Stereophonics' Kelly Jones opens up about daughter Bootsy’s transition to son Colby
21 April 2020, 11:21 | Updated: 21 April 2020, 12:58
The Stereophonics frontman has spoken candidly about Bootsy - who previously came out as gay - and his transition to Colby.
Kelly Jones has spoken out about his child's transition.
The Stereophonics frontman previously opened up about his daughter Bootsy coming out to him as gay, which inspired the band's Fly Like An Eagle single.
However, speaking on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the Welsh rocker revealed that Bootsy discovered he was struggling more with his gender rather than his sexuality, and he is now going by the name Colby.
Admitting he had struggled at first to accept Colby's transition, Jones said: "For me, I had no clue or understanding about any of that stuff, and as a family it’s been playing catch-up.”
Talking about the emotional experience in which he admits suffering a period of "mourning" for his daughter, the Dakota singer added: "For a while it was just becoming more intense and I remember getting upset one night, and I sounded like an animal, because I couldn’t work out what was going on. When you read about it, you actually go through a grieving process because you feel like you’ve lost your daughter and you've gained a son."
However, discussing how his son is now doing so much better after he began to transition, he mused: "Now I don’t feel like I’ve lost anybody at all… Colby’s in the house, his sister Misty made him a painting for Christmas with the word ‘Colby’ on it. All these little sweet things.
"On Christmas Eve, we had about 20 people round the house. He’s always been really nervous about doing songs in school… but he walked downstairs and started singing some song he heard off YouTube in front of everybody. It’s almost like you take off one jacket and feel much more confident about who you are as yourself."
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Previously speaking to The Sun about his daughter and the band's Fly Like an Eagle single and video, the rocker said: "It was inspired by my and Bootsy’s story. I wrote a treatment and showed it to Bootsy, who is gay, and asked, ‘Is this accurate to what you were experiencing?’ Boots said it was."
"It’s a powerful video which had to be done right. Bootsy coming out was a big thing for her and a big thing for us, her family — and all the band were behind it.
"She’s cool and she’s happy. She’s got a girlfriend, goes to school wearing trousers and has cut her hair.
"I’m pleased she told me about it first, as we’ve got an open relationship. We talk a lot."
QUIZ: Can you match these Stereophonics lyrics to their songs?
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