London: Troubled British pop star James Arthur has opened up about his recent battle with depression, confessing he lost all of his confidence after he was accused of homophobia.
The `Impossible` singer, who won Britain`s `The X Factor` last year, has faced a storm of criticism in recent weeks after using objectionable terms in a rap, prompting a public backlash which sent him into a downward spiral, reported Contactmusic.
Arthur has now opened up about the controversy, revealing he was unable to speak to anyone for a week as a result of the blues and a bout of anxiety attacks as he suddenly found himself the target of death threats.
"All my confidence has disappeared because the whole nation thinks I`m a homophobe who looks like a monster. I couldn`t speak to anyone for a week. It was awful. My little sister was being bullied in school and I was receiving constant death threats," Arthur said.
"I stayed in bed for days on end. Any time I tried to get up, I couldn`t. I felt deep, deep shame about my mistakes since winning the show. I kept thinking, `What have I done?` But since becoming famous, I`ve had a depressive nature. It`s a curse. Maybe I suffer for my art," he added.