Hayley Williams blasts Christian music industry amid Michael Tait allegations

Hayley Williams is calling out exploitation and abuse in the Christian music industry.

The Paramore frontwoman posted a message on her Instagram Stories on Friday in response to growing controversy surrounding the alleged misconduct of Michael Tait, the Christian singer behind DC Talk and Newsboys.

Multiple men recently accused Tait of sexual assault in The Guardian, and Tait admitted that he had “touched men in an unwanted sensual way” on Instagram.

“The amount of things I have to say and the amount of people I know who were likely changed forever by this man and by the industry that empowered/enabled him…” Williams’ statement began.

Representatives for Tait and Newsboys did not immediately respond to Entertainment Weekly‘s request for comment.

Williams has numerous connections to the contemporary Christian music industry. She grew up in Nashville, the genre’s primary home base, and her Paramore bandmate Taylor York is the son of Peter York, the chairman and CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group.

In her statement, the “Ain’t It Fun” singer said that aside from a now-deleted TikTok from January claiming that Tait is gay, the conversation around the scandal has failed to address the systemic shaming and persistent mistreatment of queer people in the evangelical church. 

“No one but the TikToker who broke this story has said a word about Michael Tait needing gay-affirming support,” Williams wrote. “Because this is a man who’s entire faith identity is built upon a faulty structure of self-hatred, to please a system that would rather cover up abhorrent behavior for 20-plus years (and make money off of it) rather than accept that being gay is not the problem.”

Williams went on to explain her familiarity with the Christian music industry. “I grew up around this,” she wrote. “I am not afraid of any of these people — most of them have written me off anyway by now. How many stories like this from this VERY small corner of the music industry will we hear before we realize that capatalizing [sic] on people’s faith and vulnerability is the ‘sin’?”

Williams concluded, “I hope the CCM industry crumbles. And f— all of you who knew and didn’t do a damn thing. I bet I’ve got your number. And btw, if you’re not angry too, then maybe it’s time to question why.”

Tait rose to prominence in the 1990s as a member of the Christian rap-rock group DC Talk. He later performed with his band Tait in the late ’90s and 2000s before becoming the frontman for Newsboys in 2009. Tait appeared in four of the six God’s Not Dead faith-based films, and courted controversy for his consistent support of Donald Trump.

Tait departed Newsboys the day after the viral TikTok was posted in January. 

The singer released a statement titled “My Confession” on Instagram on Tuesday. “Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity, are, sadly, largely true,” he wrote. “For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way. I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them. I will simply call it what God calls it — sin.”

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Tait explained that he “abruptly left Newsboys” in order to “get help,” writing he “was not healthy, physically or spiritually.” The singer added that he spent six weeks in treatment in Utah, and that he has remained sober since that time.

“I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life,” Tait wrote. “I want to say I’m sorry to everyone I have hurt.”

The Guardian published its piece on Tait, in which three men accused the singer of sexually assaulting them, on Thursday. Two of the men claimed that they think they were drugged during their respective encounters with the singer.

“This person has stolen a little piece of our souls,” one of the accusers told the outlet.