Britney Spears was reportedly left feeling "emotional" after an unexpected reunion with an early collaborator during last weekend's "X Factor" auditions -- particularly after her former duet partner revealed he was gay.
According to a fan report, the hopeful star in question was none other than Don Philip, who recorded the duet "I Will Still Love You," which appeared on Spears' 1999 debut album, "...Baby One More Time." As MTV News notes, Philip sang back-up for Gloria Estefan and even toured with Spears early in her career, but has since struggled to find mainstream success as a solo artist.
As seen in the above video, the audition takes a surprisingly emotional turn when the shaken contestant breaks down in tears onstage before ultimately revealing his sexuality. "At the time I didn’t think I was worthy,” he said to Spears. “I didn’t think you thought it was okay that I am gay."
And the pop queen's response? "I think it is fine you are gay," she says.
A source tells PopCrush: "She handled it unbelievably well and really stepped up to the situation. It was probably the most personal and emotional situation for her that’s happened so far on ‘X Factor,’ and she took it totally in stride in front of a live audience of thousands.”
Whether or not we'll be seeing much more of Philip on the "X Factor" remains in question, but judging from the video, Spears was a bit more critical when it came to his actual performance during the audition.
Take a look at other celebrities who've come out as LGBT below:
