Indie royalty Ryan Adams has been accused of a host of abusive and manipulative behaviour by at least seven women, in a New York Times investigation published today.
In the article several women, including Adams’ ex-wife Mandy Moore and singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Jaye, describe Adams’ pattern of behaviour as manipulative and abusive, saying that he’d regularly promise musical collaboration, production and tour support slots, then renege when his sexual advances were rejected, or a burgeoning romance soured.
Most upsettingly, the Times article details Adams’ sexual misconduct involving a minor. According to a woman identified only as Ava, she and Adams started corresponding after following each other on Twitter when Ava was only 14, in 2013. She was a gifted bass player, which led to Adams promising that he’d produce her band. However, their communication ended up becoming sexual – the Times documents 3,217 text messages exchanged over a nine-month period when Ava was 15 and 16 – and Adams reportedly constantly asked Ava about her age, saying:
i would get in trouble if someone knew we talked like this
and
If people knew they would say I was like R Kelley lol
Adams was 40 at the time. Ava told the Times she sometimes lied about her age in response to Adams pleading for her to convince him she was 18.
Other stories of Adams being emotionally and psychologically abusive are also documented in the Times investigation. Mandy Moore has said that during their relationship, “He would always tell me, ‘You’re not a real musician, because you don’t play an instrument.’“
Phoebe Bridgers described an incident when she was on tour with Adams as his opening act: “The first day, he asked me to bring him something in his hotel room. I came upstairs and he was completely nude.“
For his part, Adams has denied everything through his lawyer, and also posted the following on Twitter:
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.
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) February 13, 2019
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.
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) February 13, 2019
