Latest news with #Newsboys
USA Today
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Newsboys dropped by label after Michael Tait's 'confession' to sexual assault allegations
Members of the Christian rock band Newsboys say they were dropped from their record label after ex-member Michael Tait admitted to wrongdoing when sexual assault allegations surfaced. Adam Agee and his bandmates wanted to clear the air before they performed their set at Elevate, a two-day Christian music festival in Arizona over the weekend, telling fans gathered at Highlands Church in the Phoenix suburb of Scottsdale that they "encouraged" Tait to seek treatment after he had confessed to them in January that he had been living a double life and wanted help. Agee said in a video posted to social media that they thought and prayed long and hard about "what was next," but ultimately felt like they still had "a ministry and a mission to do," which is why they continued perform. "The last six months, we've played from New York to Florida to California to right here Arizona and we have seen the most amazing people and the most amazing crowds, and we've seen the spirit do things that have been, it's so encouraging, and we've just had the best time as a band with you guys on the road," Agee said. The band's "world was rocked" by Tait's confession, where he revealed that the accusations made against him by fans in a June 4 report from Christian media outlet The Roys Report were "sadly, largely true," Agee said. Additional sexual misconduct allegations against Tait surfaced a week after the Christian singer's public admission. "As a result of all this and the things that have come out that he's confessed to, we've been dropped from our record label, we've had the radio stations pull our music and we've been cancelled by promoters and venues all over the world but not tonight," Agee said. Capitol Christian Music Group, the band's label, and Newsboys' management did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment June 25. Michael Tait's confession 'devastating' for Newsboys members Newsboys members denied any direct knowledge of the unwanted sexual advances Tait has been accused of, telling fans that the 59-year-old had only mentioned a "few things" about substance abuse and some personal struggles he was experiencing at home. "And so, it was so shocking to us because it's not the guy that we knew, the guy that we knew, that, we've been on the road with," Agee said. "He was our family, he was our brother, and he was a friend to our families, to our kids." The news has not only been "devastating" for them, but their families who have felt that "their names have been dragged through the mud" because of the situation. Who is Michael Tait? What has he been accused of? Tait was the former lead singer of Australian-formed Christian rock band Newsboys. The four-time Grammy-award winning vocalist replaced original member Peter Furler as the group's new lead vocalist in 2009. Tait officially left the group in January 2025 after 15 years. Before he performed with Newsboys, Tait was a founding member of DC Talks, a Christian rap and rock trio that released five major studio albums together. Five months after Tait abruptly left the band, The Roys Report published a years-long investigation into Tait's past, specifically allegations of unwanted sexual advances made by three male fans, who met the former frontman while on tour. Three men, who were all 22 at the time of their encounters, told the outlet that Tait befriended them and were either intoxicated or drugged when the vocalist initiated and performed non-consensual sexual acts on them. Tait made friends with the men, one crew member and two musicians, while on tour in 2004, 2010 and 2014, according to The Roys Report. Additional individuals, including one woman and four men, have come forward to share their stories about Tait, who they allege engaged in predatory behavior, or bared witness to it without intervening. The woman who spoke with Roys Report specifically claimed that Tait drugged her and watched her be sexually assaulted by a Newsboys crew member, while the four men who spoke to The Guardian said that Tait had either attempted, or had engaged in unwanted touching, sexual advances or both. The new set of allegations, published in The Guardian on June 13 and in The Roys Report on June 19 came a week after Newsboys and Tait himself addressed the contents included in the first report on social media. Read Michael Tait's full statement Contributing: Melonee Hurt and Liam Adams, The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Newsboys dropped from label after investigations into claims of sexual assault by Michael Tait
