Alleged R. Kelly “cult” victim Joycelyn Savage wants everyone to know that she is happy.
She spoke to TMZ in an interview late Monday night the same day BuzzFeed published a story claiming that she and other women were being held "against their will in a cult" by Grammy-winning singer R. Kelly.
Timothy and Jonjelyn Savage, Joycelyn Savage's parents held a press conference in Atlanta on Monday in front of a home they say is Kelly's, and alleging their daughter has been "brainwashed" by the singer. Timothy Joycelyn Savage said he hasn't seen his daughter since December and believes she now lives at Kelly's Chicago home.
Related: R. Kelly accused of abusing women, running cult
Wearing long hair and a grey sweater, Jocelyn Savage,21, disputed the claims that her parents and sources cited in the BuzzFeed story made about Robert Sylvester Kelly. The story alleges that Savage and other women lived in Kelly's homes in Chicago and in Johns Creek in an environment that is "an abusive cult."
Credit: Mike Pont/Getty Images
Credit: Mike Pont/Getty Images
“I just mainly want to say that I am in a happy place with my life,” Joycelyn Savage said. “I’m not being brainwashed or anything like that. It just came to a point where it definitely has gotten out of hand. I just want everybody to know -- my parents and everybody in the world -- that I am totally fine. I’m happy where I’m at, and everything is okay with me.”
In the video, a male interviewer can be heard asking Joycelyn Savage if she is “being held against her will” or doing anything she doesn’t want to do. She said she is not.
“I’ve never felt like a hostage or anything like that in that nature,” she said. “Never.”
Joycelyn Savage said she texts her parents from “time to time” but the last time she spoke to them face-to-face was “five or six months” ago and they have been “causing problems” in her life.
Related: R. Kelly ‘unequivocally denies’ claims he’s holding women against their will in ‘cult’
Joycelyn Savage said she’s not in Georgia, but didn’t say where she was. She also dodged questions on who she was with and if she was allowed to leave wherever she was.
“No,” she said. “I don’t want to speak on that.”
Kelly's lawyer, Linda Mensch, sent a statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Monday, saying Kelly will "forcibly pursue his accusers to clear his name."
Timothy Savage filmed a short video yesterday in response to the interview his daughter gave to TMZ.
“(Joycelyn is) not allowed to tell you her location,” Timothy Savage said. “Mr. R. Kelly, if you want to file a lawsuit, you should’ve filed it yesterday. I’m waiting on you. File the lawsuit. If that’s what you want to do, I’ll see you in court. File it, so everybody can see your dirty laundry.”
Timothy Savage ended the video with a short message to his daughter, saying he was praying for her.
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