Ryan Adams pens open letter apologising for 'harmful behaviour' one year on from abuse allegations

6 July 2020, 11:10 | Updated: 6 July 2020, 19:47

Ryan Adams on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2017
Ryan Adams has penned an open letter addressing his behaviour. Picture: Getty Images via Getty Images

The singer-songwriter has apologised following allegations made against him by several women, including his ex-wife Mandy Moore.

Ryan Adams has penned an open letter addressing the allegations which accused him of abusive and sexually coercive behaviour.

The Come Pick Me Up singer hit the headlines last year when several women spoke out about their experiences with the star, and his ex-wife and actress and musician Mandy Moore claimed he was psychologically abusive.

Now, the singer-songwriter has shared an open letter in the Daily Mail, which sees him apologise for the harm he caused and reveal his struggles with sobriety.

In the letter he begins: "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. 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 bull***t apology that I've always used when I was called out, and all I can say is, this time it is different."

The rocker added: "To a lot of people this will just seem like the same empty bull***t apology that I've always used when I was called out, and all I can say is, this time it is different. 

"Having truly realized the harm that I've caused, it wrecked me, and I'm still reeling from the ripples of devastating effects that my actions triggered. 

"There is no way to convince people that this time is truly different, but this is the albatross that I deserve to carry with me as a result of my actions.

"Realizing the consequences of my actions, I took a hard look inwards and sought to find the truth behind them. What pain was I carrying myself that 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. "

Adams went on to reveal that he's been seeking professional help to "get sober" as it believes it goes hand in hand with his mental health, but said he will not use it as an excuse for his behaviour.

He also added that he's written enough music to fill "half a dozen" albums in order to work through his issues and the harm he caused.

He continued: "In my effort to be a better man, I have fought to get sober, but this time I'm doing it with professional help. Sobriety is a priority in my life, and so is my mental health. These, as I'm learning, go hand in hand. 

"But I will not bore anyone with stories of my demons or use them to excuse what I've done. I really want to express that I've internalized the importance of self-care and self-work. I'm really trying. 

"Music is how I lay my soul bare, and in working through this, I have written enough music to fill half a dozen albums. 

"Some of these songs are angry, many are sad but most of them are about the lessons I've learned over the last few years. Those ones an expression of my deepest remorse. 

"I hope that the people I've hurt will heal. And I hope that they will find a way to forgive me."

In 2019, several women accused Adams of offering to jumpstart their music career in return for sex and alleged he retaliated against them when they refused.

As reported by USA Today, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers also revealed her relationship with him ended after he became "obsessive and emotionally abusive".

Mandy Moore opened up about her relationship with her ex-husband, who she split with in 2016, claiming he was psychologically abusive and made her feel she couldn't take on major roles for fear of how he would react.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by this story, please seek help from the helplines below:

National Domestic Abuse Helpline

nationaldahelpline.org.uk

Tel: 0807 2000 247

Living Without Abuse

lwa.org.uk

Tel: 0808 80 200 28

Relate

relate.org.uk

The Samaritans

Tel: 116 123

samaritans.org

Mind

MindInfoline: 0300 123 3393

mind.org.uk

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