Newsboys, the legendary Christian rock supergroup, have been dropped from their record label following investigations by the Guardian and other media outlets into their former singer Michael Tait, who has been accused of sexually assaulting three men in the early 2000s, two of whom said they believed they had been drugged by the rock star. The 40-year-old band has struggled to retain its once-massive fanbase in the wake of the allegations and a flurry of public questioning about what individuals in Tait's circle might have known about Tait's own recent admission that he has led a 'double life'. The news that Capitol Christian Music Group dropped the Newsboys was announced by the band's lead singer, Adam Agee, at a reportedly sold out show on Sunday night in Scottsdale, Arizona. 'As a result of all this and the things that have come out that [Tait's] done and he's confessed to, we've been dropped from our record label,' he said. 'We've had radio stations pull our music. We've been cancelled by promoters and venues all over the world.' Agee reportedly also said the band was aware that Tait was having 'personal struggles', but was shocked by investigations published by The Roys Report (TRR) and the Guardian. 'It was so shocking to us, because that's not the guy we knew,' he said. 'The guy that we knew, that we've been on the road with, he was our family. He was our brother, and a friend to our families, to our kids… 'It just has been devastating to us, and our families have felt like our names (have) been dragged through the mud because of all this, and it's really, really hurt our kids.' While most Christian artists have remained silent on the matter, Hayley Williams of the band Paramore condemned the Christian music industry that 'enabled' Tait. Newsboys being dropped from their label came only weeks after the band released their new album World Wide Revival (Deluxe). This came on the heels of K-LOVE Radio, the largest Christian radio station on the air, pulling the Newsboys catalogue from its circulation, and a Canadian promoter cancelling dates from Newsboys' current world tour. Members of Newsboys did not respond to a request for comment. Capitol Christian Music Group did not respond to a request for comment. Throughout the 90s, Tait's first band, DC Talk, redefined the contemporary christian music (CCM) genre, selling eight million albums and winning four Grammys. In 2009, Tait became the new frontman for CCM legacy band, Newsboys, whose hit song God's Not Dead became a Maga anthem and spawned a series of popular Christian films of same name, which featured cameos by Tait. The majority of Tait's music infused Christian right talking points with rock sounds, culminating in Tait's influential support for Donald Trump's presidential campaigns. Last January, Tait was accused by a former colleague on TikTok of being secretly gay. The following day, Tait stepped down as Newsboys singer, offering little explanation. Six months later, the Christian media site Julie Roys reported allegations that Tait had sexually assaulted two young men while secretly abusing cocaine and alcohol. This was followed by Tait confessing in a post published on Instagram that he'd been living 'a double life,' and had, at times, 'touched men in an unwanted, sensual way'. In the Instagram statement, Tait also wrote: '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.' He added: 'While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them'. 'Even before this recent news became public, I had started on a path to health, healing, and wholeness … I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing – work [which] I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the spotlight.' The Guardian published its own months-long investigation into Tait on 13 June, revealing the stories of three young men alleging Tait sexually assaulted them, including two who said they believed he had drugged them beforehand (and one of whom was a minor at the time). Four others claimed Tait was sexually inappropriate with them, one of whom was 13 when Tait allegedly exposed and fondled his penis before him in a restaurant bathroom. Tait did not respond to the Guardian's request for comment at the time, and has not responded to a second request for comment in connection to the Newsboys being dropped by their record label. Hayley Williams of the band Paramore posted an Instagram story of the Guardian's headline, overlaid with text that read in part 'I hope the CCM industry crumbles. And fuck all of you who knew and didn't do a damn thing.' While Paramore is not a CCM band, Williams – who has 4m followers on Instagram – grew up around the Christian music industry, and the band's former guitarist, Justin York, performed with Tait on his solo projects. Both he and his brother Taylor York, the band's current guitarist, are the sons of the former chairman and CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group. '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 wrote in her IG story. Michael Sweet, singer of the 80s Christian metal band, Stryper, made a vague reference to Tait in a Facebook post, where he stopped short of naming the singer, but mentioned 'what's going on in the Christian music world lately', adding: 'It's important to understand (and I'm not condoning any bad behavior or wrong doings), that Christians are sinners. Once you accept Christ, you still have to deal with a lifetime of temptations, frustrations and weaknesses.' Just after the Julie Roys story broke (but before Tait's confession) his former bandmates in Newsboys released a statement, saying in part: '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 … We are horrified, heartbroken, and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the last fifteen years.' Questions about what the band may have known about Tait's alleged behavior – including allegations of sexual assault – quickly circulated online. Some pointed to a Facebook comment by Agee, Newsboys guitarist who replaced Tait as singer, posted before Newsboys' official statement. He wrote: 'We have obviously heard the rumors over the years … We asked Tait each time something would come up and he would deny it emphatically.' The post has since been deleted. Darren King, the drummer for the Christian rock band Mutemath, released a video on Instagram on Tuesday and described what he alleged was an uncomfortable encounter with Tait, who he claimed touched him inappropriately during a dinner about 20 years ago. In the post, King said he had contributed to reporting in both the Guardian and the Roys Report. 