The former lead singer of an award-winning Christian-rock band was allegedly “living a double life” as he faces accusations of sexual assault, grooming and drug abuse dating as far two decades.
Michael Tait, who served as the frontman for Newsboys for 16 years before leaving in January, allegedly abused alcohol and drugs before inappropriately touching several people, according to an investigative report from Christian media outlet, The Roys Report.
Newsboys’ current members, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee, addressed the allegations against their former bandmate on Friday.
“Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait. While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated even by the implications,” the band wrote on Instagram.
“First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories. If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.”
The band members described themselves as fathers and husbands who were left “horrified, heartbroken and angered” over the allegations against Tait.
Tait, 59, allegedly confessed that he had been “living a double life” when he left the group, the band claimed.
“We never imagined that it could be this bad,” the band added.
Tait announced he was departing Newsboys on Jan. 16, a day after a TikToker Azariah Southworth made a viral post claiming the singer was gay.
The post reached over 250,000 views before it was removed from the platform for “violent extremism,” according to the outlet.
Tait didn’t address the viral TikTok in his decision to leave the band.
“While this may come to as a surprise given I’ve been touring ever since college, I’ve made for me what is a monumental and heartfelt decision that it is time to stepown from Newsboys,” he wrote in an Instagram post on Jan. 16. “This decision does not come lightly and has been a shock to even myself, but amidst prayer and fasting, I have clarity that this is the right decision.”
Tate joined Newsboys in 2009 after having been the lead singer for Christian rap trio DC Talk.
Tait allegedly befriended multiple people while on tour, including three men in 2004, 2010 and 2014, respectively.
Two of the men, who were all 22 years old when they met Tait, 59, claim they were offered alcohol and they woke up to the singer allegedly fondling them, the outlet added.
The third man alleges Tait offered him cocaine on the Newsboys’ tour bus, gave him a back massage in a hot tub, and was invited to his king-size bed where the vocalist began to touch him non-consensually, the outlet reported.
Newsboys’ were nominated for four Grammy Awards between 1992 and 2003.
They have been nominated for 30 Dove Awards, winning six times, and have won several other awards, including a Billboard Music Video Award and two Nashville Music Awards.
The band appeared in the movie “God’s Not Dead” as themselves performing a concert attended by the main characters played by Shane Harper and Kevin Sorbo.
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