Wellington: New Zealand singer Lorde says she is considering to cancel her scheduled program in Tel Aviv after some activists in an open letter reminded the "Royals" singer that her concert in the city will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government.
"Noted! Been speaking w many people about this and considering all options. Thank u for educating me i am learning all the time too", Lorde wrote on Twitter.
Noted! Been speaking w many people about this and considering all options. Thank u for educating me i am learning all the time too 🌸
— Lorde (@lorde) December 21, 2017
Lorde's Twitter post was in response to the open letter addressed to her by Jewish New Zealander Justine Sachs and Palestinian New Zealander Nadia Abu-Shanab who argued that "playing in Tel Aviv will be seen as giving support to the policies of the Israeli government, even if you make no comment on the political situation."
"Such an effect cannot be undone by even the best intention and the best music," they said..
Lorde replied to the call for an “artistic boycott” on Twitter, with the above post.
Born in 1996, Lorde was discovered by A&R representative Scott MacLachlan of Universal Music Group (UMG) at the age of 12, when MacLachlan saw footage of Lorde performing at a school talent show in Auckland, New Zealand.
MacLachlan unsuccessfully tried to set up Lorde with several songwriters and producers to help her with production. Ultimately, he paired Lorde with Joel Little in December 2011, when she had just turned 15. Little was impressed by Lorde's vocal performance and songwriting abilities, and he built songs with musical structures based on Lorde's lyrics.
Lorde rose to fame after "Royals" a song from her debut extended play album, The Love Club EP (2012). It was later included on her debut studio album, Pure Heroine (2013). "Royals" was characterised as art pop and electropop. Written by Lorde and Joel Little and produced by the latter, the song lyrically disapproves of the luxurious lifestyle of contemporary artists.
A number of artists have participated in the cultural boycott of Israel through the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, including Brian Eno and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, writers Arundhati Roy and Eduardo Galeano and film-maker Ken Loach.
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