'Someone could only engage in this level of predation over this length of time – potentially over two decades – with the help of a team of helpers,' said King, who has worked in the Christian music industry for 20 years. 'I believe Tait has a team of people who spend their time and money clearing his reputation and suppressing criticism, suppressing the truth.' Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pro-Trump Christian artist issues ‘Confession' after several men accuse him of sexual assault
In a statement released to social media, Grammy Award-winning singer Michael Tait admits to abusing drugs and touching men without their consent. Grammy-winning contemporary Christian recording artist Michael Tait is coming clean after being accused of sexually assaulting several men, including young, male musicians. Tait, a former member of the Christian music groups DC Talk and Newsboys, released 'My Confession' in a statement posted to social media. 'Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity, are sadly, largely true,' said Tait, who has supported both presidential campaigns of President Donald Trump. 'I am ashamed of my life choices and actions. I will simply call it what God calls it–sin.' Tait, a 59-year-old native of Washington, D.C., is wildly successful in the Christian music industry, having sold 18 million albums and won four Grammy Awards. Much of his music has encouraged young Christian listeners to resist liberalism and live a life of sobriety, abstinence, and heterosexuality, reports The Guardian, which published an in-depth investigation of his alleged sexual misconduct and drug abuse. Tait's music was also part of the soundtrack to Trump's right-wing Make America Great Again, or MAGA, political movement. His song with Newsboys, 'God's Not Dead,' became a MAGA fixture. The 2011 song's popularity emerged during the conservative evangelical resistance to Barack Obama's presidency. Tait is credited with helping to connect Trump to white evangelical voters, who played a significant role in his 2016 election. During the 2016 election cycle, Tait, invited by Trump's friend Pastor Paula White, was among a group of Christians who prayed over Trump before a Florida campaign stop. Newsboys also notably performed for Trump at the White House in 2019. 'I love you, I support you, and I'm one of the growing number of African Americans who love you,' Tait once told Trump during a 2019 video expressing his support for Trump's prison reform policies. According to The Guardian, Tait is accused of engaging in a pattern of manipulative and abusive behavior with young male musicians in the early 2000s. Some of the alleged victims claim Tait offered the 'possibility of career or artistic opportunities.' When some men rebuffed him, Tait allegedly cut off all contact with them. The singer is accused of hosting parties at his home in Nashville, where he would encourage the men to drink alcohol and use drugs before he allegedly made sexual advances. At least two men said they were secretly drugged and were left in and out of consciousness, and were unable to consent to sexual acts. The alleged male victims claim Tait touched them without their permission. In his 'Confession,' Tait admits to once drinking 'far too much alcohol' and touching men in 'an unwanted sensual way.' He revealed that in early January, he spent six weeks in a Utah treatment center for his cocaine abuse and has been sober for six months. The Christian artist said he was 'ashamed' for living a double life and lying to his family, friends and fans. 'I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality for the rest of my life,' he wrote. 'I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing work.' More must-reads: Owner of Dominican club whose roof collapsed and killed 236 is arrested along with his sister Israeli strikes on Iran lead to new test of Trump's ability to deliver on 'America first' agenda As legal fight over Guard deployment plays out, Noem vows to continue Trump's immigration crackdown
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Tait, Christian Singer, Admits to "Unwanted" Touching of Men
