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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
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Valiant One' Review: No-Nonsense Action-Thriller About U.S. Soldiers Trapped in North Korea Gets the Job Done
An unpretentious B-movie made with A-grade effort, 'Valiant One' packs decent action and mostly sturdy drama into the tale of U.S. soldiers whose mission near the DMZ goes haywire and leaves them stranded in North Korea. The first film directed by longtime producer and production executive Steve Barnett ('300') doesn't add anything to the 'trapped behind enemy lines' playbook but does offer a pacy combination of well-executed combat scenes and reluctant-hero drama that should play especially well with military movie buffs. Boasting solid central performances by Chase Stokes ('Outer Banks' series) and Lana Condor ('To All the Boys' films), 'Valiant One' opens in limited U.S. cinemas on Jan. 31. 'Valiant One' is the kind of mid-size action movie we've seen much less of in commercial theatrical release since these straight-to-streaming days began. Though lacking the scale of a big-budget spectacular — it's no 'Black Hawk Down' — the film has good production values and could perform well on the strength of popular lead performers and its full-strength salute to those who serve. Politicians, bureaucrats and geo-political analysis are nowhere to be seen in a screenplay that's pro-military without getting too jingoistic. The focus is squarely on rank-and-file soldiers finding the courage and ingenuity to prevail when all hope seems lost. More from Variety Capitol Music Group Chief Steve Barnett to Retire Capitol Christian Music Group CEO Peter York Retiring After 37 Years in Leadership Roles Newcomer Lewis Capaldi Brings Capitol Gains Clocking in at a trim 87 minutes, 'Valiant One' doesn't have the time or inclination to explore its characters too deeply but deals efficiently with the basics. Stationed at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60 miles south of the DMZ, Sgt. Edward Brockman (Stokes) is a non-combat tech officer who eyes a future in Silicon Valley rather than a life in uniform. A gig economy-era soldier, if you like, and a far cry from the Navy SEALS whose real-life crash landing in the DMZ gave Barnett the inspiration for this story. Still, Brockman's no slacker and presents properly when ordered on a mission escorting annoying, wise-cracking civilian defense contractor Josh Weaver (Desmin Borges) on the maintenance of surveillance installations close to the North Korean border. Things go from routine to catastrophic when the team's helicopter gets blown off course in a freak storm and crash-lands in the DPRK. Observing time-honored war movie tradition, the mission's mortally wounded commanding officer, Lebold (Callan Mulvey), gives Brockman inspirational words and entrusts him with a service pistol that's been passed down through generations of his family of soldiers and will naturally play a significant practical and emotional role later in proceedings. The screenplay by Barnett and Eric Tipton sticks closely to such conventions as the inexperienced and ill-equipped Brockman — 'I'm just trained to analyze data,' he says — is suddenly thrust into command and must figure out how to get survivors including civilian Weaver, Korean American Cpl. Lee (Daniel Jun), Cpl. Ross (Jonathan Whitesell) and Cpl. Selby (Condor) to safety. What's refreshing is the significant role played by Selby, a Vietnamese-born medic whose tactical nous and compassion come to the fore when the group is forced to take shelter at the farmhouse of a frightened couple (Michael Cha, Jerina Son) and their young teenage daughter Binna (Diana Tsoy). Condor, whose personal background aligns closely with that of her character, is spot-on as the dedicated professional whose straight-talking ways help Brockman unlock his inner hero. Though Binna's ability to mentally recover and help Brockman's squad escape after witnessing her parents being shot dead by a North Korean army patrol is too good to be true, the story motors along nicely with skirmishes and shoot-outs en route to an exciting climax in a tunnel beneath the DMZ (actually mine tunnels in Vancouver, where the film was shot). The territory is familiar but the execution helps 'Valiant One' rise just a touch above the ordinary. The convincing and committed performances of Stokes, Condor and the rest of the ensemble is matched by solid action choreography and fluid widescreen photography by Daniel Stilling. Punchy tracks by rappers including Jelly Roll and Marqus Clae are neatly inserted alongside the fine orchestral score by Benjamin Backus. A fabulous old wood-fired truck used as a getaway vehicle is the jewel in the film's armory of hi-tech U.S. weaponry and antiquated North Korean machinery. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
