true self directly fed his demons, admitting “I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol.” It was only after getting clean that Caleb started to understand “why [he] felt this way for so long.”
Next steps
Looking ahead, Caleb has expressed immense hope for the next chapter. “It’s been a direct path to me reconciling with my sexuality in hopes that it will eventually lead to me experiencing self-love,” he told fans.
The revelation marks a major creative turning point for the musician, who promised that his “most honest depiction” of art is still to come.
It’s expected that Beartooth will release their sixth album, Pure Ecstasy, this summer, with their world tour kicking off in September.
According to Rough Trade, Pure Ecstasy “captures a long-tortured artist clawing through to the other side, making room for a sharper ‘Tooth.”
For emotional support you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
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