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Sky Ferreira defends Terry Richardson on Facebook

Terry Richardson & Sky Ferreira & Daft Punk & Tyler the Creator
Terry Richardson
Terry Richardson
Terry Richardson

Infamous photographer Terry Richardson was the subject of a cover story on last week’s issue of New York Magazine titled “Is Terry Richardson an Artist or a Predator?” Since the article ran, a lot of models who have worked with Richardson have spoken out — both for and against him. He shot Miley Cyrus you may remember and directed a Lady Gaga video starring R. Kelly that never got finished but created a firestorm of controversy when TMZ leaked footage from it.

Miley’s tour-mate Sky Ferreira (no stranger to inappropriate behavior), who has been photographed by Richardson many times (he also directed her “Red Lips” video), took to Facebook today to defend the photographer. An excerpt:

I made a music video with him and I have never felt uncomfortable with Terry & had 99 percent of the creative control. This was before I was “famous”. Allegations are one thing but completely blaming the director isn’t fair aka the Lady Gaga video. It doesn’t matter if you want to be a “role model” or not, it’s your responsibility to be AWARE of what you’re doing. When you’re making & selling pop music for 14 year olds that is just a straight up fact. I’m not against/doubting people that have said they’ve encountered things with him (it’s not my place to say so) but the media acting as if Terry Richardson manipulated Lady Gaga into making a video about getting touched by R-Kelly or whatever is a whole other thing. She is 28 year old woman & fully capable/aware of what she was doing. If she wants to do it is HER choice. Whether I agree with it or not. I’m REALLY insulted that my work is somehow getting dragged into this mess (this is the only place I can actually write about this). Terry has only been a supportive & caring friend to me for a long time. I actually find the whole thing upsetting & have for a while. To say I support sexual abuse beyond hurts me.

This is not the first time Sky used Facebook to write a long defense related to one of her videos. You can read the whole thing below.

In semi-related news, American Apparel founder Dov Charney was ousted from the CEO position by it’s board of directors for “ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct.”

Catch Sky live later this summer at the Surf Lodge in Montauk.

Read Sky’s full post about Terry Richardson (with the video he directed), below…

Sky Ferreira – Red Lips (directed by Terry Richardson)

As someone who has worked very closely with Terry Richardson on many many many occasions since I was 17 years old I would like to say… from my OWN personal experience: I have never been forced or manipulated into anything. I made a music video with him and I have never felt uncomfortable with Terry & had 99 percent of the creative control. This was before I was “famous”. Allegations are one thing but completely blaming the director isn’t fair aka the Lady Gaga video. It doesn’t matter if you want to be a “role model” or not, it’s your responsibility to be AWARE of what you’re doing. When you’re making & selling pop music for 14 year olds that is just a straight up fact. I’m not against/doubting people that have said they’ve encountered things with him (it’s not my place to say so) but the media acting as if Terry Richardson manipulated Lady Gaga into making a video about getting touched by R-Kelly or whatever is a whole other thing. She is 28 year old woman & fully capable/aware of what she was doing. If she wants to do it is HER choice. Whether I agree with it or not. I’m REALLY insulted that my work is somehow getting dragged into this mess (this is the only place I can actually write about this). Terry has only been a supportive & caring friend to me for a long time. I actually find the whole thing upsetting & have for a while. To say I support sexual abuse beyond hurts me. I’ve experienced it from a very early age until I was 16 years old & have been VERY vocal about it. I am a feminist & work with foundations globally w/ children & women that are victims of sexual abuse. I fight for it every day. To discredit me because I’m friends of someone or my music videos/photos make you feel certain way is YOUR problem. Not mine. Your opinion of someone doesn’t make them who they are. The media & the fucking peanut gallery/trolls on the internet can paint any picture they want of you. They never have the full details. They can manipulate & project an image/persona that benefits them. There are lots of details that we DON’T know about it. There are many reasons & FACTS why I support Terry Richardson that media (basically) refuses to acknowledge. I am NOT saying the women who have publicly spoken are at fault or wrong or lying. I hope they get help. I’m disgusted that people use pain for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. If it were up to the world I would be a racist/heroin addict manufactured robot. Which I’m far from either of those things. Before you judge people off of some article you read off a newspaper or some blog just remember: They are selling you something. The story is to benefit them somehow. It’s only half truth. If that.Basically if one more person has the nerve to ask/tell me that I’ve fucked Terry Richardson, I will slit their fucking throat. I had a topless album cover. So fucking what? I don’t necessarily expect people to understand why I did it or like it. The fact that I still have to explain myself or be publicly shamed every time I speak to a journalist about it EIGHT months later is disturbing. Also, if I was using my “tits” to sell anything, my body is worth more than any cash on the entire planet. Not to mention most musicians don’t MAKE ANY money off of fucking sales. There’s a lot more damage being done to the world than the female body. Get a grip.

-Sky Ferreira