Australian pop star Dean Lewis has publicly addressed a viral online controversy sparked by fans sharing intimate communications, announcing his decision to seek intensive therapy following numerous claims of inappropriate behavior with women. The singer-songwriter offered a comprehensive apology for the "incredible mess" and the emotional distress he has caused. Lewis stated he would undergo "intense therapy" in order to "dramatically shift my approach to dating, relationships and showing greater care to the women in my life," reports The WP Times with reference to the news.com.au.
The controversy gained traction earlier this week when multiple female fans posted videos on TikTok, revealing private phone recordings and sexually suggestive text messages ("sexts") exchanged with the 38-year-old artist. These women alleged they felt hurt or uncomfortable by the nature of his conduct. One American fan, identified as Elaina, shared an eight-minute video detailing her interactions with the "Be Alright" superstar. She recalled informing him that she did not want a sexual relationship when he invited her to meet after a show. Elaina emphasized that while she anticipated a sexual element to their interaction, "the nature in which everything happened made me really uncomfortable," adding that the most disturbing moment for her was when he looked her in the eye and asked, "Do you want to make me happy?"
Lewis, who is not facing any criminal charges, maintained in his lengthy Instagram statement that all of his relationships were with consenting adults. While he acknowledged the public sharing of "embarrassing details of intimate, private conversations and relationships I’ve had with consenting adults over the past decade," he stressed that "none of this is illegal." The artist explicitly disputed some "fabricated accounts" in videos that suggested he acted inappropriately with younger fans and denied any suggestions that his actions "crossed into illegality."
Despite the lack of criminal allegations, Lewis recognized the severity of the situation: "At the same time, I realise I’ve made an incredible mess, people are genuinely hurt, and I need to make changes." The singer attributed his past actions to the "loneliness and isolation" experienced while on tour, which led him to seek "connection" with fans. He admitted his "dumb flirty texts" sometimes culminated in "consensual intimate encounters or relationships that I thought were private." He expressed regret for his behavior, stating: "I don’t fault these individuals for having hard feelings, and I don’t want anyone defending me. I was breathtakingly dumb texting and flirting in the manner I have over many years."
The ARIA award-winning songwriter, who is signed to Universal Music, apologized from the bottom of his heart to those he has hurt, including both the women who spoke up and those who were silently affected. Lewis also alleged that the social media uproar had "gotten out of hand," claiming that innocent interactions like likes and thank yous on tagged fan posts or DMs were being taken out of context and interpreted "in the worst possible light." Besides seeking therapy, Lewis announced he would implement a "new set of rules" regarding his romantic relationships to ensure "there’s never confusion or questions about my intent when I’m engaging with fans or responding to messages in the future." He further hit out at threats to "conduct exposés" on his family.
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