Barry Manilow explains why he kept his sexuality a secret for decades
Throughout his profession, Barry Manilow managed to sell over 85 million albums.
Barry Manilow, a performer who writes and sings his own music, reveals that he refrained from talking about his sexual orientation for a long time because it had the potential to put a halt to his profession.
The celebrity, who made their sexuality known to the public in 2017, shared with CNN's Chris Wallace that the society was not prepared for anyone to openly declare themselves as homosexual during the 1970s.
He stated that nowadays, being homosexual is not a significant issue. He then mentioned that during the 1970s, it could have been detrimental to one's profession.
The vocalist from Brooklyn has been romantically involved with his manager, Garry Kief, for almost four decades.
They got married in a secret ceremony in 2014.
When Wallace inquired whether Manilow had experienced any pressure to conceal his true identity, Manilow responded by saying that he had never given it any consideration.
Six years ago, he shared his decision to reveal his true self in an article published by People magazine. He considered it a simple and uncomplicated occurrence that did not cause much fuss.
He expressed, "I believe that all the people were aware that Garry and I were in a relationship during those years."
He expressed that the reaction from his supporters was wonderful and made the announcement all the more enjoyable.
During an interview with Reuters, he mentioned that he had no idea of what might occur, but he realizes that he should have been aware of it. This is because both his followers and the general population are concerned about his well-being, which he has always been aware of.
The section of the blog will be rephrased in plain English utilizing different vocabulary. Picture credit, Getty Images.
In 1978, Manilow encountered his current spouse, Garry Kief.
Manilow, whose birth name is Barry Pincus, is widely recognized as one of the most successful musicians in history. This is mainly due to his impeccably produced chart-toppers such as Mandy, Looks Like We Made It and Copacabana.
This man is a natural performer who is continually active even in his 80s. He's currently debuting a fresh Broadway musical and taking the lead role in a newly-revealed TV show for the upcoming Christmas season.
He has been performing in Las Vegas for 14 years now and has planned concerts until December 2024.
Manilow's success started to soar during the 1970s, and he acknowledged that Kief played a crucial role in preserving his life during the tumultuous times.
When my profession skyrocketed, everything went absolutely bonkers. When you return to a hotel room all by yourself, night after night, it's easy to fall into bad habits and make some poor decisions.
"I encountered Garry just as the situation was escalating rapidly. The advantage was that I no longer had to endure the sorrowful hotel rooms alone. Now there was someone by my side with whom I could share my tears or joyful moments."
He stated: "Initially, it was quite solitary until I encountered Garry. After that, it became enjoyable."
Before being with Kief, Manilow tied the knot with his childhood lover named Susan Deixler back in 1964.
The pair remained united for 12 months, but their marriage was declared null and void in 1966.
When thinking about his marriage, he expressed that he genuinely had strong feelings of love for his wife. However, he acknowledged that his attraction to men was also quite dominant.
Nonetheless, he stated that the reason for the dissolution of the marriage was not his sexual orientation but rather a deficiency in devotion.
Our marriage was lovely and wonderful. However, I spent every evening performing music, as any young musician would do. Unfortunately, this caused problems for both of us.
I wasn't able to be a good spouse because I was busy with my music group. During that time, I also created a musical named the Drunkard, and I was enjoying it a lot. Being a good husband was just not something I could manage.
During the 1970s, Barry Manilow made a recording for the Top Of The Pops TV show, which was broadcasted on the BBC.
Manilow mentioned in the interview covering his entire career that his past experience in creating short catchy tunes for advertisements had been advantageous to his journey in the music industry.
According to him, one needs to come up with a catchy phrase or tune within 15 seconds that will stick in people's minds for an advertisement or a popular song.
Additionally, he disclosed that he conceived the idea for Copacabana whilst recuperating from his initial mental collapse at the Copacabana Hotel located in Rio de Janeiro during the year 1970.
Upon being questioned by Wallace, Manilow mentioned that his statement regarding the breakdown was made in jest. However, he did acknowledge that his mental health had been impacted by the scrutiny and attention that comes with being a celebrity.
Prior to Mandy's emergence and my rise to fame, I was content with being in the background and leading a pleasant life.
I was thoroughly enjoying myself until the moment I had to go on stage and showcase my talents. It wouldn't be accurate to label it as a nervous breakdown, but it posed a significant challenge for me.
