Evan Dando, frontman of The Lemonheads, has been admitted to a hospital for mental health treatment following reports that he sent unsolicited explicit videos to a fan. The incident came to light after the fan shared details with a journalist. Dando's representative confirmed his long-standing mental health struggles.
Evan Dando, the 58-year-old singer-songwriter and co-founder of The Lemonheads, entered a local hospital on Thursday, February 13, 2026, to receive treatment for mental health issues. This followed accusations from a fan, identified pseudonymously as Dawn, who reported receiving unsolicited videos of Dando masturbating via social media direct messages.
Dawn told journalist Tony Ortega for his Substack, The Underground Bunker, that she had contacted Dando in October 2025 to congratulate him on The Lemonheads' album Love Chant, their first release of original material since 2006. On February 4, 2026, Dando replied, “Cool I’m sorry I’m an exhibitionist.” Dawn responded, “Don’t ever apologize for being you, my friend. Always be unapologetic. And you.” The next morning, she received messages including a request for “an art photo,” followed by a video. “It’s him sitting in a basement or something, and he’s fully masturbating,” Dawn described. “You can see his penis, and his face. It’s definitely him. He’s filming it from a weird angle.” A second video arrived the following day, after which Dando messaged, “Ok sorry thanks I just need an outlet Cheers.”
Dawn expressed her distress: “It’s so gross. I don’t want him to do this to anyone else. It’s just a gross feeling.” She added, “I’ve never felt anger like that. Don’t call me an outlet, that’s gross.”
Dando's publicist stated to multiple outlets, “Evan Dando has long struggled with mental health issues dating back to his childhood. He’s been admitted to a local hospital where he’s receiving comprehensive help from experienced doctors and mental health professionals.” Dando, who lives in Brazil with his wife Antonia Teixeira and her three children, detailed his past battles with mental illness and drug addiction in his 2025 memoir Rumours of My Demise. In it, he wrote, “Most of my real friends retreated, hoping things would change. The rest got a kick out of watching me unravel. I was in horrible shape, losing teeth, and living off cheeseburgers … and a $200 daily drug habit.”
The Lemonheads have upcoming tour dates in the U.K. and one U.S. performance supporting the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks.
