He came out to his parents in a song, and it will move you to tears

When Andreas Wijk played a new song for his parents that he just wrote and recorded, he wasn’t sure how they would react.

Millions of kids could say the same thing about coming out to their mom and dad, but Wijk — a 29-year-old singer famous in Sweden since he was 15 — was doing it with music.

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The singer dropped the video and the story behind the song to coincide with the release of her new album.

In a message posted to Instagram, Wijk wrote: “A week ago I wrote a new song. I think it’s called ‘if I was gay’ and this morning I played it to my parents when they picked me up for lunch. It’s scary to be transparent. I’ve never really posted anything like this on here…”

He called it “the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”

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Wijk was coming out to the world in a heartwarming moment in a song. Soon enough, mom and dad and millions of viewers were in tears.

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A post shared by ANDREAS WIJK (@andreaswijk)

“If I was gay, would I be what they say?” sings Wijk, as his parents listen intently.

“Just a stereotype.”

The dawn begins to break on what Andreas is telling them.

“If I was gay, how do I get to heaven?” Wijk continues, “when there’s ‘no church in the wild.'”

The singer looks over at his dad furtively. The die has been cast. What’s he going to say?

“Tried to be honest, but honestly I can’t. No, I can’t.”

The son puts his hand over dad’s. The gesture is returned.

“If love is the same, why is this not the same thing?”

“The same thing.”

As the music continues, Wijk exhales, seemingly all the tension leading up to this moment. His father is looking out, listening, his eyes brimming. His mom, behind them, is a picture of pride for their son.

“I’ve never kissed a boy, would I like the way it feels? Picturing his face and I lose a piece of me.”

“Play me all the classic love songs on repeat. None of them talk about what I feel.”

“What I feel.”

The father and son appraise each other. And Wijk goes in for the hug that he’s been hoping for.

Mom and dad are smiling ear to ear.

“Oh Andreas,” his father says.

“I feel so relieved,” Wijk manages through the tears.

The relief was years in the making.

This was not the first time Wijk tried to share his feelings with his parents.

In a later Insta post, Wijk reveals he came out to his parents when he was 15 years old when he hoped he could be “healed” by his pastor father.

Wijk wanted to “get free from my sickness.”

“For 13 years we prayed, but I never got ‘free from it.’ Today I feel closer to God than ever before. I feel so loved, happy and filled with peace.”

Wijk says he lost a lot of friends when he came out.

“My best friends turned away, telling me I was going to hell. But I never let go of God. Today my family has completely changed and we are also closer than ever.”

With millions of views and over 200,000 likes, Wijk posted he was “Overwhelmed by this love 😭❤️”.

“This is amazing lovely one,” said lounorthcote. “so happy you are sharing your truth sending so much love ❤️❤️”

“Oh boy, to have the bond you and your parents have,” wrote maciej.digital. “You are so lucky.”

“cried like a baby watching this video,” posted heil3682. “no words,” said mrjakobolsson.

These days, Wijk is catching up on being publicly out. He’s walked in Stockholm’s Pride parade, attended the Swedish Gay Gala, and celebrated his 30th birthday topless.

And now he’s currently in rehearsals for the stage version of Moulin Rouge in Stockholm, following Ewan McGregor in the movie as Christian.

“It really feels like you are reflecting your whole life story in this song,” Wijk’s dad says in the video.

As he writes in the song’s lyrics, Wijk “kept a candle burning, a lamp unto my feet,” lighting the way.

Somehow, with love, he’s arrived where he wants to be.