Melanie Martinez, one of the biggest stars to emerge from The Voice, has denied an allegation that she sexually assaulted her former best friend. On Monday night, a woman named Timothy Heller described in detail in a series of tweets an incident dating back several years during which Martinez allegedly groped and performed oral sex on Heller without her consent and penetrated her with a sex toy after repeated attempts to engage in sexual activity over two nights, all of which Heller says she resisted. She claimed she told Martinez that she was in a relationship with a man. “I never said yes. I said no, repeatedly. But she used her power over me, and broke me down,†Heller wrote. “Just so there is no confusion, I was molested by my best friend.†She added, “Girls can rape girls. Best friends can rape best friends. Friendship does not equal consent. Silence doesn’t equal consent.â€
Though Martinez is not referenced in the description, Heller named the 22-year-old singer as her alleged assaulter in the original tweet. She claims their friendship has since ended and that the two had never discussed the alleged incident. On Tuesday, Martinez issued a response saying she is “horrified and saddened†by Heller’s accusations, claiming Heller “never said no to what we chose to do together.â€
Martinez rose to fame on season three of The Voice in 2012, advancing to the top six. She released her debut album, Cry Baby, in 2015 and amassed a cult following of young fans on social media. Her sophomore album, with a short film attached, is due next year. In her statement, Martinez confirmed that she and Heller have “parted ways.â€