The amount of people that have said, 'You've inspired me to be confident. I've come out to my friends because of you,' that reduces me to tears every time, because I'm just, like, little old me from Hull has had an implication on somebody's life. That's massive to me. Massive.
When somebody says, 'I don't like your cover'... that's fair enough, but then this person has just written to me and said that they've come out to their family because of my interpretation. So I've got to balance everything. And yeah... that warms my heart.
As many of you know, my story begins where most people's in the LGBT+ community begins... with fear. I knew I was different from my peers, my friends, and those around me when I started to discover who I was and who I identified as from a young age.
I find myself in a position where I have a voice that has the potential to influence - I want to use that to inspire confidence in those that have yet to find it, to inspire compassion in those who don't understand, but most importantly, to inspire love in everyone through the experiences and stories that we can all relate to or empathize with.
I will continue to be open in my music and in interviews and keep those conversations going about the issues we face as an LGBT+ community until those conversations no longer need to be had.
I cannot thank the LGBT+ community enough for their support, for their love, for their acceptance, and for the first time in a letter, I am incredibly proud to say that I am gay and have never been happier.
Most of my songs are inspired by both falling in love and heartache. And it was a turning point for me as a singer and songwriter as it dawned on me that I wasn't being honest enough about what I truly feel.
Being honest to who I am led me to write 'If Our Love Is Wrong,' and that allowed me to fully realize the direction I should be heading to - human nature, real emotions, and issues about LGBT.
I used to work full time in an office, hiding away in my desk. Now, I have the opportunity to do something I love. And every day is a dream come true for me. I'm just generally grateful for all the love and support, and I will continue to give my 101 percent.
I worked in an office for eight years, so I know what it's like to slog through for money, but now to be able travel the world and sing to so many people, it's a complete dream come true.
I've tried to write in a way that transcends beyond just sexuality and is more about letting go of our fear and trusting the people around us.
It takes a lot of emotional high and struggles to write songs.
For a lot of people, music is about the show, the lights, and all that. With Filipino music fans, they genuinely listen to songs.
I tried to surround myself with people who have accepted me for being me. And I want to create that image to my fans as well. And that's the advice I give to them. To be happy for who you are, and to surround yourself with people who are happy for being you.
The creative process has been a little bit of an experience, really - to try and make that work for me. The only way I know how to do that is just to remain genuine, humble, and true to everything I know already in my life.
I'm very keen on making the world a better place, whether that's changing people's attitudes or giving people the confidence to be who they are.
I'd gone from being a normal HR worker from Hull to being recognised in the street, being on TV. As much as it was exciting, thrilling, and a big, huge adrenaline rush.
I remember when we were going to release 'Dancing On My Own,' and I went into the record label crying to them that I was terrified people wouldn't support me anymore if they knew I was gay.
When my friends started to care about getting girlfriends, I really didn't. I started to think, literally, 'What's wrong with me?' and, 'Why can't I be normal like everybody else?'
If one less kid can grow up without hiding who they are along the way or having to believe that who they love is something that will make them lonely, then everything I went through will be worth it.
