Ryan Adams’ upcoming album, Big Colors, has been “put on hold,” sources close to the situation told Variety on Thursday. The news follows Wednesday’s damning New York Times report that detailed several women’s allegations against Adams, which accuse him of sexual misconduct and emotional abuse.
On Thursday, retailers reported that they were informed that the album had been pulled from Universal Music Group’s schedule. A representative for Adams did not immediately return Rolling Stone‘s request for comment. Adams’ own Pax-Am label also deleted its corresponding pages for pre-orders related to the CD and LP.
Beyond Big Colors being put on hold (it was initially slated for release on April 19th), Adams had announced he would be releasing three albums this year. The status of the remaining albums is unclear. In the wake of the allegations, Benson, an amplifier company, also announced it is severing its ties with the artist.
“We are saddened and surprised by the recent allegations against Mr. Ryan Adams as documented in the New York Times,” Christopher Benson said in a statement via Variety. “We have decided to suspend our relationship with Mr. Adams at this moment, and will no longer move forward with the development of the Ryan Adams signature model. We have no further comment at this time.”
In the New York Times report, several women, including Adams’ ex-wife Mandy Moore and emerging artist Phoebe Bridgers, claimed the singer-songwriter leveraged his position by turning his offers to help boost their careers into unwanted sexual advances. Another women, “Ava,” claims that she and the artist began an online dialogue when she was 14 years old, which included phone sex and Skype calls where Adams exposed himself. She and the singer exchanged more than 3000 text messages over the course of nine months.
“Mr. Adams unequivocally denies that he ever engaged in inappropriate online sexual communications with someone he knew was underage,” Adams’ lawyer told the Times, adding that “if, in fact, this woman was underage, Mr. Adams was unaware.”
On Thursday, the FBI opened an investigation into the alleged sexually explicit texts and messages sent to Ava when she was as young as 15.
Adams has maintained his innocence in statements via Twitter. “The picture that this article paints is upsettingly inaccurate,” he wrote. “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.”