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It’s been nearly two years since August Alsina, the soulful crooner who gave us hits like “No Love” and “Myself,” seemingly introduced the world to his new love—a man—on VH1’s The Surreal Life. The scene, which left fans buzzing with questions and excitement, was a bold move in the unpredictable world of celebrity romance, especially for someone like Alsina, who’s always marched to the beat of his own drum. And now, he’s addressing that speculation head-on, while continuing to live life unapologetically and on his own terms.
Alsina, a two-time BET Award-winner, has always been a bit of an enigma—open in his music, but often guarded when it comes to his personal life. That all changed last week when he sat down with Nick Cannon on Counsel Culture, where the conversation quickly turned to the topic of love and relationships. When Cannon, known for his candid interview style, asked about the shift in Alsina’s romantic life, the singer responded with a refreshing honesty that left no room for tabloid-style scandal.
“To be honest with you, it’s not even me that’s opening my heart. It’s that power that’s higher than myself,” Alsina shared. He described his newfound love as a “gift from God,” emphasizing that his journey wasn’t about conforming to societal expectations but about embracing the beauty of what love can be, in all its forms. For Alsina, love isn’t something that can be boxed into neat categories like “gay,” “straight,” or “bisexual.” It’s a language, he says, and one that he’s “fluent in when it speaks” to him.
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It’s not hard to see why Alsina’s words resonate so deeply with so many of us. In a world that’s quick to label and define, he’s choosing instead to simply live his truth. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t feel the need to give “direct answers” about his sexuality, and why should he? Alsina’s message is one of freedom—freedom to love, freedom to express, and freedom to live authentically, no matter what that looks like.
Reflecting on that pivotal moment in 2022 when he introduced his partner on The Surreal Life, Alsina said, “Love showed up but in a new way.” It was a powerful statement, made even more impactful by his decision to share it with the world. “I want to share that and really honour the person I love and [who] loves me back, and teaching me so much about love and healing,” he explained at the time. That decision to share his love was more than just a public declaration—it was a defiant stand against the outdated constructs of what love “should” be.
While Alsina remains reluctant to label his sexuality, his openness is a breath of fresh air. He’s not just sharing a part of himself with us; he’s inviting us into his journey—a journey that many in the LGBTQ+ community can relate to, where love doesn’t always fit into the labels society tries to impose. And in doing so, Alsina has become a bit of a role model, even if he didn’t set out to be one.
In the end, August Alsina’s story is a reminder that love, in all its complexities, doesn’t need to be defined. It just needs to be felt. And as long as it’s real, as long as it’s true, that’s all that really matters. So here’s to living life authentically, embracing love in all its forms, and never letting anyone tell us how or who to love.