Sam Smith’s highly anticipated performance at the Summer in the City Festival in Tel Aviv, Israel has been cancelled due to unforeseen technical and logistical problems. The event producers announced the cancellation of the concert, scheduled for May 31, in a recent statement. While the festival’s June 1 concerts will continue as planned, ticketholders have been offered full refunds or partial refunds for those who purchased tickets for both days of the event.
A Controversial Performance
The “Unholy” singer’s first performance in Israel was expected to last 90 minutes and promote their new album, Gloria. However, it had attracted controversy from the LGBT community and Palestinian activists. Ghadir Shafie, co-founder of Aswat, a Palestinian feminist center for gender and sexual freedoms, penned a letter to Smith urging them not to perform in Israel, as doing so would help maintain the country’s false image as a modern, democratic society.
Social Media Pressure
In addition to the letter, the hashtag #SamDontGo began circulating on social media in an effort to prevent the concert from taking place. The campaign gained further traction as fans protested at Smith’s concerts in London, calling on the singer to withdraw from the Tel Aviv festival. Although Sam Smith has not directly commented on the cancellation, the intense pressure from the LGBT community and Palestinian activists may have played a role in the ultimate decision.