Originally appeared on E! Online Michael Tait is taking accountability. After he was accused of sexual assault and drug abuse by multiple people, the Newsboys singer spoke out on the allegations, which the accusers said took place between 2004 and 2014. "Recent reports of my reckless and destructive behavior, including drug and alcohol abuse and sexual activity are sadly, largely true," Tait wrote in a statement shared to his Instagram June 10. "For some two decades I used and abused cocaine, consumed far too much alcohol, and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way." The four-time Grammy winner went on to say that he's taking full responsibility for the incidents described in the reports, which were first published by Christian media outlet The Roys Report on June 4. "I am ashamed of my life choices and actions, and make no excuses for them," Tait continued. "I will simply call it what God calls it—sin. I don't blame anyone or anything but myself. While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them." More from E! Online Why Robin Roberts and Wife Amber Laign Believe Having Separate Apartments Is the Secret to Marriage Beyoncé Celebrates Sir and Rumi Carter's 8th Birthday Onstage During Cowboy Carter Show The Bachelor's Grant Ellis and Juliana Pasquarosa Break Up 3 Months After Finale Engagement And the 59-year-old also noted that he's taken steps to correct his behavior. For one, he stepped away from Newsboys in January, leaving behind remaining members Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee. "I did so to get help," Tait said of quitting the Christian rock group. "I was not healthy, physically or spiritually, and was tired of leading a double life. I spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah, receiving help that may have saved my life from ultimate destruction." And while the former DC Talk frontman said he's been "clean and sober since," he admitted that he still has "lots of hard work" ahead of him, and he said he'll forever live with the shame of "living two distinctly different lives." As Tait put it, "I have hurt so many people in so many ways, and I will live with that shameful reality the rest of my life. I can only dream and pray for human forgiveness, because I certainly don't deserve it." "I have even accepted the thought that God may be the only One who ultimately and completely forgives me," he continued. "Still, I want to say I'm sorry to everyone I have hurt. I am truly sorry." Less than a week before Tait's confession, The Roys Report published a report accusing Tait of sexual assault and drug abuse that was sourced by over 50 people, three of whom were men who said they experienced his nonconsensual sexual advances when they were in their early 20s. Since the report's release, Tait's Newsboy bandmates have also spoken out on the allegations. '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,' the band wrote on Instagram June 5. '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." They added, "We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault.' For free, confidential help, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit
The Guardian
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘He stole a piece of our souls': Christian music star Michael Tait accused of sexual assault by three men
The Christian music legend Michael Tait, whose hit song God's Not Dead became an anthem for Donald Trump's Maga movement, has been accused of sexually assaulting three men, two who believed they were drugged by the rock star in the early 2000s, according to a months-long Guardian investigation. Four other men have alleged that Tait, a founding member of DC Talk and later a frontman for the Newsboys, engaged in inappropriate behavior such as unwatched touching and sexual advances. The Guardian is publishing these allegations days after Tait posted an extraordinary confession on his Instagram account, admitting that for 20 years he had been 'leading a double life', abusing alcohol and cocaine, 'and, at times, touched men in an unwanted sensual way', according to his statement. The statement appears to be a response to a separate report published earlier this month by the Christian media outlet, The Roys Report, which also investigated Tait and revealed similar allegations of drug use and sexual assault against young, male musicians. In the Instagram statement, Tait wrote: '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.' He added: 'While I might dispute certain details in the accusations against me, I do not dispute the substance of them.' 'Even before this recent news became public, I had started on a path to health, healing, and wholeness … I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing – work [which] I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and the spotlight.' The allegations about Tait's behavior revealed today starkly contrast the public image that Tait cultivated for nearly four decades. The 59-year-old native of Washington DC, sold 18m albums, containing songs that often encouraged young Christians to stay sober, abstinent and straight. But sources who spoke to the Guardian claimed Tait's alleged drug use and alleged abusive behavior were the 'biggest open secret in Christian music'. The Guardian has interviewed 25 people in the Christian music industry, most of whom say they had prior knowledge of allegations that Tait had engaged in abusive behavior. The men who have come forward and shared their alleged experiences – two agreeing to go on the record with their names, while the rest spoke on the condition of anonymity – were aged 13 to 29 at the time of their alleged experiences. All grew up in evangelical churches where Tait's music was the premier soundtrack of their youth groups, summer camps and mission trips. Having taken the message of Tait's songs to heart, they were naive about sex and drugs throughout their youth. All were starstruck when meeting their childhood hero, but quickly saw their image of him as a role model of Christian piety dissolve, as they were taken on a bumpy ride of rock and roll debauchery. Shawn Davis, who was a lifelong fan and troubled youth who had immersed himself in Christian music, claims Tait pushed him to consume alcohol and cocaine on multiple occasions. He also says he believes Tait once secretly drugged him and then molested him in 2003, while he was still a minor. 