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In the exciting world of music, some of the biggest stars have surprising and often complex pasts, including experiences with cults. But what exactly defines a cult, and what compels individuals—even famous musicians—to join these dangerous groups? For the artists in this gallery, their time in cults shaped not only their lives but also their creative output, sometimes leaving a lasting impact on their music and personal journeys. From Toni Braxton’s ties with a charismatic group to Carlos Santana’s spiritual pursuits, we’ll explore how cult involvement affected their paths.
Curious about which musicians were in cults? Click through now to find out.
A cult is defined as an organized group that dominates cult members via psychological manipulation and pressure strategies. Usually, they're headed by a powerful leader.
There are many reasons people join cults. For some, they don't even realize they're joining one. For others, they have unresolved insecurities or are manipulated into joining.
Many people have varying views on what exactly a cult is. However, some characteristics that often occur are absolute authoritarianism without accountability, abuse of members, a belief that the leader is always right, and much more.
Until she was 15 years old, rapper Angel Haze was a member of the Pentecostal Greater Apostolic Faith Church. She explained that everyone in the church lived within 10 minutes of one another and you couldn't talk to anyone outside of that community.
Within the church, you weren't allowed to listen to music, eat certain foods, date people, and much more. Church services were three days a week on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
Angel Haze had a particularly challenging experience with the church. In addition to the aforementioned rules, she was a victim of several physical assaults between the ages of seven and 10.
World-famous guitarist Carlos Santana (right) once went by the name "Devadip," which allegedly meant the lamp, light, and eye of God. He acquired this name when studying under Sri Chinmoy (center) who has been called everything from a cult leader to a predator.
The teaching of Chinmoy impressed the musician and after meeting in 1972, Santana became involved with him. Santana supposedly didn't believe in all of Chinmoy's teaching but stayed with him for a few years all the same.
Carlos Santana finally walked away from Chinmoy after the spiritual leader mocked tennis star Billie Jean King's same-sex relationship. According to the musician, Chinmoy was quite vindictive after his departure.
Christopher Owens of the rock band Girls was in the Children of God doomsday cult, now known as the Family International. Christopher Owen's mother was actually in the cult when he was born.
Christopher Owens idolized his sister and her boyfriend who walked away from the Children of God. When he turned 16, he decided to move to Texas and be a busker playing music on the streets, leaving the cult behind.
Originally he had very little idea of how the real world worked given the restrictive ways in which he grew up. However, despite being taught to reject technology and medical research, he found success.
One day in 1968, Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys met two women who were hitchhiking. He subsequently invited the women to his home to discuss spiritual matters. Unfortunately, as it turns out, these women were members of the Manson family cult.
After some time, Dennis Wilson met Charles Manson and they soon became friends. Afterward, Charles Manson and the family moved in with Denis Wilson.
Wilson eventually abandoned his own home and allowed the lease to expire while Charles Manson and the freeloading family still resided there.
Elvis Presley was known as a religious star and became involved with the Self-Realization Fellowship and its leader, Sri Daya Mata, in the 1960s.
This particular fellowship relies on a yoga teacher named Paramahansa Yogananda whose lessons focus on meditation and draw inspiration from Christianity and Hinduism. It's been said that the spiritual organization operated like a cult.
According to Elvis Presley's wife, Priscilla Presley, he considered dropping his music career at one point to take a leadership position. She talked him out of it though, and said his journey in life was to entertain.
Jeremy Spencer, who founded the legendary band Fleetwood Mac, actually left the group in 1971 to join the Children of God cult.
The Children of God cult was formed in the 1960s and has a reputation for being controlling and extremely abusive. The cult is still active today and goes by the name of Family International.
In a 2023 interview with Classic Rock, Jeremy Spencer said he had left Fleetwood Mac due to concerns about his bandmates' use of drugs. He mentioned that he should have told them immediately but was desperate.
John Lennon of the Beatles was a frequent patron of a health restaurant in Los Angeles known as The Source. As it turns out, the driving force behind the restaurant was a cult called the Source Family.
The cult was led by a man named Jim "Father Yod" Baker. They eventually relocated to Hawaii but fell apart upon Father Tod's death in a hand-gliding accident.
Though it seems John Lennon wasn't actively involved with the Source Family, he had other cult associations. In the early 1970's he was an advocate of the psychotherapist Arthur Janov's primal scream therapy which was said to have had a cultlike status.
R&B singer Toni Braxton had a difficult childhood in a cultlike religious community. In her memoir, she revealed that her family were members of the Pillar of Truth when she was young. This religious group imposed oppressive rules and limitations on the singer.
The Pillar of Truth were advocates of speaking in tongues. Braxton said she learned to fake speaking in tongues as a child. The cult made women cover themselves at all times and forbade celebrating certain holidays.
Toni Braxton eventually left the cult and became a world-famous musician. However, the experience was tough for a child to endure.
Sources: (Grunge) (Verywell Mind)
See also: Musicians who died tragically young
Musicians who were in cults
Which stars were involved in cults (and why)
CELEBRITY Religion
In the exciting world of music, some of the biggest stars have surprising and often complex pasts, including experiences with cults. But what exactly defines a cult, and what compels individuals—even famous musicians—to join these dangerous groups?
For the artists in this gallery, their time in cults shaped not only their lives but also their creative output, sometimes leaving a lasting impact on their music and personal journeys. From Toni Braxton’s ties with a charismatic group to Carlos Santana’s spiritual pursuits, we’ll explore how cult involvement affected their paths.
Curious about which musicians were in cults? Click through now to find out.