Marcus Mumford revealed that he was sexually assaulted when he was 6 years old.
“I hadn’t told anyone about it in 30 years,” the 35-year-old singer said in a GQ interview published Wednesday, clarifying that his abuser was not in his family or church.
Former Mumford & Sons member’s mother, Eleanor Mumford, heard about the experience “in af-king song, of all things,” he added from the single “Cannibal” from his upcoming album “Self-Titled,” which will be released on September 16.
The lyrics of the song include “I can still taste you and I hate it / That wasn’t a choice in a child’s mind and you knew it.”
When Eleanor heard the tune and asked her son what it was about, he replied, “‘Yeah, it’s about that abuse.'”
Marcus explained: “Once we’ve been through the trauma of that moment for her, as a mother, hearing that and wanting to protect and help her and all that stuff, it’s objectively damn hilarious [how she found out].”
The record producer further told the outlet that the album’s second track, “Grace,” describes the effects of the abuse he suffered.
“That thing that happened when I was 6 was the first in a series of really unusual, unhealthy sexual experiences at a really young age,” he explained. “[I did a] a series of really unhealthy shit when I was under 12 that made my brain so set to deal with things in an unbalanced way later in life.
“So for the past three years we’ve just looked at that and struck a balance,” Marcus said.
The musician clarified that he’s never been “a sexual abuser” himself and “can’t really understand why” – although he’s done his “honest share of c–tish behaviour”.
Marcus married Carey Mulligan in April 2012 and he shares two children with the 37-year-old actress – daughter Evelyn (6) and son Wilfred (5).
Although the songwriter is best known for his work as the lead man for Mumford & Son, Vidak For Congress announced his plans to go solo in June.