'This man destroyed my life,' Davis now claims. Gabriel (not his real name) also claims Tait pushed him to consume alcohol and cocaine before asking to join him in a hot-tub in 2003, where he claims Tait repeatedly groped his penis while attempting to kiss him. 'To this day I jump whenever someone touches me unexpectedly,' Gabriel says. 'When something like that happens to you, you feel like the worst person, you feel dirty, worthless. It's heartbreaking to think someone you look up to could do something like that.' Adam (not his real name) claims he believes he was drugged by the singer while he was visiting Tait's home in Nashville, and later woke up to find Tait allegedly molesting him. 'This person has stolen a little piece of our souls,' he says. Tait did not respond to the Guardian's questions about the allegations contained in this report. Over the last 38 years, Tait has emerged as one of the most iconic names in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). The genre and industry often exists in its own commercial and cultural ecosystem – yet mimics popular trends of mainstream music – creating multi-platinum superstars that are marketed to teens (and their parents) as wholesome alternatives to the 'sinful lifestyles' of mainstream rock stars. Tait was one-third of the rap-rock group, DC Talk, which formed in 1987 while its members were attending the evangelical Liberty University, whose founder, Jerry Falwell, launched the Moral Majority, the political organization that first galvanized evangelical voters around the Republican party in 1980, forever changing the American political landscape. Falwell was a mentor to young Tait – who he referred to as 'my white daddy' – and helped boost DC Talk to stardom. Blending MTV aesthetics with Christian right talking points, DC Talk instructed generations of teens to stand against the liberalism of the Clinton era, namely abortion rights and sex education. Songs like I Don't Want It (a rebuttal to George Michael's I Want Your Sex), That Kind Of Girl, and The Children Can Live, shaped the moral landscape of a generation of young evangelicals, mandating sexual purity until marriage. 'They used the sounds often associated with teen sexuality – like hip-hop, rock and pop music – to combat teen sexuality and adolescent desire,' says Leah Payne, author of the book God Gave Rock and Roll To You, an academic critique of CCM history. 'In 1994 the True Love Waits organization asked DC Talk to perform at their concert on the National Mall promoting virginity among young evangelicals, which resulted in the signing of 200,000 chastity pledges by the teenage fans.' In 1995, their Nirvana-flavored smash hit, Jesus Freak, championed being a social outcast for the Lord's sake; a book companion to the album celebrated the violent histories of Christian martyrs around the world, encouraging young people to follow in their footsteps. The fight for Christian nationalism was also a premier theme of DC Talk's music – as well as the book Under God, co-authored by Tait – claiming the US is suffering a collapse of moral values because of the secularization of government and public schools. This was underscored with frightening urgency by their songs warning of the coming rapture. As recently as 2021, Tait warned: 'I believe we are living in the last days [before the rapture].' The CCM industry has been primarily headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, where Tait and most of his colleagues work and live. While it is not affiliated with the country music scene of Nashville, it typically shares the same conservative politics. While DC Talk addressed racism in several songs – with Tait as the sole Black man performing with two white guys (one of whom rapped) – their narrative typically placed racism as an unfortunate touchstone of the past that the US must repent for, but never as a contemporary, systemic problem. DC Talk went on a hiatus in 2000 and for nearly a decade Tait performed as a solo artist until he became the frontman of the legendary CCM supergroup, Newsboys. In 2011, their rock song, God's Not Dead, became a rallying cry for disaffected evangelicals in the Obama-era. In 2014, Tait and Newsboys appeared in God's Not Dead, a movie centered around the fictional story of an atheist college professor who threatens to fail his students if they refuse to sign a form declaring 'God Is Dead.' Tait would make an appearance in four subsequent sequels, becoming a recognizable face in the fight against perceived anti-Christian discrimination, a central theme of Donald Trump's presidential campaigns. Tait endorsed Ted Cruz in 2016, but shifted his allegiance to Trump after the Florida pastor Paula White – chair of the evangelical advisory board for Trump's 2016 campaign and leader of the White House Faith office in 2024 – invited him to pray over Trump before a Florida campaign stop. Tait soon became a key bridge between the candidate and white evangelical voters. Newsboys performed for Trump at the White House in 2019, and the following year Tait sang at evangelical 'Let Us Worship' events, which were centered around the false claim that President Joe Biden was using Covid lockdowns to repress church attendance in America. 