Ryan Adams has spoken publicly for the first time since he responded to allegations of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse in February of this year. “I have a lot to say. I am going to. Soon. Because the truth matters. It’s what matters most,” he wrote in a series of Instagram posts Friday night. “I know who I am. What I am. It’s time people know. Past time.”
Seven women came forward in the New York Times in February, including ex-wife Mandy Moore, former collaborator Phoebe Bridgers, and “Ava,” who remains unnamed because she was 14 at the time of the alleged abuse. After the news broke, more women came forward, supporting the allegations. Until Friday night, the last thing Adams had said publicly was, “To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologize deeply and unreservedly.”
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Since the allegations first emerged, Adams has denied them. "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 in a statement responding to the NYT exposé. It has since been radio silence from Adams, until yesterday.
Prior to Friday evening, Adams only had two photos on his Instagram. Now, the series of nine posts suggests he is in Los Angeles working on new music. Most of the posts are short video clips in the studio broken up by a selfie, a shot of the Hollywood sign obscured by one for 7-Eleven, and a nod to the music he has been listening to lately. But in one caption, Adams lays it all out there. He’s back, he has remembered why he got into music in the first place, and he wants people to believe women. “Believe Women. Believe Truth. But never give up on being part of solutions, and healing,” Adams writes.
Women in music aren’t too thrilled with Adams’ social media resurface, particularly him leading with the message that women should be believed while he appears to still under investigation by the FBI for allegedly engaged in sexually explicit communication with a minor. The FBI announced it had opened an investigation shortly after news of the misconduct broke.
big nope
— Lucy Dacus (@lucydacus) July 20, 2019
biiiiiiiiiiiiiig nope
— Maggie Rogers (@maggierogers) July 20, 2019
— Stella Donnelly (@stelladonnelly) July 20, 2019
Among Adams’ posts were snippets of new music from his album Big Colors. It was originally set to be released in April 2019, but was put on hold after the sexual misconduct allegations. “I want to be a part of that healing. To go play have some great shows and put out these badass records,” he wrote on Instagram. No new release date has been announced.