UK singer Boy George pulls out of musical after pro-Israel song backlash / Photo: © AFP
-
Far-Right Extremists Claim Opportunity to Seize Control of GOP After Midterms
-
Japanese-Born Professor Attributes Rise in Korea-Japan Marriages to K-Drama Influence and Affectionate Behavior
-
New Campaign Highlights Knowledge Gaps on Carbon Monoxide Safety Among Americans
-
Economist Testifies Canada Has Limited Power to Alter Global Climate
-
JR East Launches 'teppay' to Integrate Suica Balance with Mobile Payments
-
Dublin Band Aslan Headlines Our Lady’s Hospice Light Up A Life Ceremony
-
Phil Spencer on Housing Market Fairness: How Buyers and Sellers Navigate Falling Prices
-
UAE Cabinet Approves Up to Dh350,000 in Disaster Relief for Citizens
-
Beirut Cinema Festival Draws Thousands Despite War Fatigue
-
Korea's Severe Asthma Patients Blocked from Biologics by Restrictive Reimbursement Rules
-
AMD Forecasts First-Ever Revenue Lead Over Intel on AI Chip Surge
-
COP31: Ana Toni Outlines Fossil Fuel Transition Roadmap Ahead of Climate Talks
-
GoodData.AI Launches the Agentic Serving Plane, a New Category of Enterprise Data Infrastructure for AI Agents
-
Securitas Healthcare Introduces a New Era of RTLS Built for the Future of Healthcare Operations
-
Abu Dhabi Demand Response Project Achieves 401 MW Peak Reduction in 2025
-
First-time boat buyers advised to assess full ownership costs
-
Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium
UK singer Boy George pulls out of musical after pro-Israel song backlash
British singer Boy George pulled out of a West End production of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" after facing a backlash for releasing a pro-Israel song, "We Will Dance Again".
The 65-year-old musician "will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium", his manager Paul Kemsley said on social media.
The singer, whose real name is George Alan O'Dowd, rose to fame in the 1980s as the flamboyant singer of the pop band Culture Club.
This week he released a song supporting Israel and its war in Gaza, with lyrics including "you say genocide, I say war" and "when you're attacked, that's what the army's for".
The title is a phrase used to express solidarity after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on a music festival and other Israeli communities in Israel in which 1,221 people were killed, according to an AFP tally based on official data.
More than 70,000 people were killed in Gaza in Israel's ensuing offensive against the Palestinian militants, according to the territory's health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.
Since a truce came into effect last October, at least 1,214 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza.
Boy George, who was set to star as King Herod in the London musical from August 3-15, said the song was "created using AI" in a social media post.
He said he was inspired to write the song after visiting the Nova exhibition which commemorates victims of the attack at the music festival and is being displayed in London.
"Why not put the word 'genocide' in a song. Why are people suddenly uncomfortable with that word?" George said in a post on Instagram Threads.
"George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that," his manager Kemsley said.
"In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus," he added.
"Jesus Christ Superstar" was opening Friday on a run until September 5. Culture Club is set to go on a UK tour in December.
W.Lapointe--BTB