'I love you, I support you, and I'm one of the growing number of African Americans who love you,' Tait said in a 2019 video praising Trump's efforts at prison reform, before adding 'I'm looking forward to hanging out, and eating some Big Macs!' On 5 January 2021, Newsboys' God's Not Dead was sung in unison by the 'Jericho March' at the US Capitol, the event that preceded the violent insurrection on the US Capitol the following day. The Guardian's investigation has revealed an alleged pattern of manipulative behavior by Tait. Most of the alleged incidents described in this article are alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2009. Young and sometimes naive male musicians say they believe they were targeted by the star, with Tait allegedly dangling the possibility of career or artistic opportunities before them and then cutting off all contact once it became clear that sex was off the table. According to four people who were interviewed, some of them on the condition of anonymity, Tait would allegedly invite them to parties at his house in Nashville, encouraging them to drink alcohol and use drugs before making sexual advances. Two of the men who spoke to the Guardian claim they believe they were secretly drugged, which left them floating in and out of consciousness, unable to consent to sexual acts. They claim Tait assaulted them by touching them sexually without their permission. Three others claim they awkwardly rebuffed his advances and left. 'I wore out my Jesus Freak CD as a kid, and so when I met him I was starstruck,' recalls Gabriel, who was 19 when he was introduced to 38-year-old Tait in 2004. 'And then he started calling me to hang out, it was just crazy.' Gabriel was ambitious to become a CCM musician, and now his childhood hero was inviting him out to bars, buying him drinks even though he was underage and taking him to parties at his home in Nashville. Tait often mentioned the possibility of them jamming together, but that never materialized. Gabriel felt a little uncomfortable at first when Tait would rub a hand on his shoulder and constantly hug him, but attributed the feeling to the fact that he had been abused a few years earlier by a serial child molester. In fact, Gabriel was testifying in a court case about that incident during this same time, an emotionally taxing experience that he confided in Tait about. 'He was very sympathetic,' Gabriel says, 'and then he betrayed that trust'. Tait started inviting Gabriel over alone, when the house was empty. When Tait introduced him to cocaine, 'it was a huge shock,' Gabriel says, partially because he had no experience with drugs, and because it was being served by the man whose music informed his moral universe. 'But I was too excited to be there, and didn't want to screw up this opportunity.' The two used cocaine together a number of times over the next few weeks. One night, while they both were high on the drug, along with a couple of Vodka and Red Bulls, Tait proposed they jump in the hot tub. It was there that Tait unexpectedly 'grabbed my crotch and tried to kiss me at the same time,' Gabriel claims. 'It wasn't subtle, and it was out of nowhere. I asked him 'what the hell is going on?' He said he was just joking, but then he did it again. I jumped out of the pool and drove home, which I shouldn't have done because I was more intoxicated than I've ever been, but that's how scared I was.' Gabriel didn't tell anyone for 15 years, when he confided about it to the same friend who had introduced him to Tait, Shawn Davis. Shocked, Davis told him he had his own bad experience. Davis says he was 16 when he met 37-year-old Tait in 2003 at a Nashville party that was loaded with mainstream celebrities. But Davis's attention remained only on his childhood idol, Michael Tait. A mutual friend introduced them, and Tait took down his number, calling Davis to hang out a few days later. 'DC Talk were my heroes in a lot of ways,' Davis recalls. 'They were Christians, but they rocked out, and I thought that was so cool.' Looking back, both Davis and Gabriel realized that while they spent time together with Tait at bars and parties, at some point they were only invited to his house separately and alone, which began when he allegedly introduced them to cocaine. According to Davis's claims, months passed with Davis and Tait hitting the Nashville bars (Tait was able to get Davis, a teenager, drinks), before going back to Tait's house to smoke weed and cigarettes, snort coke along with the opioid Lortab, which Tait would crush into a powder. Like Gabriel, Davis confided to Tait that he had been molested when he was eight years old. 'Tait made me feel like, and seem like, he was my only friend.' Davis says that Tait always mixed their drinks, and claims he often felt pressured to drink heavily. One night he recalls the drink tasting strange, and Tait insisting he finish it. 'Suddenly, I felt super sick, dizzy, nauseous, going in and out of consciousness,' he says. 'I woke up in the closet, and he had my pants down, and was giving me a blowjob. I pushed him off as best as I was able in that state, but he pushed me down, and then I punched him twice and left.' Davis said he believed he was drugged by Tait. He was 17 at the time. In the months that followed, Davis claims, Tait aggressively pursued a reconciliation. 