Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, and rape. 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.
“We regret that we were not both more informed and more discerning when we worked with him previously.”
Phoenix is the latest artist to take to Twitter to distance themselves from R. Kelly, a serial predator, who is responsible for multiple statutory rape allegations, is his promised lawsuit against Lifetime.
We are deeply horrified by the stories of abuse surrounding R. Kelly.
We regret that we were not both more informed and more discerning when we worked with him previously. We fully support all victims of sexual abuse, and it’s our hope that there will be a path to justice.— Phoenix (@wearephoenix) January 10, 2019
R. Kelly collaborated with Phoenix for a remix (no, not that one) of the band’s Bankrupt! single ‘Trying to Be Cool’ back in 2013.
Kelly has also shared the stage with the French rockers. He joined them onstage at Coachella in April 2013 to perform a mash-up of ‘Ignition’.
Watch footage of the Coachella collab below:
The band’s announcement follows swift on the heels of Lady Gaga’s message, posted just yesterday. In her message to fans, she apologised for her decision to work with Kelly back in 2013.
“The song is called ‘Do What U Want (With My Body)’, I think it’s clear how explicitly twisted my thinking was at the time,” she wrote.
“If I could go back and have a talk with my younger self I’d tell her to go through the therapy I have since then, so that I could understand the confused post-traumatic state that I was in— or if therapy was not available to me or anyone in my situation—to seek help, and speak as openly and honestly as possible about what we’ve been through.”
Lady Gaga also explained her decision to remove the R. Kelly version of the song from streaming services.
And, as previously reported, Chance The Rapper, has explained he and Kelly’s 2015 collaboration was “a mistake”.
Artists seem to be coming forward in droves following the release of Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly docuseries. It’s an in-depth look at the accusations made against the controversial artist, including such claims that he has had sex with underage girls, has physically abused numerous women, and even ran a “sex cult” from his Chicago home.
The documentary has broken viewership records for the US network, however it also gave Kelly’s music a 16% surge on streaming service Spotify.
