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Since being attacked by three strangers in the early hours of Aug. 8, Gavin DeGraw has cancelled several tour dates and focused on recovering. Now, the singer speaks publicly about being beaten on the streets of New York City.
STORY: Gavin DeGraw: ‘I’m Feeling Much Better’
“I had a night off, and I met up with some friends at the bar I own with my brother. We had a few drinks. I put my friends in a cab and I walked home because I live pretty close,” he told People of the incident. “I remember maybe three guys said something to me and I didn’t appreciate it, and I guess I let them know I didn’t appreciate it. They weren’t exactly on the debate team, so I ended up with a tube down my throat.”
Adding, “I just literally remember an exchange of words that lasted a second and then being very bloody.”
VIDEO: OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder on Gavin DeGraw Attack: ‘He’s Confused But Getting Through It’
Following the incident, in which DeGraw was also hit by a cab, he tweeted, “Honestly, I don’t remember much.” The words prompted reports of possible intoxication, though DeGraw’s brother quickly jumped to his defense, claiming that the singer “had nothing but cranberry juice to drink” that evening.
“I can’t say I was drunk,” DeGraw clarified. “I know I had a few drinks with friends.”
VIDEO: Gavin DeGraw Cites Musical Influences for His Upcoming Album ‘Sweeter’
Following a severe concussion and several fractures in his cheekbone, eye and nose, the “Not Over You” singer’s appearance has returned to normal and he is expected to rejoin Maroon 5 and Train on tour Wednesday, Aug. 24. Still, there are concerns about his performance.
“It’s definitely a combination of excitement and nerves, because my breathing isn’t exactly the same,” he explained. “I’m feeling out my breathing through my nose trying to see if the swelling’s going down. The sensation is mildly different, so that makes me fearful about singing.”
VIDEO: Gavin DeGraw’s ‘Not Over You’: Acoustic Performance
“I’m not living in fear,” he continued. “It was a terrible night for me, but fortunately I got through it. I still look like my mother, and onward and upward.”
DeGraw’s next studio album, Sweeter, hits shelves on Sept. 20. Just a few weeks prior to the frightening attack, DeGraw performed an acoustic set of the LP’s lead single in the THR studio.
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