Musician Ryan Adams is facing serious allegations of emotional abuse and harassment from at least seven women, including his ex-wife Mandy Moore, Phoebe Bridgers and Courtney Jaye.
The women revealed to the New York Times that Adams had a “pattern of manipulative behaviour in which he dangled opportunities while simultaneously pursuing female artists for sex. ”
Moore was married to Adams from 2009 to 2016. She told The New York Times that they had been in a tumultuous relationship and that he controlled her career by discouraging her from working with other producers or managers which essentially left him in charge of her career.
“Music was a point of control for him. What you experience with him – the treatment, the destructive, manic sort of back and forth behavior – feels so exclusive. You feel like there’s no way other people have been treated like this,” she said. “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. ”
The women hope that by speaking out they protect others and move forward.
Though his laywer, Andrew B. Brettler, Adams denied Moore’s description of their relationship, calling it, “completely inconsistent with his view of it. ” He added that he was supportive of her “well-deserved professional success. ”
I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly.
– Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) February 13, 2019
Adams took to Twitter to apologise, writing to his followers, “I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly. But the picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate. Some of its details are misrepresented; some are exaggerated; some are outright false…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. ”
