Clive Davis: ‘I’m gratified by Frank Ocean’s acceptance as bisexual’

Record executive Clive Davis, who came out as bisexual in his autobiography released last week, has commended R&B singer Frank Ocean, for coming out as bisexual last year, and said he hoped people would be less judged on their sexual orientation.

Last week, Clive Davis, the 80-year-old record executive behind pop stars Whitney Houston, Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys revealed in his new autobiography ‘The Soundtrack of My Life’ that he was bisexual, and that after divorcing his wife in 1985, he had relationships with men.

the 80-year-old producer said:  “I’m very gratified in the case of Frank Ocean that the hip-hop community has embraced him. And maybe we’re reaching that time where people can judge everyone without reference to their sexual preference or identity.”

He went on to say: “I discuss bisexuality [in the book] because it’s so misunderstood,” he told theGrio.com. “For me later in life I could be attracted to a woman, I could be attracted to a man. Each story is different.”

Reflecting on his personal experiences, he said: “For over 50 years, I never had sex with a male. It wasn’t repressed – I had very good sexual relationships with women… Never for me… this very maligned and misunderstood subject of bisexuality came up,” he said.

Musician Frank Ocean revealed in July that his first love was with another man when he was 19, receiving praise from those in the music industry for coming out while beginning to forge a successful career as a hip-hop artist.

The R&B singer last week described winning his first BRIT Award as “glorious” and says that he felt as though he was skydiving.

• Oct 11

National Coming Out Day: Every celebrity who’s come out as LGBTQ+ in 2024 so far