Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo Opens Up About Coming Out, Religious Trauma And Finding Freedom On New Album

Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo has spoken candidly about the impact his religious upbringing had on his journey to accepting his sexuality, revealing years of shame, self doubt and personal struggles before eventually coming out.

Appearing on the Disrespectfully podcast with Katie Maloney and Dayna Kathan, Shomo reflected on growing up in a deeply religious household, describing himself as the “son of a preacher who is the son of a preacher.”

While stressing that he loves his parents and believes they were doing what they thought was right, Shomo explained that the teachings he grew up with left a lasting mark (per Lambgoat).

“Essentially, with Christianity, you devote your life to Jesus and then in the more Southern side of Christianity where I come from, it’s more serving people. And to me, well I have no self worth, no self love, no reason for being here other than serving other people and loving other people and following the playbook. So that’s a tough place to start, especially being gay,” he shared.

Early memories

The singer revealed he was taught that being gay was “a sickness that you can cure with prayer,” and said those beliefs were reinforced during his early years in the Christian-heavy alternative music scene of the mid to late 2000s.

Shomo also recalled one of his earliest memories of feeling different. At six or seven years old, he chose a ring he loved while shopping with his family, only to be mocked by other children the following day.

“It was like, ‘Fuck, don’t do that. Whatever that is, let’s keep that away,'” he remembered.

As he got older, Shomo said those experiences contributed to years of internalised self-hatred, forcing him to suppress feelings he now recognises were connected to his sexuality. The emotional toll became severe, with the singer revealing he experienced suicidal thoughts and later relied heavily on alcohol throughout much of his twenties.

Shomo says he’s entering a new chapter, much of that personal growth has found its way into Beartooth‘s forthcoming album Pure Ecstasy, which he describes as a more honest reflection of who he is today. He also credited producer Jordan Fish for encouraging him to write more directly and stop hiding behind vague lyrics.

Beartooth ‘Pure Ecstasy’ track list

01. Pure Ecstasy
02. Eyes Closed
03. Bullshit
04. Beautiful Again
05. Stadiums
06. Free
07. Sorry
08. Lose You To Find Me
09. You
10. For Me By Me
11. Made It

Pre order/save here.

The new album arrives with 11 tracks, including Eyes Closed, Bullshit, Beautiful Again, Free and Made It.

Australian tour

Australian fans will get the chance to hear the new material live when Beartooth return for their 2027 Pure Ecstasy Australian Tour:

• Tuesday, January 26th – Adelaide (Thebarton Theatre)
• Thursday, January 28th – Melbourne (Festival Hall)
• Saturday, January 30th – Sydney (Hordern Pavilion)
• Sunday, January 31st – Brisbane (Fortitude Music Hall)

Find out more and get your tickets here.

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