Alicia Keys announced on Friday that she would still be performing in Israel on July 4th despite Alice Walker’s open letter that begged Keys to cancel the show.
Many artists have been canceling shows in Israel as a way to protest the country’s policies towards Palestinians but Alicia isn’t pulling the plug on her concert.
The powerhouse songstress will be performing at the Nokia Arena in Tel Aviv despite all the controversy and her decision has several influential figures like Alice Walker begging her to reconsider.
“It would grieve me to know you are putting yourself in danger (soul danger) by performing in an apartheid country that is being boycotted by many global conscious artists,” Walker’s letter read. “Please, if you can manage it, go to visit the children in Gaza, and sing to them of our mutual love of all children, and of their right not to be harmed simply because they exist.”
While the “Girl on Fire” singer still hasn’t responded to the open letter she has already expressed her excitement to go to Tel Aviv.
“I’m excited to go to new places on this tour, among them Tel Aviv,” she said back in January. “I plan on bringing with me a show full of emotion and inspiration.”
On Friday, she reiterated her feelings about going to the country and explained that she feels like sharing her music will send a better message than avoiding the country all together.
“I look forward to my first visit to Israel,” she said. “Music is a universal language that is meant to unify audiences in peace and love, and that is the spirit of our show.”
Alice Walker isn’t the only one who is pleading with Alicia Keys not to move forward with the show, however.
Musician Roger Waters is also begging Keys to “join the rising tide of resistance.”
“Please, Alicia, do not lend your name to give legitimacy to the Israeli government policies of illegal, apartheid, occupation of the homelands of the indigenous people of Palestine,” Waters wrote in his own open letter.
Alicia will be one of the first big celebrities to take to the country despite the protests after Elvis Costello, Gil Scott-Heron, The Pixies, and even Stephen Hawking canceled plans to travel to the country.
Other stars, however, including Rihanna and Elton John have still performed in Israel despite the protests.
