2023 Rewind: Lauv Declares: 'I'm Gay but I'm Not Gay but I'm Gay'

This piece is part of EDGE's 2023 Rewind series. We're reaching into our archives and sharing some of our favorite stories from the past year.

After wondering about being bi, pop singer Lauv came up with an answer - sort of. He took to TikTok to proclaim, "I'm gay but I'm not gay but I'm gay but I'm not gay".

@lauvsongs Something thats been on this ol' mind of mine 🪗😅🤠🎷💅
♬ Love U Like That - Lauv

Lauv posted the text over a video of himself smiling and waving wordlessly as his new single "Love U Like That," played.

The post followed one from a month earlier in which the 28-year-old singer pondered whether he might be bisexual. "When ur dating a girl but ur also a little bit into men," the June 26 post read, with the text appearing over video of Lauv riding in a darkened car.

@lauvsongs Does it have to be that big of a deal? i havent done much aside from kiss so tbh don't wannna jump the gun but tbh i feel things and i dont wanna pretend i dont. :)
♬ original sound - Lauv

On July 22, Lauv took to Instagram with a video in which he confessed that he has "struggled with OCD and anxiety really badly," adding that "one of the things I've obsessed about has been my sexuality."

Saying that he has "dated exclusively women in my life so far," Lauv seemed to suggest that he habitually "shut down" any sexual feelings for men that he might experience - "I would feel feelings or like feel a connection or a vibe or desire or something" - and that stifling his responses to others left him feeling "like this is anxiety and not actually a real thing."

"I feel so much better when I'm being open as a person," Lauv disclosed in the video - a possible prelude to a full-fledged embrace of authenticity. "One of my life missions is to be as open as possible, becauseI just think that leads to a freer lifestyle and juts feeling better about yourself and just feeling more understood... just in the midst of figuring it out," the singer went on to add.

"I don't really have any particular answers yet... other than it's something that I'm exploring in my music," Lauv continued, before tying how he's been wrestling with his feelings to his upcoming album. "I'm really excited about this album; I'm really excited about the music. It really speaks to me... it really speaks to a part of myself that is happy and it speaks to being happy and figuring out what makes me happy," Lauv said.

Responding to "gay but not gay" musings, fans seemed not to be stressing about either the question or the have-it-both-ways answer.

"Tu sei tu (You are you)" one person wrote in the comments, dropping in a couple of kissing emoticons.

"WE KNOOOW AND WE STILL LOVE YOU 💚💚💚" another declared.

"The heart of the bisexual experience 😅," another commented, while still another fan gleefully posited, "Now i can date you. Dreams come true".

Check out some of Lauv's Insta posts below.