Michael Franti denied allegations that he sexually abused a fellow artist, stating the relationship was consensual and based on mutual attraction. He acknowledged an affair while married and said he "vehemently disputes any version" claiming abuse. He also accepted responsibility for failing to recognize a power imbalance because the other artist was younger and he was the tour headliner, saying he should not have allowed the relationship to become romantic. The allegations followed singer-songwriter Victoria Canal's public post describing an abusive relationship with a "very powerful, decades-older man." Franti reportedly lost his management deal and canceled an upcoming tour and a headline ocean musical cruise.
"I'm aware of the recent posts this artist made about our relationship, and while I support her need to express herself publicly, the relationship was completely consensual, based on mutual feelings and attraction," Franti said in the post. "I vehemently dispute any version of the story that says otherwise." He continues on to say he takes "full accountability for not recognizing the power imbalance as she was younger than me, and I was the headliner on the tour."
Franti doesn't specifically name the woman in his Instagram post, instead saying "the artist and I had written a song together and later my team offered her a spot on tour as the support act." His denial comes after singer-songwriter Victoria Canal posted about an abusive relationship with a "a very powerful, decades-older man" - who many have taken to be Franti. Franti acknowledges that there was an affair with the unnamed woman - while he was married -
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