Cornell University cancels Kehlani concert over singer’s pro-Palestine views

Kehlani‘s planned performance at a Cornell University concert this May has been cancelled over her pro-Palestine views.

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The singer – who has been a vocal supporter of Palestine throughout the Gaza-Israel conflict – was set to perform at the Ivy League university on May 7 as part of its annual Slope Day celebrations. However, the university’s President Michael I. Kotlikoff has rescinded her invite in an email to students that was leaked online.

The full letter was shared on X/Twitter by Daily Wire journalist Kassy Akiva, who has labelled the singer as “anti-Israel” – you can see the full letter here.

In his email, the university’s president saying the booking of the singer had “injected division and discord” at Cornell, due to her making what were felt to be “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments.”

According to Kotlikoff, the rescinding of Kehlani’s invite to perform comes after students and members of “the community” voiced their anger and confusion “that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media.” His decision to cancel her performance was made after spending “days talking privately with many students”.

Kotlikoff noted that “while any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views,” her inclusion in the performance line-up “has compromised what is meant to be an inclusive event”.

He went on to write: “I understand that my decision will be celebrated by some and criticized by others. I believe it is the right thing to do and the decision I must make to ensure community and safety at this hight-profile event that reaches the entire campus.”

A replacement for Kehlani at Cornell’s Slope Day celebrations is expected in the coming days. NME has reached out to Kehlani and Atlantic Records for comment.

Kehlani has long been vocal and public about her support of Palestine over the years. In 2024, she released a music vide for ‘Next 2 U’, in which she appeared in front of Palestinian flags and wore a suit stitched with keffiyeh scarf materials. The video also included the words “long live the intifada”, which is often chanted at protests over the Gaza-Israel war.

The video also includes a link to an Al Jazeera article listing the names of thousands of children that Israel has killed since October 2023. She shared that she had planned to include a scroll of all of their names at the end of the video, but had to link out to it instead as even at full speed, it ran for over three minutes and was illegible.

In other related news, Irish rap trio Kneecap made headlines last weekend after their two sets at the festival reportedly left organisers “blindsided” due to their overtly political nature, including showing pro-Palestine projections on the screen behind them and encouraging the audience to chat “Free, Free Palestine”.

At their show at the first weekend of Coachella, the livestream of their set was cut after they voiced their political stance and led a provocative anti-Margaret Thatcher chant. The restrictions from weekend one led to the band providing their own livestream at weekend two – with political commentator Hasan Piker broadcasting their set live on Twitch. Slogans including “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine”, “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people” and “it is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes” were projected on the screen behind them as they played.

The group’s Mo Chara also used the time on stage to say: “The Palestinians have nowhere to go, it’s their fucking home and they’re bombing them from the skies… If you’re not calling it a genocide what the fuck are you calling it?”

One of the most vocal opponents for Kneecap’s appearances at Coachella was Sharon Osbourne. Taking to X, Osbourne – who has Ashkenazi Jewish heritage – wrote a lengthy post claiming that the sets “compromised” the festival’s “moral and spiritual integrity”. She also urged for the trio to have their working visas revoked due to the performances.

“Her rant has so many holes in it that it hardly warrants a reply, but she should listen to ‘War Pigs’ that was written by Black Sabbath,” Kneecap’s Mo Chara said in response. The nod to Black Sabbath comes as her husband Ozzy Osbourne, is the band’s frontman.

The band then shared another statement with BBC News Northern Ireland about Osbourne’s comments adding: “Statements aren’t aggressive, murdering 20,000 children is though.”

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