Dance Gavin Dance's longtime clean vocalist, Tilian Pearson, has announced that he's returning to the band.
On June 3rd of this year, the post-hardcore vets announced that their singer was "stepping away" from Dance Gavin Dance following multiple accusations of sexual misconduct that surfaced online in the days prior (you can read two here and here).
Since Pearson's absence, the band went forward with the release of their new album, Jackpot Juicer, and completed their summer tour without Pearson on the mic, a decision that the group said was in honor of their late bassist, Tim Feerick, who tragically died in April of this year at age 34.
However, today (November 10th), Pearson and his bandmates have confirmed that he will be returning to Dance Gavin Dance full-time.
In Pearson's statement, he denies having ever had non-consensual interactions with any sexual partners, and opens up about how he's been addressing his substance abuse issues in the time since his departure.
"I wanted to update everyone on what has been happening during my time away from Dance Gavin Dance," Pearson wrote on a social media post. "When the band was dealing with the tragic loss of one of our brothers, it could have brought us together, but instead, it sent me down a self-destructive path."
"I've spent the past few months in a rehab program for alcohol alongside an intensive series of therapy sessions to reassess my life and how I want to live it.
"It became clear to me and my bandmates that this is what had to happen for me to continue with the group, and I will always appreciate their understanding, support and the time that they have given me to get my life together.
"I hate the power that I have allowed alohol to have over my life. I want to apologize to the band and all of the fans of Dance Gavin Dance and assure you that my mistakes are purely my own and should never be a reflection on the other members.
"It's also important for me to address something that has been twisted and misrepresented during my absence from the band. The work I have done on myself and my substance abuse issues has nothing to do with any kind of sexual misconduct.
"I have never had sex or any kind of intimate relationship without the consent of a partner."
"I hope this clears up the events of the last few months, and I'm excited to reunite with the band and see all of you on the road in 2023."
In a separate social media post that included a screenshot of Pearson's statement, Dance Gavin Dance shared their own statement on the singer's return to the group.
"If the past year has taught us anything, it's that everyone handles grief differently, and Tilian is no exception," the band wrote. "When Tilian opened up to us about his substance abuse problem that had spiraled in recent months, we all agreed that he needed time to reset his life to avoid the tragic fate of so many artists before him.
"We are a resilient group who has always believed in redemption, and we have seen the hard work that Tilian has been doing to address and overcome an issue that has plagued him for years.
"That's why we are welcoming him back to the band. We are proud of his progress and we look forward to seeing all of you on the road next year."
See both statements below.
