Shygirl, the genre-bending force in hip-hop and grime, has officially thrown open the doors to her queer identity in a delightfully nonchalant TikTok video, much to the knowing amusement of her devoted fanbase. The London-based DJ and vocalist took to the popular platform over the weekend, sharing a clip captioned with a wink and a nod: “I do it for the girls and the gays, but also, hey girls.”
It seems the “Nymph” artist had been living her truth so openly, she almost forgot to make a formal announcement. In the video, Shygirl (who uses she/her pronouns) explained that she was tagged in a post featuring queer artists, prompting a moment of self-reflection. “I actually don’t know if I’ve spoken about it that much,” she mused, a hint of playful bewilderment in her voice.
@0800shygirl I do it for the girls and the gays but also hey girls 😌
“How did you guys know, like I never really came out. Did I do an interview? I sometimes forget what I said in interviews,” she genuinely questioned, highlighting the organic way her identity has been perceived by her audience. Her next line was a pure, unadulterated gem: “How do you know? How do they just clock you like that. It’s so funny.” It’s a sentiment many queer individuals can relate to – that innate, often unspoken understanding within the community.
The bombshell, delivered with typical Shygirl coolness, confirmed what many had already intuited. “Even though I’m in a technically ‘straight’ relationship – I live with my boyfriend, but I’m definitely queer,” she shared, adding a grateful, “thank you for remembering to put me in the chat.” This statement beautifully encapsulates the fluidity of modern queer identity, emphasizing that relationships don’t always define one’s broader sexual orientation. For Shygirl, queer is a broader umbrella, encompassing attraction beyond heteronormative confines.
The comments section of her TikTok quickly became a riot of “told you so” and celebratory affirmations, with fans pointing to her famously explicit and unapologetically queer lyrics as the undeniable breadcrumbs she’d left all along.
“The lyrics in ‘SLIME’ along said literally everything,” one fan enthusiastically wrote, pinpointing the track from her 2020 EP, ALIAS. Indeed, “SLIME” is a vibrant, slick exploration of female sexual encounters, with lines like, “Bad b**ches always have to keep their hands wet, we’re too slick. I like to glide, figure skate on a b**ch,” leaving little room for ambiguity.
Another fan hilariously probed, “Sorry what’s the full title of (a bedtime story) called again, Shy?” This was a playful nod to her track “Coochie (a bedtime story),” a song whose very title and lyrics (“anytime that coochie calls, I’ll be on my way”) explicitly celebrate female pleasure and desire.
“There’s a lot of songs where you talk about it,” another fan dryly commented, summarizing the obvious. The collective response from her fanbase was not one of surprise, but of affectionate recognition and celebration. “Girl, you’re too fab to not be,” one admirer gushed, while another added a sweet affirmation: “someone as beautiful as you shy simply has to be adored by all genders.”
Shygirl’s candid, unpretentious revelation serves as a refreshing reminder that coming out isn’t always a grand, dramatic affair. Sometimes, it’s a casual confirmation of a truth already openly expressed through art and existence. For her fans, who’ve been soaking up her queer-coded anthems for years, it’s simply another layer of authenticity from an artist who consistently pushes boundaries, both musically and personally. Her acknowledgment not only solidifies her place as a queer icon but also reinforces the idea that identity is fluid, multifaceted, and always worthy of celebration.
