Khalid on coming out, liberation and returning to Amsterdam

After six years away from major touring, Khalid is returning to Amsterdam. The American R&B star speaks to Winq about coming out, writing openly about men, rediscovering the songs he wrote as a teenager and why his upcoming AFAS Live show feels freer than the performances of his past.

Your previous Amsterdam headline show was at Ziggo Dome in 2019. What do you remember about the city?

“Although that was the last time I headlined in Amsterdam, it wasn’t the last time I visited. I actually went to Amsterdam last year and brought one of my childhood best friends with me. We looked around the city, visited some coffee shops, and it was incredible.”

Do you remember anything in particular about the Amsterdam audience? We have a reputation for talking through sets when we should really be shutting up.

“I feel like my relationship with my Amsterdam fans has been really respectful. I felt nothing but amazing energy and good vibes. I grew up in Europe as a child and lived in Germany for six years, so I’m pretty familiar with the European personality. I really get along with the fans there because they show out.

The good thing about people being excited and talking is that they’re also going to express their truth. They’re going to be honest about how they feel about the show. The last time I performed there, I received nothing but love. It was amazing, so I’m really excited to feel that audience again.”

This is your first tour of this scale in around six years. What did you discover during the first US shows that you had missed about performing, and what had you not missed at all?

“I’m an incredibly selfless individual and performer. When I go onstage, I don’t approach it by thinking, ‘What don’t I like about being here with you?’ For me, it’s: what do I love about this? Where can I find love for the experience and for being present?

Touring is a blessing and a privilege. A lot of artists might become successful but will never be given the opportunity to go on tour. In the position I’m in, there are some shows I’m not able to do, or that I might have to postpone or cancel because of the state of our world and the economy. If I get the chance to perform for an audience, I’m going to appreciate every single moment.

I was younger the last time I toured, so perhaps I wasn’t as appreciative of the moments I was living through. Now, a little deeper into my maturity at 28, I understand that life is not promised. Every day is a gift. What blew me away was that, after such a long career, I mean, ten years might not be the longest career, but it is definitely a long one, I was still received with so much love, appreciation and joy. It’s incredible. I love touring.”

coming out changed how khalid expresses himself

You have described this era as one in which you can be more authentic. Did using ‘he’ in a song lyric for the first time feel artistically significant, or surprisingly ordinary?

“When I’m creating, I don’t really think about the impact my words will have until they reach the world. Creating with a perception of what people are going to think gets in the way of the decisions we make as writers. I was just living my life and thought: I feel like singing ‘he’ today. It was natural.

It was also important because stepping into my liberation and truly accepting myself, my sexuality and my individuality came with being bold and doing things I would have been afraid to do before. I realised: I can express myself in any way I want right now.

When I was writing this album, my coming out was still very recent and felt very sensitive. The word almost just flowed out of me. Then it was: okay, what do we do now that it’s here? Let’s put it in the music and be honest with the world about the feelings I’ve had.”

When a famous person comes out, people can suddenly expect them to become a spokesperson, an activist and a perfect queer role model. Did you feel pressure to become more than simply yourself?

“The idea of perfection, especially in our society nowadays, is a little out of the window. To show up and say, ‘I want to be a perfect role model,’ would strip me of the things that make me unique and make me who I am. We are who we are as humans because of our imperfections, our mistakes and our low moments.

Maybe there was a PR way to respond to the situation, but what did I do? I just went on social media and said, ‘Hey, I’m gay.’ If that impacts a fan, it’s because we already have that close, personal connection. They’re receiving my music, but I’m also sitting down and talking to my listeners.

Was I afraid of being in this position, or of having this influence and responsibility? No, because I’m going to show up to work and be myself regardless. My listeners, fans and supporters relate to that, and that’s why we have the connection we do.”

why khalid returned to making music more frequently

There was a considerable gap between your earlier albums, followed by a much shorter one between Sincere and After the Sun Goes Down. Was coming out a catalyst for your creativity?

“I would say the time between my albums was influenced more by the life I was experiencing before I was outed, before I was public about my sexuality. I started realising the fragility of life around the time I was writing Sincere. I told myself that I never wanted to take five years to write or release another project. I wanted to be much more present in music because life goes fast and life is fragile. Every day is not promised.

When you start as an artist, nobody teaches you how to become a world-renowned singer. I had to learn a lot on my own. I debuted around my senior year and the following year I was performing in arenas and amphitheatres. Receiving that much experience in such a short window was overwhelming.

I had to take a step back and ask: what do I want to say? I’m sorry, but I don’t want to listen to a song in which the artist talks about performing in arenas or about things that don’t matter. I like to approach my writing in a much more grounded way. I realised that if I had nothing to say, none of my words would impact my audience. I might as well say nothing at all. After going through my own experiences, I found what I wanted to say when I was writing Sincere.”

revisiting american teen as an adult

What is it like to sing songs you wrote as a teenager today? Do they transport you back to that age, or do you give them a new interpretation in your own mind?

“The most beautiful part of the music I create is that I write it myself. I would say I pull 75 to 80 per cent from my real-life experiences, and perhaps 20 per cent from my empathetic nature: imagining other people’s experiences and thinking about the paths they’ve taken. I also re-imagine what it was like to be so young and willing to do anything without wondering what the consequences would be.

They say the frontal lobe fully develops at 25. I love living through those songs, but I also understand that nothing will be more raw than singing about being a teenager when I actually was one. When I perform live, I re-imagine how it felt to be that boy.

Now I do it with a little more appreciation and acknowledgement. I think: wow, I can’t believe I did this. I was so young, but I’m glad I did all that work because it’s the reason I’m here today. I love living through my music, but a memory can only take you so far.”

Many people first discovered you through 'Love Lies' on the Love, Simon soundtrack. You also appeared on the Black Panther soundtrack. Which existing film soundtrack would you have loved to be part of?

“I’d probably go beyond movies and look at television. I wish I’d had the chance to be on the soundtrack of Insecure. I really think that show was groundbreaking and did a lot for the Black community in terms of representation in our media. The songs I remember hearing on that show still feel like important moments, by important artists, including some of my peers. It was one of those things where I thought: wow, I wish I could have been a part of that.

When it comes to films, I’m open. I want to get more into writing songs for films because when I create, I really do have this audiovisual experience. Perhaps it could be an introspective film or even an action movie. Since I’ve done Black Panther, it would be good to work on something where I could really get deep into the details of that film’s soundscape. It’s a poetic dream, but I think that would be amazing.”

what to expect from khalid at afas live

Finally, what can audiences expect from your upcoming Amsterdam show?

“Raw authenticity. When I go out onstage now, I’m not hyperventilating before I get there any more. It’s more like: ‘Let’s go and have some fun, y’all. Let’s do what we love to do.’ By ‘y’all’, I mean my band, my dancers, my crew and my team.

It’s going to be an incredible time and extremely packed with nostalgia. Younger fans who might not have been teenagers when I released American Teen won’t feel any different. I think they’ll feel more than alive experiencing this music with me as well.”

Khalid brings his It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour to AFAS Live in Amsterdam on Monday 12 October 2026, with support from Jae Stephens. More information: mojo.nl/khalid.