Aubrey O’Day has alleged that rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs exerted control over her appearance and “groomed” her during the filming of Making the Band when she was around 21 years old.
The former Danity Kane member, now 40, opened up about the criticism she faced while working on the MTV reality series in 2005 with Combs, who served as executive producer.
O’Day shared that she felt uncertain about becoming the “sexy face” of the group and claimed that Combs would publicly criticise her appearance on camera, while off-camera, he would give her detailed grooming instructions, even down to her toenails.
She also alleged that Combs once labelled her the “looker of the band” and sent her out of the studio for not having properly polished toenails, which she described as part of his controlling and abusive behaviour.
In another part of the interview, O’Day recounted seeing different sides of Combs, but noted that she was unsure if she was always interacting with a sober person.
She further claimed that Combs forbade her from befriending a well-known figure who was also involved with him, which shifted the dynamics of their interactions on camera.
O’Day revealed that she remained a part of Danity Kane until 2008, when she was allegedly removed for failing to meet expectations beyond talent.
Despite her challenging experience, she admitted that few people could match the “high” of working with Combs.
She described “grooming” as a method in which the abuser first makes the victim feel comfortable before changing their behaviour, comparing it to the military’s practice of breaking down individuals to rebuild them for specific roles.
O’Day also claimed that there are other victims of Combs who will come forward as the sex trafficking case against the Bad Boy Records founder unfolds.
She alleged that Combs had attempted to buy her silence by offering her publishing rights, which she declined. Representatives for Combs have not responded to Page Six’s request for comment.
On 16 September, Combs was arrested and charged with sex trafficking, prostitution, racketeering, and fraud. He is accused of coercing women and others around him to satisfy his sexual desires, while running a criminal enterprise involved in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice, as per a 14-page unsealed indictment.
These findings followed federal agents’ raids on his Miami and Los Angeles homes in March, where they uncovered guns, drugs, and 1,000 bottles of lubricant.
O’Day, who has been outspoken in her criticism of Combs, remarked that his arrest represents “justice” for “women all over the world.”
