Former lead singer of Newsboys confesses to substance abuse, unwanted sexual advances

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) - Michael Tait, the former lead singer of Newsboys, shared a statement, confessing to alcohol and drug abuse, as well as making unwanted sexual advances towards men.

Tait’s statement comes nearly a week after an article was published by The Roys Report, following a two-and-a-half-year investigation into Tait’s alleged actions.

According to the report, Tait, who was formerly in DC Talk, is accused of sexually assaulting at least three men between 2004 and 2014.

Two men said they were drinking alcohol with Tait and later woke up to him touching their genitals. One of the men said that while on the Newsboys tour bus, Tait offered him cocaine, according to the report.

The third man said that Tait gave him a massage while the two were skinny dipping and later invited him to sleep in his bed. While in the bed, Tait allegedly massaged his anal region without consent, according to the report.

In the statement, Tait itted to using and abusing both cocaine and alcohol. He also itted to touching men in an “unwanted sensual way.”

“I am ashamed of my life choices and actions and make no excuses for them,” Tait said. “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.”

Tait said he left Newboys in January to get help.

“I was not healthy, physically or spiritually and was tired of leading a double life,” he said.

Tait said he spent six weeks at a treatment center in Utah after leaving the band. Since his stay there, Tait said he has been clean and sober.

“I still have lots of hard work ahead of me,” Tait said. “I’m ashamed to it that for years I have lied and deceived my family, friends, fans and even misled my bandmates about aspects of my life,” Tait said.

On Thursday, Newsboys shared a statement about the article and Tait’s alleged actions.

“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 group said. “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.”

Tait said before this news became public, he had started on a path to “health, healing and wholeness.”

Copyright 2025 WSMV via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.