Troye Sivan responds to body diversity criticism in ‘Rush’ video

19 July, 2023

Troye Sivan has responded to backlash he received over the lack of body diversity in his recent music video for comeback single ‘Rush’.

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Last week, the Australian pop star unveiled ‘Rush’ alongside the announcement of his first album in five years, ‘Something To Give Each Other’. The music video for the lead single was raunchy and sensual, but received criticism online over what many saw as a lack of body diversity – with the clip featuring skinny and mostly white men.

“I definitely hear the critique,” he told Billboard. “To be honest, it just wasn’t a thought we had — we obviously weren’t saying, ‘We want to have one specific type of person in the video.’ We just made the video, and there wasn’t a ton of thought put behind that.”

The 28-year-old also mentioned a review by Vulture about ‘Rush’, which included what many read as a harmful comment about thinner people. “They were talking about [the lack of body diversity], and in the same sentence, this person said, ‘Eat something, you stupid twinks,’” he said.

“That really bummed me out to read that — because I’ve had my own insecurities with my body image. I think that everyone’s body is as beautiful as it is, including my own, and it just sucks to see people talking about other people’s bodies.”

In a press release about the video, the singer said: “The feeling of kissing a sweaty stranger on a dance floor, a two hour date that turned into a weekend, a crush, a winter, a summer. Party after party, after party after party. All of my experiences from a chapter where I feel confident, free and liberated. Independent, yet somehow the most connected to the music and community around me.”