Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know are affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
Ryan Adams has penned an open letter addressing the allegations of sexual misconduct that were brought to light last year.
In February 2019, the New York Times published an expose detailing incidents of sexual and emotional abuse experienced by a number of women at the hands of Ryan Adams, including former partner Mandy Moore and musician Phoebe Bridgers.
The open letter has seen Adams reckon with the “the ripples of devastating effects that my actions triggered.”
“There are no words to express how bad I feel about the ways I’ve mistreated people throughout my life and career. All I can say is that I’m sorry. It’s that simple,” Adams wrote. “This period of isolation and reflection made me realize that I needed to make significant changes in my life.
“I’ve gotten past the point where I would be apologizing just for the sake of being let off the hook and I know full well that any apology from me probably won’t be accepted by those I’ve hurt. I get that and I also understand that there’s no going back.
“To a lot of people this will just seem like the same empty bullshit apology that I’ve always used when I was called out, and all I can say is, this time it is different.”
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Elsewhere in the letter, Adams acknowledged that the fallout of his indiscretions are an “albatross that I deserve to carry with me as a result of my actions.”
The musician detailed that his time away from the public eye forced him to take a “hard look inwards and sought to find the truth behind them” acknowledging that his inner turmoil “was so poorly and wrongly being projected onto others.”
“I made a promise to myself that no matter what it took, I would get to the root of these issues and finally start to fix myself so I could be a better friend, a better partner, and a better man overall. That being said, no amount of growth will ever take away the suffering I had caused. I will never be off the hook and I am fully accountable for my harmful behaviour, and will be for my actions moving forward.”
Adams revealed that during his time off he has actively sought sobriety and professional help for his mental health.
“I hope that the people I’ve hurt will heal,” he wrote. “And I hope that they will find a way to forgive me.”
