Famous for his influence in creating the “neo soul” musical sound in the late 1990s, Maxwell, whose real name is Gerald Maxwell Rivera, is an American R&B singer and songwriter.
Maxwell spearheaded the “neo soul” movement with fellow artists Erykah Badu and D’Angelo. His debut solo album, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite”, which was released in 1996, was the ultimate example of the neo-soul sound. It introduced the genre to casual listeners, helping the genre to gain commercial appeal.
This 49-year-old R&B crooner is of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent. His father died in a plane crash when Maxwell was just a child, which contributed to him growing up religious. He used to sing in the church choir when he was young but had never taken music seriously until he was 17. At 18 years old, he worked as a waiter and used the tip he earned to record a demo. He had written and recorded around 300 songs and was performing at local venues. He captured enough public interest that Columbia Records signed him a deal in 1994 when he was 18 years old. And the rest, so they say, is history.
He has bagged several awards and nominations for his music and that includes 3 Grammy Awards, 6 Soul Train Music Awards, and 2 NAACP Image Awards.
Some fans have speculated about Maxwell’s sexuality due to his androgynous fashion style, his support for LGBTQ+ rights, and his close relationships with queer artists. Additionally, his sensual and introspective music has led to interpretations and discussions about his sexual orientation. Now the question is, is Maxwell gay? Let’s find out.
VOTE: What is Maxwell’s Sexuality?
Maxwell’s Gay Rumors
Always known as a ladies’ man, Maxwell surprised fans when he posted a birthday greeting to a male friend — who was shirtless, by the way — on his Instagram account last October 2015. Fans were quick to jump to conclusions and to assume the R&B singer’s sexuality. That’s how rumors about him being gay started. There were speculations that the singer was actually dating that “friend” and that that Instagram post was his subtle way of coming out.
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Maxwell’s Dating History
Although there were rumors that the renowned singer-songwriter was gay, there was nothing to back that claim. The singer was never linked to anyone of the same gender. He was, however, linked to several women in the past.
If you are curious about who he has dated before, here’s a quick recap of Maxwell’s dating history.
Maxwell was once linked to model Miredys Peguero, who was a former Miss Puerto Rico representing her country in Miss Intercontinental 1999. The relationship was, however, not confirmed.
The singer used to date MTV VJ Ananda Lewis in 1998. The romance was, however, brief and there was not much information about it.
Maxwell was also romantically linked with German-American Elisabeth Röhm in 2003. They attended the MTV Video Music Awards together. A source said that “Maxwell has definitely fallen hard for Elisabeth.” However, Elisabeth denied the rumor by telling the press, in a rather shy way, that “Maxwell and I are good friends.”
The R&B artist also dated Brazilian model Camila Alves in 2004. The couple was reported to have dated for a year before they called it quits.
Maxwell was also rumored to have dated Dutch fashion model Doutzen Kroes in 2006 because, apparently, love songs do not write themselves, so he needed to be involved with “some really amazing women that didn’t know [me]. I got to write really good songs from that.”
Then there’s American model Raven Davis in 2007, but there are not much details about the relationship.
He also dated Canadian model Kris Jacobs in 2009. But like his previous relationships, there’s so little information about their romance.
Maxwell was also romantically involved with Caymanian model and actress Selita Ebanks from 2009 – 2010. The couple first sparked dating rumors when they were spotted chillin’ together at Pop Burger in NYC. That was, somehow, confirmed when they attended Russell Simmons’ Art For Life Gala hand in hand.
The sexy R&B crooner then dated Lithuanian swimsuit model Deimante Guobyte in 2013. The couple, who had an 18-year gap between them, was once spotted enjoying a date on Miami beach. The singer once snapped back at fans who were leaving nasty comments on his Instagram account, where he posted his then-girlfriend Guobyte, questioning him on why he was dating a white girl. He replied with:
Sick of some of you chiming in on my friends and insulting them with racists comments. You know nothing you assume everything and you should know better and worship is for GOD not me so sit down. I don’t give a f**k, I’m putting ever[y] type [of] girl in my Instagram go f**k yourself if you’re a racist a**hole!!!!”
The most recent public relationship Maxwell had was with Dominican TV Personality Julissa Bermudez in 2014. Their relationship was confirmed when they attended the red carpet for VH1’s “Dear Mama” together. This was followed by Maxwell posting a photo of them together on social media with the caption:
her mother is from the [flag emoji] my mother is from [flag emoji] we are suppose to hate each other but love wins every time..” #blackexcellence #dearmama #trychristhewillmakeitbetter
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Is Maxwell Gay?
No, Maxwell is not gay. There was not much information about the R&B singer’s dating life after he broke up with Julissa Bermudez and reports said that he is still single and is currently not dating anyone as of the moment. But with at least ten relationships with women in the past, although he was not married and was never engaged, it is pretty obvious that the singer is straight.