In an interview with The Breakfast Club that was made public on Tuesday, she made the admission and discussed openly how the scandal affected her personal life, career, and mental health. Savage revealed that she first dealt with the situation through humor and by channeling her pain into her music, but confessed that the experience affected her more profoundly.
“When I talked about the sex tape … that’s how I was able to kind of like, try and get through it. But now that I look back, did I actually deal with it? I don’t think so. I was hurt… I was a victim,” she said.
She revealed that, despite the fact that her boyfriend at the time maintained that the tape was accidentally distributed, she later discovered that it had actually been distributed as part of a wager. “He said he was trying to save it, and then he pressed send by accident… I later on found out that it was a bet with his friends,” she said.
The singer also noted that many people believed she had intentionally staged the leak to gain attention.
“They thought I did it for PR. A lot of people thought, ‘oh, she’s not relevant anymore, and she’s doing this.’ And I’m like, guys, trust me, if I wanted to do that, I would have had better lighting,” she said.
She explained that the emotional strain caused by the case prevented efforts to pursue it. “We tried, actually. But yeah, we couldn’t. And me trying was just, it was just too traumatic for me to keep talking about it. I just wanted to move on from it,” she explained.
Savage revealed that the public backlash, particularly criticism of her role as a mother, was even more difficult to endure than the tape itself.
“They brought my son into it and said I wasn't fit for it... my son will see this when he grows up, and he will be disappointed in his mom. That hurt me more than the actual thing,” she said.
She explained that the ordeal has shaped her music, leaving some songs too painful for her to perform even now.
“There were a lot of times I was crying, especially the first record. That took me like four attempts to record. I skip that every time I listen to the album, even now. I have been unable to carry it out. It was tough,” she said.
Despite the ordeal, she praised her family for providing unwavering support.
“My mom called me and said, ‘don’t listen to them… I’m just happy that you’re enjoying yourself.’ Hearing my mom say that helped,” Savage added.
The singer further disclosed that she has been seeking therapy and has redefined her perspective on love and intimacy.
“For therapy, yeah, a lot of people say to me you’re wasting your money. I’m like, what? I love my son, I love my team, my friends. I’ve been married before, I’m 45, I’m good,” she said.
Regarding her personal life, Savage admitted that she has gone years without intimacy and only pursues it within meaningful relationships.
“I don’t know if I don’t come attached. I’ve gone like maybe three years without. I have to be with someone for me to even think about it. I don’t have toys… maybe that’s what people should get me for Christmas,” she joked.