Dua Lipa has said her support for the suffering Palestinians in Gaza is for the “greater good” and she is willing to take the backlash.
“When I speak about things that are political, I double-check, triple-check myself to be: ‘OK, this is about something that is way bigger than me and it’s necessary, and that’s the only reason I’m posting it.’ That is my only solace in doing that,” she told Radio Times.
“It’s always going to be met with a backlash and other people’s opinions, so it’s a big decision. I balance it out, because ultimately I feel it’s for the greater good, so I’m willing to take that.”
The “New Rules” singer posted an image from Artists4Ceasefire along with the hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah on her Instagram last month and added a caption for her 88m followers that read: “Burning children alive can never be justified. The whole world is mobilising to stop Israeli genocide. Please show your solidarity with Gaza.”
She was then mentioned in an Israeli drill rap song which called for violence against all public figures who expressed pro-Palestinian views.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 36,000 people so far, turned the Palestinian territory into a wasteland of rubble and left most of its 2.3 million people homeless and at the brink of starvation. The offensive began after the Hamas group attacked southern Israel on October 7 last year and killed nearly 1,200 soldiers and civilians.
The three-time Grammy winner, who is headlining Glastonbury this year, said her politics is greatly influenced by her Kosovo-Albanian heritage.
Speaking up “is a natural inclination for me, given my background and heritage, and that my very existence is somewhat political”, she said. “It’s not something that is out of the ordinary for me to be feeling close to.”
Lipa will headline Glastonbury’s revered Pyramid stage in June alongside a lineup of female headliners, including US R&B star SZA and country pop queen Shania Twain, in the coveted Legends’ slot. It will be Lipa’s first appearance at the festival since playing the John Peel stage in 2017.
She released her latest album Radical Optimism on 3 May and said the project is inspired by Britpop.
Lipa’s self-titled debut album in 2017 spawned hits including “Be The One” and “New Rules”, and her second album Future Nostalgia, released in 2020, featured singles such as “Physical” and “Break My Heart”.
