Macklemore and Garbage’s Shirley Manson speak up for artists defending Palestine: “It shouldn’t get anyone’s show cancelled – it should be considered what is human”
Macklemore and Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson have voiced their support for artists defending Palestine, saying it “shouldn’t get anyone’s show cancelled”.
- READ MORE: Garbage’s Shirley Manson: “We’re losing bands from working class beginnings and risk-takers”
The two of them shared a statement on social media, overtly supporting fellow artists who use their platform to draw attention to the situation in Gaza, and insisting that doing so should not jeopardise their careers.
“With 290,000 kids intentionally being starved to death right now in Gaza, they’re going after the ARTISTS that are saying ‘This is wrong’,” it began. “In a desperate attempt, they aim to villainise & silence musicians by cancelling shows, pulling them from festival line ups and warning others- this is what happens when you speak up.”
It continued: “Artists and humans that regardless of the consequences, prioritise collective liberation over self-preservation, and use their platform to reach hearts. Not on some hero shit. Not on some saviour shit. But simply as people with compassion, love and empathy watching a genocide and refusing to be silent.
“Standing up against that shouldn’t have to be brave. It shouldn’t put anyone’s career at risk. It shouldn’t get anyone’s show cancelled. It should be considered what it is… Human.”
The post was shared by Macklemore on Instagram last night (May 7), while Shirley Manson also shared the post along with a caption that went into further depth about her stance.
garbage“Standing with @officialannielennox @rogerwaters @kehlani @kneecap @massiveattackofficial and all the other artists who have repeatedly raised their voices, trying desperately to speak up for the Palestinian people who have been occupied and oppressed for nearly a century without protection or sympathy from the International community,” she wrote.
“The unbridled slaughter with impunity is beyond my comprehension at this point. Please raise up your voices,” she said, encouraging people to reach out to local MPs and support the protests. “We all have a moral obligation to protect what is left of the Palestinian people before they are disappeared completely. Their suffering must end.”
For Manson, the update is just one of many social media posts she has made in defence of the people in Palestine. These have included sharing startling statistics and official photographs shared by Amnesty International.
For Macklemore, the American rapper has been vocal in his stance for an extensive amount of time now, and has even been releasing a number of songs in support of the people of Gaza. One of which is called ‘Hind’s Hall’, and was written as a tribute to a six-year-old Palestinian child named Hind Rajab who was murdered by an Israeli airstrike. As reported by Dazed, all proceeds from the track were donated to the UN’s Palestine relief agency, UNRWA.
As well as releasing music, he also gave a speech at a People’s Forum event in March, and said that what was happening in Palestine, along with the climate breakdown and rise of fascism, is “the biggest threat to humanity we have ever faced”.
“I want to live in a world where standing up against genocide isn’t brave, it’s human,” he said (via The Canary). “I want to live in a world where using our platforms to condemn ethnic cleansing isn’t a risk, it’s a given. I want to live in a world where advocating for the most marginalized isn’t rewarded, it is expected.”
He was also reported as being a producer for a documentary that follows the the pro-Palestinian Columbia University student protests, called The Encampments, and last September he was dropped from the line-up for Las Vegas festival called Neon City after saying “Fuck America” at a pro-Palestine rally.
One of the most prominent artists to be penalised for their outspoken support for Palestine is the Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap, who allegedly “blindsided” festival organisers at Coachella 2025 by projecting the slogan “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine” onto the screen behind them, leading chants from the audience, and giving a speech about their support for Gaza.
The move led to them having numerous live shows and festival appearances cancelled, being dropped by their booking agent, and facing extensive criticism from Sharon Osbourne – who branded them as “pathetic” and urged for their US visas to be revoked.
Despite the backlash, over 100 artists – including Pulp, Fontaines D.C., IDLES, Massive Attack, Paul Weller, Primal Scream, Enter Shikari, English Teacher, The Pogues, Lankum, Toddla T, Sleaford Mods and Thin Lizzy – all came together to sign an open letter, supporting the right to freedom of expression for musicians.
Massive Attack have also been vocal in their backing for Kneecap too, issuing a statement urging that the focus to remain on what they call a “genocide” against the Palestinian people, rather than debating about the band.
While numerous artists have signed the open letter encouraging the right to freedom of expression for musicians, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood has commented on the letter and shared how it has affected some of his live shows.
It comes after two of his UK shows with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa were cancelled after protests from the BDS movement.
In a statement about the cancellations, he said: “Forcing musicians not to perform and denying people who want to hear them an opportunity to do so is self-evidently a method of censorship and silencing.
“Intimidating venues into pulling our shows won’t help achieve the peace and justice everyone in the Middle East deserves. This cancellation will be hailed as a victory by the campaigners behind it, but we see nothing to celebrate and don’t find that anything positive has been achieved.”
Referring to the aforementioned open letter, he added: “We have no judgement to pass on Kneecap but note how sad it is that those supporting their freedom of expression are the same ones most determined to restrict ours.”
The post Macklemore and Garbage’s Shirley Manson speak up for artists defending Palestine: “It shouldn’t get anyone’s show cancelled – it should be considered what is human” appeared first on NME.
Liberty Dunworth
NME
