One year after being outed as gay by an ex, and almost a decade since releasing the breakout hit song Location, Khalid had an all-encompassing interview with Apple Musics Zane Lowe to promote his fourth studio album, After the Sun Goes Down, and discuss this very particular moment in the singers career and personal life.A standout moment from the interview started with Lowe bringing up the topic of boundaries (or lack thereof) between artists and their fans, which can lead to parasocial relationships. At the end of the day, your job is to create music that youre honest about, and our job is to embrace it, if we love it, Lowe remarked.To that point, Khalid referenced one of the most perplexing reactions hes seen from his critics, Oh my god, hes gay, now his music is gonna suck, which has made him feel the urge to ask: What do you mean?!If you liked my music before, theres a high chance that youre gonna continue to like my music Because Ive always been gay, Khalid clapped back. It just doesnt make sense.Khalid explained his frustration with being outed, and also named the peers that he could count on. Khalid and Normani in the music video for Personal.RCA RecordsLowe observed that there must be trauma attached to that outing given that the whole thing felt accusatory, at least in the way that it was presented. Has Khalid been struggling to trust people again?I think thats why I lived my life the way that I did for so long, Khalid replied. He had already come out to certain people, like fellow artists Kiana Led and Normani. However, Khalid was still blindsided and felt unprepared for being outed as gay. We live in a world where, once that is out, its so hard for people to focus on everything thats not that. Its so crazy, Khalid remarked. Theres half of these people who are like, I love you. [Another] half of these people, I hate you; How could you hide this from me? Im like, You know what? Im not hiding anything from you. Its just none of your business.The path to regaining control of his own narrative, life story, and privacy. Khalid and Normani in the music video for In Plain Sight.RCA RecordsIn the interview, Khalid clarified that he certainly wasnt planning to stay in the closet for the rest of his life. In fact, people close to him already knew about it. The openness started with Sincere, but its like I was dipping my toe into the water, or into the pool, [and then] I got pushed into the pool.After being outed and confirming his sexuality on social media, Khalid recalled that his thought-process eventually landed on, You know what? Its actually not that bad. If anything, I love it here.Shying away from the world I've done all that already. I did that for eight years of my career, he went on. Im like, The only decision that I can possibly make is embracing it all.Khalid described his 2024 album Sincere as a steppingstone to feeling free. Khalid in the album artwork for Sincere.RCA RecordsWhen asked about the short period of time between his last two albums, Khalid explained how his fourth LP, After the Sun Goes Down, wouldnt have been possible without the groundwork of his third LP, Sincere, which he described as a steppingstone.I was holding onto all of this depression and sadness, and Im able to bottle it up and give it to my fans, and it connected to people in a way where they really felt my hurt, the singer said. Now that I got the hurt out, there was just so much freedom, so much love to discover. And it makes so much sense that that love, to discover, translated through the music.For the singer, After the Sun Goes Down is as personal as American Teen. Khalid in an album artwork variant for American Teen.RCA RecordsKhalid argued that the reason why so many fans are still obsessed with his debut studio album 2017s American Teen, which included his breakout hit Location is because that LP was all about freedom, and expression.After the Sun Goes Down allowed Khalid to reconnect with that state of mind, he noted, instead of making music to please the masses in 2019s Free Spirit and 2024s Sincere.I wasnt making music for myself, Khalid declared. I was extremely detached, because, although the music was great, and it did what it did, my heart just wasnt in it.After the Sun Goes Down is a letter to Khalids inner child and a celebration of the 2000s. Khalid in the album artwork for After the Sun Goes Down.RCA RecordsKhalid described After the Sun Goes Down as an energetic transfer to a younger version of himself. This album is my own letter to that young boy, telling him all the possibilities that he can actually be, if he just lets that fear go, [and] lets that hurt go.And that point stands in terms of musical references, too. That was a child that lived through the 2000s, that lived through the 2010s, and saw some of the most groundbreaking pop moments. The introduction of dirty pop into the world was major, and was controversial.The singer added that the album is my homage to the risk-takers, to the Janets, to the Britneys, to the people who really pushed their pedigree and were like, Im going to do it my way.For Khalid, After the Sun Goes Down is his own chance to put leave a mark in pop culture. And Im going to do it as well, he remarks.Watch the full Zane Lowe interview with Khalid below, or directly from the Apple Music app. Khalids fourth studio album, After the Sun Goes Down, is available on all music streaming platforms.