'He was relentlessly love bombing me, trying to talk his way back in the door,' alleges Davis. 'He apologized to me for what happened, but never got into specifics, it was more of a broad statement.' Davis was attempting to get a CCM label off the ground, and forgave Tait's behavior with the hope that he would help him get a foothold in the industry. He claims that 'Tait had convinced me that what happened that night was my fault, he was very manipulative. And I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.' All of this came to a head one night in 2012, when Davis was in Tait's kitchen, and Tait texted him from his bedroom, sending him a picture of what Tait described as $5,000 in cash. 'He said something to the effect of 'this could be yours if you let me suck you off and cum in your ass,' Davis claims. After that, Davis called his mother and asked her to quickly come pick him up; Davis snuck out quietly without alerting Tait. On the drive home, Davis says he told her everything he had allegedly experienced with Tait. He and Tait never spoke again. Davis's mother, and a friend he had confided in at the time, confirmed the details reported in this story. Davis has had one run-in with the law. When he was a teenager he stole his mother's debit card to rent a limo for prom. He got probation but was then found guilty of violating his probation in connection to drug use, which occurred at a time when he was friends with Tait. He served about five months in prison. He is now married, has a 12-year-old son and owns his own construction company in Nashville. Both Davis and Gabriel express regret today for not speaking up sooner, believing they could have prevented other people from suffering the same experience. At the time, they each thought their experiences were isolated incidents. Another young man who got to know Tait, Abraham (not his real name) claims Tait rubbed his thigh and caressed his ear minutes after meeting for lunch in 2006. Abraham was a 22-year-old musician in an up and coming band. 'He said 'at Liberty University, we weren't allowed to let our hair touch our ears,' and then he brushed my hair back with his hand, which was weird,' Abraham recalled. Zach (not his real name) was a 29-year-old aspiring DJ with little experience when, he claims, Tait invited him to his house after they met in a Nashville dance club in the summer of 2008. 'He was doing a solo tour and said: 'What we need is a DJ who can come on the road with us,'' Zach alleges. 'And I asked: 'That would be so cool! What would I need to do?' And he said: 'You need to hang out, come around [my house] a lot.'' But when Zach arrived at his house, and was brought to Tait's studio, he noticed the only furniture in the room was a bed, and Tait kept encouraging Zach to sit close to him. 'I was a virgin until I was 37,' Zach recalls. 'And I'd always thought to myself 'Michael Tait's been single his whole life, and if he can hold out so can I.'' Feeling uncomfortable, Zach made up an excuse to leave early. Afterward, he sent Tait several messages to follow up on the DJ opportunity, but Tait never replied. Adam (not his real name) was another young and ambitious musician in a Christian rock band that was slowly gaining steam in 2004 when he met Tait in Nashville. The 22-year-old was ecstatic when Tait texted him a few days later, inviting him out for some bar hopping. 'Tait was like the Christian Elvis, the GOAT,' Adam recalls. Adam was dropped off at the bar to meet Tait by some friends, one of whom said 'don't get molested!' as he was exiting the car, a comment he found strange but dismissed. A wild night out concluded at Tait's home, where Adam was awed by 'his trophy room, where he keeps all his Dove Awards, Grammys and other accolades'. At one point they needed to buy more booze, and Tait showed him his collection of cars in the garage, telling him to 'pick one'. Adam selected a white MG convertible. It was nearly dawn when they got back to Tait's house, which was empty but for the two of them. They drank more, and Adam recalls suddenly feeling profoundly sleepy. That's when, Adam says, Tait told him, ''It's ok, just go to sleep,' and then he laid my head on his lap.' Adam's next memory of that night is 'waking up in his bed, my pants unzipped, and [Tait] was jerking me off. I passed out again, then woke up, wondering 'what the fuck is happening?' I went to the bathroom and had a panic attack, asking myself, 'Am I supposed to go there and beat him up? Or am I supposed to play it cool?'' Like Davis and Gabriel, Adam had been abused as a child. 