The xx’s Oliver Sim reveals he’s HIV-positive in powerful new single “Hideous”
An air of mystery has always surrounded the music of The xx, the British indie trio known for sparsely arranged electronic songs and their all-black attire.
But in his first solo outing, the band’s bassist and vocalist Oliver Sim is opening himself up to the world, revealing he’s been living with HIV since he was 17.His new single, “Hideous,” states it plain in its closing moments: “Been living with HIV since 17 / Am I hideous?” It’s a moment of radical honesty that shifts the track from synth-laden self-doubt to cathartic confessional, paving the way for a new era in Sim’s life and career.The 32 year-old queer musician recently took to Instagram to share a note about his HIV status, the conception of the song and his forthcoming solo album, Hideous Bastard, which he says is largely about “fear and shame.”“Two thirds in, having a good idea of what the record was about, I realized I’d been circling around one of the thing that has probably caused me the most fear and shame,” he explains. “My HIV status.
I’ve been living with HIV since I was 17 and it’s played with how I’ve felt towards myself, and how I’ve assumed others have felt towards me, from that age and into my adult life.”Sim goes on to share that, after playing the song for his “protective and wise” mother, she encouraged him to start conversations with people in his life about being HIV positive.
