Mandy Moore joins women speaking out against ex-husband Ryan Adams

Singer Ryan Adams has denied a slew of allegations of abuse and misconduct from multiple women — including his ex-wife Mandy Moore.

Mandy Moore. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

American singer Ryan Adams has today been hit with the release of explosive allegations, with seven women coming forward to claim a pattern of manipulative and sexually inappropriate behaviour.

Among them: Adams’ own ex-wife, singer and actress Mandy Moore.

Moore began dating Adams in 2008, marrying the next year before filing for divorce in 2015.

Their relationship coincided with the demise of Moore’s music career — no coincidence, the star claims in today’s bombshell report in The New York Times.

Moore says their marriage was ‘psychologically abusive’. Picture: Getty

“His controlling behaviour essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time — my entire mid-to-late 20s,” she said.

Moore claimed Adams, 44, had blocked her from working with other producers or managers, effectively taking over the control of her music career — then sidelining her in “ways Moore came to consider psychologically abusive”.

In an interview with Howard Stern last year, Moore said that Adams was “obsessed” with himself.

“It didn’t sour my idea of romance or marriage or monogamy, I just chose the wrong person. We’re just different, we were not meant to be. It was a very lonely life. Someone who’s obsessed with themselves and obsessed with their work and wasn’t able to be a partner or husband,” she said.

Other women who spoke to the Times make claims of Ryan grooming them for sex while underage, and of promising career advancement in return for sex.

Moore and Adams. Picture: Splash

‘IT WAS SEXUAL POWER’

The most shocking allegations raised in the article came from someone the Times described as “Ava” (not her real name), a gifted young musician who struck up a connection with Adams when she was a teenager.

The Times claims it reviewed 3217 text messages exchanged between the pair over a nine-month period when Ava was 15 and 16. Adams had just turned 40.

“I never see pics of you anymore,” Adams purportedly wrote in one text. “You were blowing my mind.”

Another: “If people knew they would say I was like R Kelley lol.”

Other discussions were more explicit: “I just want you to touch your nipple,” he wrote in one text, and on another occasion allegedly Skyped her while naked.

“It was just sexual power,” said Ava.

Responding to the allegations, Adams’ lawyer said his client was “unaware” Ava was underage.

‘IT MADE ME NOT WANT TO MAKE MUSIC’

Adams’ many albums include a complete recording of Taylor Swift’s top-selling 1989.

Other female musicians speak of being lured by Adams with the promise of working together — then feeling uncomfortable as his alleged sexual motives were revealed.

Indie musician Phoebe Bridgers — currently touring Australia — says she was 20 when Adams invited her to his studio in 2014. He loved her songs, and was eager to record them.

But as they made professional plans, “flirty texts” from Adams started, which the turned into a whirlwind romance.

Bridgers says Adams discussed marriage “less than a week into their relationship” — but that soon after, Adams attentions turned “obsessive and emotionally abusive”.

“Then, the first day, he asked me to bring him something in his hotel room,” she said. “I came upstairs and he was completely nude.”

Another singer, Courtney Jaye, was 35 when Adams approached her to collaborate. His attentions soon turned sexual, the pair ending up in bed together after Jaye tried to deflect his advances.

“It made me just not want to make music,” she told the Times.

Adams has slammed the report as a ‘smear piece.’

FURY — THEN DENIAL

Adams, through his lawyer, denies all the claims made about him in The New York Times article. In the hours before the report was published, Adams tweeted — then quickly deleted — a message declaring it a “smear piece.”

“Happy Vanetines (sic) day @nytimes I know you got lawyers But do you have the truth on your side. No. I do,” he wrote. “Run your smear piece But the legal eagles see you. Rats. I’m f***ing taking you down.”

Since the article was published, Adams has adopted a more measured tone, tweeting the following: “I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt, however unintentionally, I apologise deeply and unreservedly.

“But 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.

“As someone who has always tried to spread joy through my music and my life, hearing that some people believe I caused them pain saddens me greatly. I am resolved to work to be the best man I can be. And I wish everyone compassion, understanding and healing.”