'It made me a lot more insecure, wondering 'Why me? Am I weak? Too innocent? Was this my fault?' I didn't ask for this, I was just hanging out with a superstar.' Adam says he believes Tait drugged him that night. He shared the story with his girlfriend at the time, and a couple of fellow musicians who were close with Tait, and recalls that 'some of them stopped hanging out with me after that, which hurt, and made me afraid.' A close friend of Adam at the time confirmed to the Guardian that Adam told him about what he says happened. Many sources we spoke with also feared reprisal, and would only speak on the condition of anonymity. Several people who were interviewed said they recall Tait stripping down to his underwear or naked at parties and backstage of a concert, often exposing himself to young musicians touring as his opening act. Jacob (not his real name) was a 21-year-old musician when he met 40-year-old Tait in the winter of 2004. The two were both performing at a church concert, and Tait invited Jacob to fly out to Nashville and stay a few nights at the home of his childhood hero. Once there, Jacob was surprised at the amount of cigarettes and alcohol Tait and his friends consumed, as he had never had a drink in his life. One night, the two of them alone in Tait's kitchen, Jacob claims, 'Tait somehow brought up that he had a huge urethra. And then he just whipped it out and showed it to me.' Jacob had been sleeping on the floor of Tait's house, as he didn't have a spare bed, and when Tait offered to share his king-sized bed with him, Jacob didn't think anything of it, as this wasn't uncommon among touring musicians. He wasn't sure what to think of the massages Tait kept giving him, in the hot tub earlier that night, and then in his bed. When Tait's hands 'moved lower and lower and lower, until he was massaging my butt-cheeks, I didn't know what to do, because I looked up to him, and didn't want to make him mad'. Jacob tried his best to delicately rebuff Tait's advances, saying, ''Hey man, I'm not into that.' Tait said OK and went to sleep.' (Jacob's girlfriend at the time, who is now his wife, corroborated the details of his story, which he shared with her at the time.) Israel Anthem was only 13 when Tait allegedly exposed his penis to him in 2001. Anthem descended from the Rambo family, who were legends in the field of gospel music. His grandmother, Dottie Rambo (whose songs had been recorded by Elvis, Johnny Cash, and many more), was being honored with a lifetime achievement award, and the members of DC Talk were in attendance. Anthem and his family took pictures with the band, and a few weeks later they were eating in a Nashville restaurant when 'Michael walked in, and came by our table to say hi.' Anthem was 'a huge, lifelong DC Talk fan', he recalls. 'Some kids sleep with Teddy Bears, I slept with DC Talk cassettes.' He says he was stoked when the two happened to be in the restaurant bathroom at the same time later that night, sharing side-by-side urinals. 'He was still at the urinal when I was washing my hands, and as we were talking [about a CD that had just come out] I noticed his penis was out, and he was facing me, turned away from the urinal. I thought he was putting his penis away, but then he was rubbing his penis, and making eye contact, while I was talking.' Anthem recalls this lasting anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, with Tait 'visibly aroused' and 'fondling himself'. Back at the table, a family member recalls, Anthem looked 'white as a ghost, absolutely terrified.' Anthem later described the alleged bathroom incident to that family member, who corroborated his story to the Guardian. Tait's career was on a stable trajectory until January of this year. Last Christmas he made his debut at the Grand Ole Opry, and the previous Christmas he played Carnegie Hall with Amy Grant and others. That all came to a halt on 15 January, when host of the Yass, Jesus podcast, Azariah Southworth, claimed Tait was gay in a viral TikTok video that received over 250,000 views before it was removed for violation of TikTok guidelines. 'I felt he was fair game,' Southworth says. 'Some people disagreed with the ethics of [outing someone against their will], but this deserved to be said out loud. Keeping quiet would allow a false narrative to continue, fueling a movement that is hurting myself, as a gay man, and my trans brothers and sisters.' Southworth – who grew up in a strict evangelical household, and was traumatized by five years of 'conversion therapy' – was the host of a Christian reality TV show in 2004-05 that featured Tait. During that time, he claims to have seen Tait gambling, smoking and cursing, behavior that would've scandalized Christian audiences. Within days of Southworth publishing his video, Tait announced in a social media post that 'it is time [I] step down from Newsboys,' offering fans little explanation as to why. Shortly after this, the remaining members of Newsboys released a statement addressing the allegations, insisting that it was only last January when 'Michael confessed to us and our management that he 'had been living a double-life,'' the band wrote, adding: 'But we never imagined that it could be this bad … Our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories.' In the closing of Tait's 'confession' on Tuesday, he offers understanding to those who lost 'respect, faith and trust in me', later citing the story of King David's prayer for forgiveness after he had committed adultery and murder. Though he is quick to add that 'it crushes me to think that someone would lose or choose not to pursue faith because I have been such a horrible representative of him.' This was Gabriel's experience, saying he had 'blamed God' for the trauma he allegedly endured that night. 'Tait was presented as the pinnacle of godliness,' he says, trembling with tears in his eyes. 'I get that all people sin, but to use the facade of his righteousness to commit sin, that made me walk away from my faith for a while. He took something from me I'll never get back. In time, though, I found my own may back to God.'
