Although she said she understood the criticism, her performance was not, she claimed, “a political statement or a commitment to the politics” in Israel, where she admitted there had been “certain travesties.” But on Sept. Several days after news of her festival booking appeared, she posted a lengthy statement on Twitter on Aug. With Del Rey, there was a similar pattern. “I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one,” she added. After seven days, Lorde did an about-face, canceling her show in late December and claiming her decision was made after an “overwhelming number of messages and letters.” She even thanked her fans for “educating” her.

When Lana Del Rey revealed in mid-August that she was set to perform at the inaugural Meteor Festival in Israel, the singer was no doubt aware of what might follow: sustained pressure from activists who are urging high-profile artists not to play in the country over protest of its treatment of the Palestinian people.ĭel Rey’s plans came less than a year after Lorde had announced her intention to play in Tel Aviv, a move that prompted a week of online pressure and an open letter jointly penned by a Jewish and a Palestinian activist - one that cited the Israeli government’s “policies of oppression, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations and apartheid” and also discussed the impact cultural boycotts had in the fight against Apartheid in South Africa.

Lana del rey on tour