The British rocker, real name Dominic Harrison, had finally settled into a long-term relationship with Los Angeles-based singer and fashion designer Jesse Jo Stark after a string of failed romances, among them a short-lived fling with Halsey.
But in a far-reaching interview with Paul C. Brunson’s We Need To Talk podcast, the 27-year old singer admits she agreed to a temporary separation as he wrestled with the pressures of living life in the spotlight.
He said: ‘This year has been such a strange thing for me because it’s the first time that probably the biggest love of my life, I’ve taken space from and I’ve asked for space.
‘Last year I was really having problems with myself and it was all a me problem.’
He added: ‘Her name’s Jesse Stark. She’s probably the most incredible person I’ve ever met and she’s my best friend and I feel so lucky to be in her orbit.’
The Doncaster-born star admits he maintains regular contact with Stark, 34, the daughter of Richard Stark – founder and CEO of luxury goods brand Chrome Hearts – and god-daughter to pop veteran Cher.
He said: ‘I got to talk this through with her and she understood and she needed a moment.
‘We talk every Sunday and I mean ultimately I think in my life all roads lead to her because I love her. I never loved anything like I love her.
‘I love her as everything. And I love her as if I’d love water. I need it. You know, and I think I’d never experience love like it because when you could be that honest with another human being, even in times when we’re not technically together.’
Despite ending the relationship, the singer remains hopeful that he will start a family with Stark once he has worked his way through the emotional issues that ultimately led to their separation.
‘I think at this moment in time, I needed to build up a fundamental basis of a personality. I was a shell, so I didn’t know what I could love,’ he explained.
‘I will love that girl until I die and if that ends up like we like I would love it for one day to have loads of kids with her and vibe out and do all the like whatever the fairy tale thing is but if that doesn’t happen that doesn’t happen.’
His relationship with Stark followed a short-lived romance with fellow pop star Halsey, who he dated for several months in 2019 and admits entered his life as they were both establishing their music careers.
He recalled: ‘I was cool to her and it was that there were almost two things colliding. That’s why I don’t think we worked out.
‘And it was epic. We weren’t completing each other.’
Elsewhere, the singer – famed for a gender-blurring stage persona that includes wearing Bowie-esque make-up and skirts – dismissed persistent claims of queer-baiting.
‘My vibe is like I don’t know what people want to say about that. I’ve f**ked everyone under the sun and that’s the vibe,’ he said.
‘I love love and if it’s a vibe it’s a vibe and it’s interesting I think when you sign up for entertainment it’s people like “this is performative this is” and people can formulate an idea on something that they don’t even know.’
He added: ‘If the person’s a vibe, the person’s a vibe, right? Rock and roll, man. Do you know what I mean?
‘I was wearing a skirt since I was six. You know what I mean? I was into that vibe. I was into like Brian Molko from Placebo. That’s why I wore it, you know what I mean?’