Caleb Shomo, the founder and lead singer of metal band Beartooth, has shared publicly that he is gay.
The singer shared the news in a statement posted on his Instagram page on 23 May where he acknowledged that there had been a lot of speculation about his personal life in recent times.
“I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,” Shomo wrote. “I am a proudly gay man. This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now.
“It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.”
Shomo said the band’s early albums were filled with songs about his religious upbringing, depression, self-hatred, self-loathing, and his feelings of hopelessness.
“I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol, and honestly when I decided to put it down and focus on exploring why I felt this way for so long, 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 shared.
The singer recently took a break from social media after fans posted a wave of homophobic messages after the release of the band’s latest single Free. In the video, Shomo has a notably different look that in the past.
Chris Fronzak the vocalist of rival band Attila took to social media to write that Shomo had “dropped the ‘S’ from his name”, before saying that the music industry is “brainwashed beyond belief” and alleging that artists are told they “wouldn’t get big because they don’t have a trans person or female in the band.” Fronzak has since apologised for his comments.
Shomo founded Beartooth in 2012, and to date they’ve released five albums of material. Shomo has also made guest appearances on many other artist’s records including collaborations with Papa Roach, The Used, Silverstein and Can’t Swim. He’s also produced music for many performers including The Dead Rabbits, Sylar, Bury Tomorrow and Like Moths to Flames.
The sixth album from Beartooth Pure Ecstasy will arrive on 28 August 2026.
