Many Lana Del Rey fans are furious that the musician hasn’t cancelled her upcoming Meteor Festival performance in Tel Aviv. Despite the barrage of anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic tweets calling for her to boycott Israel, the singer refuses to back down.
“I believe music is universal and should be used to bring us together,” Del Rey wrote in a long Tweet to her fans. “We signed on to the show [with] the intention that it would be performed for the kids there and my plan was for it to be done [with] a loving energy with a thematic emphasis on peace.”
— Lana Del Rey (@LanaDelRey) August 19, 2018
Del Rey made a point that she doesn’t have to believe in a country’s policies to perform for her fans. “We don’t always agree with the politics of the places we play within or even in our own country,” Del Rey wrote. “I would like to remind you that performing in Tel Aviv is a not a political statement or a commitment to the politics there just as singing here in California doesn’t mean my views are in alignment with my current government’s opinion or sometimes inhuman [sic] actions.”
— Lana Del Rey (@LanaDelRey) August 19, 2018
In response, a Twitter user sent Del Rey a petition signed by 470 of the singer’s fans urging her to “follow the steps of even greater musicians, and cancel.”
Dear Lana, me and over 470 fan agree that performing in Tel Aviv, especially at this time, is a serious mistake. We all should take a stand against oppressors. Being silent never solved anything. We are simply asking you to follow the steps of even greater musicians, and cancel. pic.twitter.com/tNs4jdYhLx
— ahmad (@ahmadmerhebe) August 19, 2018
Facing similar pressure from fans, singer Lorde cancelled her Israel performance back in late December.
Del Rey has chosen to take a different approach in the face of controversy, and isn’t backing down from her decision. “I’m a simple singer, I’m doing my best to navigate the waters of the constant tumultuous hardships in the war-torn countries all over the world that I travel through monthly,” she said.
