Icelandic band Sigur Ros announced the departure of drummer Orri Páll Dýrason following allegations of sexual assualt. Sigur Rós posted a statement from Dýrason on their Facebook page.
Dýrason was accused of rape by artist Meagan Boyd in a since-deleted Instagram post. Read Boyd’s allegation below via Pitchfork:
“I was drunk, and I had met him at a club (I had a brief period in which I was a dancer at a club called ‘the body shop’), I also engaged in a kiss with him before falling asleep in the same bed, after that I completely knocked out. I woke up with the feeling of being penetrated without my consent during a deep slumber…. It happened twice that night, and I wondered [to] myself why I didn’t leave after the first time—but I was drunk, dead tired, in shock, and this was right before I ever heard of anything like Uber/Lyft…. But none of that should matter because no one deserves to be raped/touched/licked/fucked without CONSENT.”
Boyd wrote a second Instagram post, that has also since been deleted, in which she shared contents of an email conversation she alleges took place with Dýrason about the night in 2013 she claims the sexual assault took place. “I cannot understand why you would want to publicly accuse me of something I did not do,” Boyd claims the drummer wrote along with, “I am so sorry you are going through all this. But my experience from that night is completely different from yours” and “We had a nice night drawing and drinking at my flat; and then we went to bed. The next day you even wanted to stay and asked me if you could, but I had to go to the studio and you got upset about that. We had a good time together. I like your art and I think you are a talented artist and I enjoyed being with you.”
Meagan Boyd purportedly wrote back the following in her Instagram post:
“I was not mad you had to leave at all! I was mad that I woke up to a fucking dick inside me without consent! You acted like you didn’t know why I was upset. I screamed at you telling you, ‘You don’t fuck people who are asleep!’ You asked me to stay and for my number and even invited me to go to the studio. I cried for the whole way home and after. I had trauma for months and for years have not been able to forget how awful you made me feel and how used and taken advantage of. You are gaslighting me. Just fucking admit what you did.”
“In the wake of the extremely serious and personal allegations made against him in recent days we have today accepted the resignation of our bandmate Orri Páll Dyrason to allow him to deal with this privately,” wrote Sigur Rós’ Jónsi and Georg Hólm on Facebook. Dýrason seemingly denies the allegations in his post. “I will do anything in my power to get myself out of this nightmare, but out of respect for those actually suffering from sexual violence, I will not take that fight public,” stated the drummer. Read his full statement below:
I begin with thanking my friends and relatives for the support you have shown. It is good for me feel for your trust, despite the serious public allegations against me.
This matter has undeniably taken its toll on me for the past few days. Justifiably, some will say, and I do not intend to argue with those people. However, I sincerely ask the same people to steer their anger into the right path and abstain from dragging my family, and especially my wife, into this matter. At the same time, I ask people to stay calm and not to be divided into two battling armies, these are not court proceedings, just Meagan’s words against mine, on the internet. Loud and provocative words are in nobody’s favour – neither to me or her.
In light of the scale of this matter, I have decided to leave Sigur Rós. That is a difficult decision for me, but I cannot have these serious allegations influence the band and the important and beautiful work that has been done there for the last years. A job that is so dear to me.
I will do anything in my power to get myself out of this nightmare, but out of respect for those actually suffering from sexual violence, I will not take that fight public.
Love
Orri
