Azealia Banks Cancels UK Festival Performances Over Political Pressure

LOS ANGELES, CA — Singer Azealia Banks announced on social media Wednesday that she has canceled her performances at two UK music festivals due to alleged pressure from promoters to make pro-Palestinian statements during her sets.

Banks stated she would no longer perform at the Maiden Voyage Festival in London and the Boomtown Festival in Hampshire. In a post on X, previously known as Twitter, she expressed frustration with the demands from event organizers. “The promoters have been stressing me out for weeks trying to force me to say free Palestine and threatening to cut me from the bill because I won’t say free Palestine,” she wrote.

The rapper elaborated in her post, claiming the promoters were essentially trying to extort her. “They’re both basically trying to extort me by insinuating that I need to say I support Palestine or they will drop me from the gig, BUT I would much rather drop them,” Banks added. “I’m not dealing with the threats and I’m not putting on a f—— hijab.”

As the news spread, Boomtown Festival confirmed Banks’ withdrawal. A spokesperson for the festival stated, “Following her post on X, we can confirm that Azealia Banks has withdrawn from the lineup and will no longer be performing at Boomtown Festival. For clarity, Boomtown does not and will never dictate the personal views and beliefs of performers.”

The Maiden Voyage Festival did not immediately respond to requests for comment but acknowledged that Banks would not be performing at their event.

In her social media updates, Banks emphasized that her decision was not a reflection of her views on Palestine itself but rather on the demands placed on her. “I’m tired of the political statements surrounding it,” she stated, calling the situation “boring and exhausting.”