Country music singer opens up about HIV status, sexuality
David Michael Hawkins released the song “Sin,” which in a statement a week before its June 20 release, he called “the most vulnerable song of my life.”
“It’s raw, redemptive, and rooted in truth,” Hawkins wrote. “‘SIN’ isn’t just a single — it’s a lifeline, for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong in country music, at home, or with themselves.”
Hawkins is openly gay and openly living with HIV, and claims on his website he is the only country music singer that falls into those categories.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | June 21, 2025 10:29 PM
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“I wrote ‘SIN’ because I know there are other young LGBTQIA youth struggling to love themselves,” Hawkins wrote on his website. “I know there are addicts that think they are too far gone to change. And I know there are people with an HIV diagnosis that think no one will ever love them. I want them to know they aren’t alone, and I understand their pain. And that there is hope even at the darkest times.”
He describes himself as “sober, married and thriving” and speaks at HIV conferences, performs at Pride events worldwide and writes country music that addresses “the hard stuff,” he wrote.
In a recent interview with The Advocate, Hawkins said he will turn 40 in August and just got married to the love of his life. But though these are highs, he experienced many lows, as well.
“I had a really abusive childhood, I struggled with a terrible substance abuse problem, I was stigmatized by my HIV diagnosis, and I had major mental health struggles,” Hawkins said in the interview. “The more I thought of my plight, the more I realized that these are unfortunately common themes within the queer community. So it made sense to release this during Pride month.”
“I wanted listeners to know that they aren’t alone,” he added.
Hawkins said that the country music industry is far more accepting than people realize, but that there is “a lot more work we need to do.”
“Now more than ever we have queer artists thriving in the space. I’m grateful and excited to see where we are in five or 10 years,” he said.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | June 21, 2025 10:03 PM
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Kanye started this revolution with “Cousins” but “they” will never let him get credit
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | June 21, 2025 10:04 PM
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Why the fuck is it called SIN? It ain’t no sin.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | June 21, 2025 10:24 PM
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And, of course, the song sucks.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | June 21, 2025 10:25 PM
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Why did he need to write and sing a song about his HIV, other than attention whoring?
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | June 21, 2025 10:28 PM
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Was he forced to identify as a lesbian?! That’s the real struggle.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | June 21, 2025 10:29 PM
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