FEATURE:
A Dangerous Silence
IN THIS PHOTO: Nadine Shah
Can Any Artist Afford to Remain Neutral Regarding Gaza?
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I guess this applies to…
IN THIS PHOTO: Billie Eilish performs at Avicii Arena on 23rd April, 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden/PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images
issues beyond genocide in Gaza. Palestine is current being ravaged and, slow to act and get involved, the world’s leaders are not exactly leading when it comes to anger, moral and action! Almost complicit and pacifistic, I have said how the music industry seems a lot more vocal than the political world. A whole host of artists have spoken out against what is being perpetrated by Israel. Including Nadine Shah, Kneecap, Damon Albarn, Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish have shown their support and condemned genocide that is almost being allowed to happen. I know it carries a risk speaking out if you are an artist. There are so many issues that need to be addressed and spoken about. The fascism of Donald Trump and what is happening in the U.S. I don’t think artists can pick and choose and what causes they support or remain silent. It seems like complicity if they do not say anything. Florence Pugh has said that those who say nothing are complicit. It is a time when those with a platform need to activate and unite. Brian Eno, who recently curated the Together for Palestine concert, has said how we are living through this massive moment of crisis. It is one of the most disturbing and horrifying acts of violence in social history. One that needs to be met with the greatest coming together of people in human history. That said, more and more artists are becoming involved and discussing the genocide in Gaza. Recently, Brian Eno and Malak Mattar, key figures in the Together for Palestine concert, explained “why artists are putting fears of a backlash aside and uniting in the call for action”:
“Being open to learning about the reality of the situation seems crucial for the shift that is now happening. Eno happily admits that his own views on Gaza changed after visiting the West Bank six years ago. There he saw firsthand what he calls “the relentless humiliation … which is the nastiest weapon in a way … continually demeaning, continually shilly-shallying, pretending there’s a peace process when there’s no intention whatsoever to achieve peace on any kind of terms that the Palestinians could possibly accept.”
When he tried to explain this to people, Eno says, he was always being forced to go through the entire history of the conflict. People were either bamboozled by the conflicting accounts, or looking for an easy way to avoid getting involved. “Israel has always, in my opinion, depended on calling on the complexity of the situation,” says Eno. “To sort of say, ‘Well, of course you don’t really understand it, it’s far more complex than you can imagine.’ But people are no longer asking me to do this, because everyone knows we shouldn’t be in the place we are now.”
PinkPantheress says that having so many fellow artists on the bill supporting the message has made it easier to speak out – and hopefully will make it easier for others to join them in future. “One voice can get ignored,” she says, “but when it’s a chorus it’s way harder. Seeing artists from totally different backgrounds come together proves this isn’t just a political issue but a human one”.
I am going to come to another article from The Guardian, as it follows on and connects to what I have just sourced. Should every artist be expected to speak out against the genocide happening? I think they should. It is not a political decision or choice. It is a humanitarian one! Anyone who does not voice their disgust, in a way, is either not that concerned or thinks their career is more important than highlighting an atrocity that is claiming the lives of thousands of people in Palestine. There are artists whose statements and views on the genocide and Israel’s violence have either been neutral or seemed to skew in favour of Israel. Artists like Nick Cave. Thom Yorke released a statement that was very wishy-washy and neutral. It is so watered down. His Radiohead bandmate, Jonny Greenwood, recently played a concert in Tel Aviv. Radiohead have a history of neutrality and not speaking about Palestine. Whilst we have great artists such as Pillow Queens supporting Palestine, massive bands are very much on the wrong side. Coldplay were recently criticised. Not only because they seemed to suggest we should show love for family of the murdered Charlie Kirk – which seemed to suggest we should show sympathy for him -, but they also have not said anything condemning the genocide in Gaza. The Guardian reacted to Coldplay’s recent Wembley shows and Chris Matlin asking the audience to send out love. He did mention Palestine, though it was very vague and apolitical. Not calling out Israel and showing any anger against those causing the genocide. The 1975 have also actively swerved politics in favour of a more apathetic show or love and support:
“Similarly, on Friday at Wembley, the closing night of the tour, Martin exhorted the crowd to “send love anywhere you wanna send it in the world”. He went on: “You can send it to Charlie Kirk’s family. You can send it to anybody’s family. You can send it to people you disagree with but you send them love anyway.” It is this lack of a definitive statement, along with the barely there acknowledgment of how genuinely divisive these issues and events are, that rendered his warm-fuzzy sentiments hollow even by stadium-rock standards, like a Christian music concert with zero mention of God.
IN THIS PHOTO: Coldplay’s Chris Martin at Wembley Stadium on 22nd August 2025/PHOTO CREDIT: Sipa USA/Alamy
Perhaps this really is as deep as his engagement goes: you don’t get to 10 studio albums and more than 20 years of world-dominating success by being a firebrand. And, maybe controversially, I don’t believe artists are obliged to speak out about politics: it’s generally neither edifying nor productive for the cause when they weigh in half-heartedly with word salad.
When the 1975’s Matty Healy paused their otherwise brilliant headline set at Glastonbury to elaborate banally on their “conscious decision” to eschew politics in favour of “love and friendship”, it struck a bum note for me in the crowd. No fan of the 1975 needs or expects Healy’s hazy expansions – why stop the show to say nothing?
Many artists, notably young women, do consistently address the conflict in Palestine and other struggles – Chappell Roan, Renée Rapp, Jade Thirlwall among them. Whether this reflects the higher standards placed on women in the public eye, the pressures of their politically engaged young fans or the fact that they are genuinely invested is up for debate; their frequent eloquence, and fearless references to genocide, suggests the last. But their powers of influence are limited: girls and young women are a formidable economic force, but less influential politically”.
This is a time when no artist can really stand back and say nothing. Or say something and say the wrong thing. Sending love out to afflicted nations and besieged people is not the same as rallying against Israel and the genocide they are committing. We do not need artists thinking this is a Summer of Love era. We need Punk anger and snarl! Coldplay, The 1975 and anyone passive and neutral needs to take guidance from those who are risking a lot by speaking out. I know it can be divisive and a commercial risk. Look at some of the most popular artists in the world and how they are not saying enough. Sending a bad message to their fans. As I started by saying, this is not a political decision that can be seen as influencing or controversial. This is people dying and a nation hell bent on destroying Gaza. They should not be thinking about profit and followers over Palestine and doing the right thing. Those who avoid talking about what is happening might think they are doing the right thing. They are not. At one of the most frightening and violent times in human history, they all need to…
DO a lot better!