[UPDATE: Aug. 24, 10:30 a.m.] Matisyahu performed on Aug. 22 at a Spanish music festival that had cancelled his performance due to apparent pressure from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement before inviting him back to perform.
“Tonight was difficult but special,” the Jewish-American reggae artist wrote on his Facebook page following the Saturday concert, which was held at Rototom Sunsplash, a reggae festival in Spain that describes itself as committed to social justice. “Thank you to everyone who made it possible! Every chance to make music is a blessing.”
In what one can only hope was a direct expression of solidarity with Israel, Matisyahu’s concert this past weekend included a performance of his famous song, “Jerusalem.” And some video captured at the performance shows audience members waving Palestinian flags.
“Whoever you are and wherever you come from raise a flag and wave it in the air,” Matisyahu said, according to a JTA report. “Let music be your flag.”
The festival organizers canceled Matisyahu's performance after he did not reply to their request for him to give his opinion about the issue of the Palestinian people. The cancellation drew condemnation from many, including Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple, who penned an op-ed about it in Time magazine.
Ultimately, the festival's representatives apologized to Matisyahu before inviting him back to perform.
Watch the “Jerusalem” performance below.
[UPDATE: Aug. 21, 2 p.m.] Matisyahu has announced on his Facebook page that he intends to perform at the Spanish music festival, Rototom Sunsplash, which had dropped Matisyahu from its lineup and reinvited him after public outctry over the festival's decision to cancel his performance.
“Today music wins,” Matisyahu wrote on his Facebook page on Monday about his decision to play at the festival, following a back-and-forth that was related to the festival apparently succumbing to pressure of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. “Freedom of expression wins. Spain, this Saturday Aug 22nd.”
The BDS movement targeted Matisyahu, the Jewish-American reggae artist who is known for hits “One Day” and “King Without a Crown,” for his alleged Israel ties.
Matisyahu's performance at the festival is part of a European tour. He begins a tour of the United States on Oct. 15 in Telluride, Colorado. The tour includes several dates in California, between Nov. 4-11. He also has a new album on the horizon, titled “Live at Stubb's Vol. III,” which is set for a Oct. 2 release.
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Musician Matisyahu has commented on the controversy surrounding a European music festival dropping him from its lineup in the wake of him declining to make a statement of support for the Palestinian state.
“My music speaks for itself, and I do not insert politics into my music…The festival kept insisting that I clarify my personal views; which felt like clear pressure to agree with the BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] political agenda…Honestly it was appalling and offensive, that as the one publicly Jewish-American artist scheduled for the festival they were trying to coerce me into political statements,” Matisyahu said on his Facebook page on Monday.
The festival, for its part, denies that it was the BDS movement that led to it dropping Matisyahu from the lineup.
An Aug. 15 statement released by the festival, entitled, “Statement by Rototom Sunsplash regarding the performance of Matisyahu,” adds: “Rototom Sunsplash, after having repeatedly sought dialogue given the unavailability of the artist for comment in order to clearly declare himself regarding the war and in particular the right of the Palestinian people to have their own state, has decided to cancel the performance of Matisyahu scheduled for August 22 and will soon announce who will substitute him,” the statement said.
In its statement, the festival describes Matisyahu as an “American Hebrew artist.”
Los Angeles-based Rabbi Yonah Bookstein was among those who denounced the festival, describing its decision as “racist” in a comment on the festival’s Facebook page. He is encouraging other people to speak out against the festival.
“Please tell the organizers what you think of their decision to cancel Matisyahu because of BDS activists,” he said on Sunday. “In Spanish and English. Please [use] polite language to denounce their racism, hypocrisy, and censorship.”
[UPDATE: Aug. 18, 9:30 a.m.] “Matisyahu's music should not be held hostage by these radical activists who care more for scoring political points than helping peace,” Bookstein, in an email to the Journal, added.
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