Deanna Daughtry

Deanna Daughtry is an American songwriter and massage therapist. She is also known for being the wife of former American Idol contestant Chris Daughtry. 

In an interview with People in 2019, Deanna spoke of having to keep her bisexuality hidden during her younger years due to external pressures. 

I was hiding and shutting down a part of myself. As I built up these walls to protect myself, I was creating a prison, and I couldn’t fully experience life and people couldn’t fully experience me— and it’s all based on fear.^[1]

Her hesitation to come out is one that many of us have experienced in the quest to be our truest selves, but Deanna’s husband, Chris, has always been supportive, saying that he didn’t care that she was bisexual. “I didn’t feel threatened,” he clarified, “I wanted her to be happy with who she was, and not hide that or be ashamed.”

The couple went on to explain that Daughtry’s newest single, “As You Are”, was Deanna’s unofficial coming out. She penned part of the chorus— “I love you as you are”— for herself as she finally started to accept her bisexuality. 

Both Deanna and Chris are very open about the true meaning behind the lyrics after Deanna finally spoke publicly about her bisexuality. “It’s very important for people to know what the song is about and where it really came from. Otherwise, we’re not being authentic with the song.”