Grammy-nominated rocker and proud Trump opponent Ryan Adams has been accused of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse by seven women, including a woman who was underage at the time, according to a report from the New York Times.
The paper published sexually explicit texts exchanged between Adams and a woman who was reportedly a minor at the time. Adams lashed out at the newspaper in a tweet that he later deleted, which read:
Happy Vanetines [sic] day @nytimes. I know you got lawyers. But do you have the truth on your side. No. I do. And you have run out of friends. My folks are NOT your friends.
Bombshell allegations
The Times published an explosive article describing allegations of emotional abuse by Adams’ ex-partners as well as sexual misconduct from several women in the music industry. The paper claims that Adams engaged in a pattern of manipulative behavior throughout his career that involved “dangl[ing] career opportunities while simultaneously pursuing female artists for sex,” and he would allegedly become angry and retaliate when rejected.
The report claims that Adams, who has called President Trump “a pretty awful person,” had a correspondence with a young bass player who was referred to as “Ava” that became sexual. The Times reviewed thousands of texts exchanged between the two when she was 15 and 16.
The Times said that Adams discussed Ava’s career prospects in their early correspondence and was anxious about her age, repeatedly asking her whether she was 18. She lied about her age repeatedly, but he continued the sexual correspondence. Adams reportedly exposed himself to Ava on a video call, and in one text, he wrote: “I never see pics of you anymore.”
“I would get in trouble if someone knew we talked like this,” he wrote in another. “If people knew they would say I was like [R. Kelly] lol.”
Adams’ lawyer, Andrew B. Brettler, stated, “Mr. Adams unequivocally denies that he ever engaged in inappropriate online sexual communications with someone he knew was underage.” He added that Adams “has communications online with various fans and aspiring musicians,” but that he “does not recall having online communications with anyone related to anything outside of music.”
Pattern of abuse
Adams faces allegations a total of at least seven women, including his ex-wife and former fiancé, who described him as emotionally abusive and manipulative. According to several women who talked with the Times, Adams, who is now 44, played on their career ambitions while pursuing sexual relationships with them.
The women said that Adams would flatter them and promise to propel their careers forward, but would then retract his patronage and become vengeful and emotionally abusive when the relationships didn’t go the way he wanted. Musician Phoebe Bridges said that Adams engaged in a relationship with her that became “obsessive and emotionally abusive,” in which he demanded to know her whereabouts, blew up her phone with text messages, and threatened suicide if she didn’t text back right away.
Adams’ ex-wife, singer and This is Us star Mandy Moore, who was married to Adams from 2009 to 2016, said that Adams was “psychologically abusive” and that he monopolized her career, demanding that she stop working with other producers. He also belittled her for not knowing how to play an instrument.
“His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time — my entire mid-to-late 20s,” Moore said.
Ex-fiancé Megan Butterworth also described Adams as “controlling and emotionally abusive,” said he would isolate her from friends and career connections, physically intimidate her, and flooded her phone and e-mail with messages threatening to kill himself and sue her after they separated.
Anti-Trump rocker lashes out
Adams apologized after the Times report was published “to anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally” while at the same time denying the report’s allegations.
“But the picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate. Some of its details are misrepresented; some are exaggerated; some are outright false. I would never have inappropriate interactions with someone I thought was underage. Period,” he said. “As someone who has always tried to spread joy through my music and my life, hearing that some people believe I caused them pain saddens me greatly. I am resolved to work to be the best man I can be. And I wish everyone compassion, understanding and healing.”
Adams also lashed out at the Times in a since-deleted Instagram post with the paper’s logo captioned, “F**k you.”
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