New Zealand musician and singer Lorde has canceled a concert in Israel, just a week after it was announced.
According to The Guardian, the internationally acclaimed performer cited an "overwhelming number of messages and letters" asking her to reconsider her choice of location for the concert.
Two individuals from New Zealand, one Jewish and one Palestinian, co-wrote a letter calling for the singer to cancel the concert.
"We’re two young women based in Aotearoa, one Jewish, one Palestinian," Nadia Abu-Shanab and Justine Sachs wrote in the letter, published by The Spinoff.
"The two of us work together (with others) for peace and justice in the Middle East and an end to Israeli apartheid. People often will say that the Israel-Palestine debacle is melodrama that dates back millennia. Thing is, like with a lot of situations of oppression, it’s actually quite straightforward once you start hearing about what’s really happening," they explain in the letter.
"Today, millions of people stand opposed to the Israeli government’s policies of oppression, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations, occupation and apartheid. As part of this struggle, we believe that an economic, intellectual and artistic boycott is an effective way of speaking out against these crimes. This worked very effectively against apartheid in South Africa, and we hope it can work again."
Lorde replied to the letter, saying "been speaking with many people about this and considering all options. Thank you for educating me. I am learning all the time too".
In an official response released by the concert organizers, Lorde said she had not "made the right call" when she decided to perform in Tel Aviv, according to Rolling Stone.
"I have had a lot of discussions with people holding many views, and I think the right decision at this time is to cancel the show," Lorde said.
"I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one," she added.
Many others followed the example of Abu-Shanab and Sachs, leading to the singer's decision.
On social media, fans are praising the singer
Lorde is on the "right side of history"
"The best way to mark the holidays"
Of course, Lorde is definitely not alone in choosing to cancel her concert in Tel Aviv.
Roger Waters, Elvis Costello, Thurston Moore, Lauryn Hill, and many other performers have joined the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel in the past, standing in support of Palestinian rights.