SAUTI SOL’S CHIMANO TALKS COMING OUT TO HIS RELIGIOUS PARENTS TWICE

Musician Willis Chimano and a member of the iconic Kenyan band Sauti Sol, has opened up about the moment he came out to his religious parents.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Chimano reflected on his childhood as a shy yet flamboyant child with a keen sense of style, often helping his mother pick her outfits. He revealed that his mother was the first to sense his truth, literally pulling him “out of the closet” as a teenager to ask him directly about his sexuality.

At 17, faced with the question, Chimano initially denied his identity. “I was a 17-year-old little boy living under my parents’ roof. What options do I have?” he shared. After confessing, the moment turned emotional. “It was a bit of a crying fest,” he recalled, followed by his parents introducing the Bible and asking if he was willing to “change for God.” In that vulnerable state, Chimano agreed.

The night ended with a rare and tender moment: being tucked in and told, “We love you very much.” However, in the days that followed, he awoke to find documents and essays on conversion therapy left on his bed, a campaign by his parents hoping for his change.

Recently, Chimano found the strength for a second coming out. On a calm Sunday afternoon, he sat his parents down to reaffirm his truth. “I told my folks… I’m gay, and it’s not going anywhere,” he stated. Explaining that if they wanted to be part of his life, they would need to “do the work” to understand him.

When asked about their relationship today, Chimano described it as “cordial.” Out of respect, he removes his earrings, nose rings, and nail polish when visiting thee. He has also come to see his parents in a new light, “The moment you realise the humanity in your parents… they’re just human beings.”

Now, Chimano says his conversations with his mother feel more like talks between girlfriends.