Artists to Lorde: individual messages of support

On 5 January 2018, more than a hundred international artists signed a letter to the Guardian in the UK in support of New Zealand singer Lorde’s decision to cancel her gig in Tel Aviv later this year.
Since then, some of those signatories have given APUK permission to publish the personal letters they’ve also written to Lorde.   We’re happy to share, amongst others, Brian Eno’s and Roger Waters’ moving expressions of solidarity and support, while Peter Gabriel’s message affirms the need for artists to stand up for human rights.  We’re also reproducing below some of the many messages artists have posted in support of Lorde on social media or via this site.

 

Brian Eno, musician

 

Roger Waters, musician

Dear Lorde,
As Ken Loach has ​expressed, “You either stand with the oppressed or you stand with the oppressor.” There is no middle ground. To your great credit, Lorde, you have chosen to stand with the oppressed. You are a brave woman, it is not an easy path to take​, but you set an example for others who are afraid to speak out. You give a voice to the voiceless.
We welcome you and thank you.
Love R.

 

 


Peter Gabriel, musician

 

 

John Cusack, actor

 

Ken Loach, director

 

 

 

Michael Moore, director

 

Thurston Moore, musician

 

William Dalrymple, writer

 

Graham Linehan, comedy writer and director

 

Neil Finn, musician

 

Lily Allen, musician

 

Reverend and the Makers, band

 

Caroline Bergvall, writer and artist

I am really shocked by the bullish reaction by political powers to Lorde’s decision not to perform in Israel later this year.

I stand with her and with fellow artists in protecting our right to speak out and for Lorde to reach her own decisions of conscience even if this means such a public cancellation.

I’m certain many of her fans in Israel will understand and support her move. It is a move of friendship and inclusivity for a bigger world.

 

 

Naomi Wallace, playwright, screenwriter

Lorde has made a brave choice for justice and freedom. It is a typical tactic of those who oppose Palestinian civil rights to attempt to smear such courage with charges of anti-semitism.  The purpose is to send out a warning to other artists not to speak out against the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine.  These forces of reaction will not succeed.  Let us follow Lorde’s example.  Let all artists of conscience heed the call by the Movement for Black Lives to endorse the BDS movement.

 

Nabil Shaban, actor and director

Why should Lorde be made to perform for Israel.  If she were to refuse to perform for Putin or Kim in North Korea, she would be praised as an international hero, worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize, but because the USA establishment supports and funds Israel’s special brand of apartheid, she is demonised. This is wrong.

 

Eric Boehlert, music journalist

 

Fatima Bhutto, writer

 

Shaun King, writer

 

Tim London, producer

 

Scot Williams, actor

 

Rebecca Vilkomerson, human rights defender 

 

Noura Erekat, human rights defender

 

Hind Awwad, human rights defender

 

 

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