Filipino-American musician Troy Laureta on Monday came out as gay in a lengthy Instagram post with his childhood photo on rainbow colors.

"Today is one of the most important days of my entire life, bigger than any gig, bigger than any show, and bigger than anything that has happened thus far. Today I am free," Laureta said.

"I originally wanted to do this with lighting (or) smoke and a dope photoshoot. But I decided it was in the right form to take it back to simple times," he added.

Growing up in a Catholic household, Laureta said he has suppressed himself for the sake of his family.

"For the majority of my life, I've kept a huge part of myself very private and very hidden. This kept secret would have become a source of immense pain and isolation that I honestly had no idea how to get out of. I couldn't be myself. I was in a mental prison. I grew up in a semi-conservative Filipino Catholic household. And while my parents were, in many ways, progressive, certain things were not spoken about within the family," the singer said.

"I, therefore, suppressed so much of myself to protect my family from being talked about and spare them from what I thought was shameful. Yet, in that bid to protect them, I betrayed myself and it ate away at me for many years," he added.

Laureta said this made him question himself and it took time for him to accept things in life.

"I had built up so much anger and resentment for myself and for the people around me. I wasted so much time crying, fighting, and worrying about who would accept me and who would think I was just wanting to hit on them. Am I too flamboyant? Am I not 'masculine' enough? Am I too this? Am I too that? What would people say about me? Will people still wanna work with me? Will my boys still wanna grab a beer with me after the show? Will my boys still be my boys? Will my girls still be my girls? If I accepted my true self, I felt that I would prove the bullies right. I am what they say I am. A lot of what ifs," Laureta said.

"A lot of overthinking. A lot of anxiety. A lot of crying... A whole lot of f**king crying ... when all I wanted to be was Troy. Not masqueraded by this Hollywood facade that I had meticulously sculpted out in hopes I would get validation for myself. It took so much to get to this point, to the point where I can no longer be silent. I can no longer hide. I refuse to do that," he added.

He thanked all those who have been supporting him and said music helped him to accept himself.

"I'm sure to many many people this will not at all come as a surprise, but for me, today is literally everything. 6 years ago, I came out to @abelr. Then shortly after, I came out to Cheesa, my little sister. Before then, I was COMPLETELY alone. I spent years in hiding, pretending to be something that I wasn't, f**king lying to myself on a daily and cheating my family, friends, and colleagues from getting to know who Troy actually was. Music became a small comfort. But I basically imprisoned my own goddamn self y'all. I'm so done with that today. Today is an amazing day! Today, I set myself free!! Today is the day I finally have the courage and strength to speak my truth. And finally, live the words I have been preaching all my life... 'Celebrate who you are!'" he said.

"I am a proud gay Filipino-American man. Thank you, God, for allowing me to see this day. This is the happiest day of my entire life. Yep. The rumors were true, bitch. Now, let's go make some music."

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