Ryan Adams returned to social media last night with a few cryptic statements about what appears to be an attempted comeback. The songwriter, who was accused of multiple accounts of sexual and psychological abuse in a New York Times report from February, has largely remained silent since the allegations surfaced, even as his U.K. tour was cancelled, his music was removed from radio airplay, and his album was put “on hold” in the wake of the allegations. Now, Adams has taken to Twitter and Instagram to announce what sounds like an attempted return to spotlight.
“I have a lot to say. I am going to. Soon,” he wrote on Twitter. “Because the truth matters. I know who I am. What I am. It’s time people know. Past time. All the beauty in life cannot be reduced to rubble for lies. This madness. My work was a map for the lost. Not a billboard. So soon.”
Adams also took to Instagram to post a few photos and videos, one of which includes him sitting at mixing board, teasing a snipped of a song called “I’m Sorry and I Love You,” as Pitchfork points out. The song was included on the track listing for Big Colors, one of three albums initially slated for 2019 which was later put on hold following the allegations. Adams also posted another instrumental teaser, as well as a link to a Heaven & Hell live performance of the song “The Mob Rules.”
The New York Times report detailed allegations from women including songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, actress Mandy Moore (Adams’ ex-wife), and an anonymous, then-teenage fan identified as “Ava,” who said she received sexual advances from Adams when she was underage. The FBI later took preliminary steps to open a criminal investigation against Adams based on his text and video exchanges with “Ava.”
Adams later called the New York Times report “upsettingly inaccurate,” claiming that it misrepresented and exaggerated certain details. “I would never have inappropriate interactions with someone I thought was underage,” he wrote. “Period.”
Update (11:00am): Adams’ statements follow the recent departure of his manager Ty Stiklorius. As New York Times reporter Joe Coscarelli points out, Stiklorius recently took to Instagram Stories to post a text message exchange with the songwriter. In the exchange, Adams claims that Stiklorius “organized all the failed interventions,” and that he’s hoping to find a way to make music publicly again.
“I want my career back. I want a professional to handle it. And I want to work and move on,” he writes. “I’m not interested in this healing crap. I want a plan and I want to work. That’s it.”
Stiklorius’ screenshot, which has since been removed from her Instagram Stories, also shows her response. “Maybe it’s time you found a different manager,” she writes. SPIN has reached out to Adams and Stiklorius for comment and we’ll update this post if we hear back.
Ryan Adams says he is coming back after facing abuse allegations in February (https://t.co/s3bDvfQzpa)
…his return to social media comes a few weeks after his manager quit when he told her, “I’m not interested in this healing crap” pic.twitter.com/1LqquJoGzN
— Joe Coscarelli (@joecoscarelli) July 20, 2019
I have a lot to say. I am going to. Soon.
Because the truth matters.I know who I am. What I am.
It's time people know.
Past time.All the beauty in a life cannot be reduced to rubble for lies.
This madness.My work was a map for the lost. Not a billboard.
So soon.
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) July 20, 2019
https://t.co/8j5VAXhrhl pic.twitter.com/33DIFfLMwA
— Ryan Adams (@TheRyanAdams) July 20, 2019
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