Anthony Cosmo Callea (born December 13, 1982 in Melbourne to Italian parents) is an ARIA Award winning Australian singer and was the runner-up in the 2004 season of Australian Idol. Callea currently holds the record for the highest-selling single and fastest-selling single in Australia for his debut single “The Prayer”.

Personal life:
On March 27, 2007, after speculation and tabloid rumours dating back to his Idol appearances, Callea publicly acknowledged that he was gay by issuing a statement confirming his sexuality and thanking his fans and his boyfriend, Paul.

“Yes, I am gay,” Callea said. “I have no issue with my sexuality now, but it’s taken time to become confident with who I am and happy with who I am. I’m comfortable enough to come clean now. It’s a weight off my shoulders”.

Callea’s confirmation of his sexuality came after his accidental on-air ‘outing’ by Sydney radio station Edge 96.1. In March 2007, breakfast traffic reporter Vic Larusso stated that he had met Callea and his boyfriend at a party the previous weekend. Edge 96.1 later apologised, claiming that Larusso hadn’t realised Callea’s sexuality was not common knowledge to the Australian public. Callea had previously denied being gay and refused to discuss his private life, a denial for which he later expressed regret.

On March 30, 2007, Australian High Court judge Justice Michael Kirby described Callea as an “admirable Australian” for coming out. Justice Kirby added, “In terms of influencing popular culture and understanding of the reality of human sexual diversity, I would trade ten judges for one popular singer.”