Pink has finally addressed the backlash she faced after appearing to criticize Macklemore for using his opening set on Ed Sheeran’s tour to speak about Palestine.
The singer reposted a call to remove Macklemore from the tour, which quickly drew criticism from fans who felt her stance was out of character.
She has now clarified that the repost contained language she did not write herself.
Highlights
- Pink addressed the backlash over reposting a call to remove Macklemore.
- She reaffirmed that she believes Hamas is a terrorist organization.
- Pink said her main concern was ensuring Jewish people do not feel threatened.
“Welp, another artist I have to block on Spotify,” one person wrote after the original controversy.
Pink addressed the controversy in a lengthy Instagram post after receiving backlash for criticizing Macklemore
After receiving criticism over her apparent response to Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian speech, Pink explained that the post she shared included “words I didn’t write, and I wouldn’t have chosen all of them.”
In a lengthy Instagram post, she said she was frustrated that people were filling in the gaps about her beliefs without knowing what she actually thought.
She then laid out her position herself.
“Of course I don’t speak for Israel, or for any government. I never have.”
She continued, “What I said in October 2023 is still exactly what I believe: Hamas is a te*rorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations.”
Pink said she did not want to “litigate a complex war in an Instagram caption,” but she continued explaining her thoughts in the comments.
She emphasized she had noticed a change in the way people were responding to her online and pointed to phrases such as “From the river to the sea” and the use of “Zionist” as an insult.
She also wrote, “I don't think most of them hate Jews. I think somebody handed them a story where the Jew who won't apologize for existing must be the villain, and they've been putting words in my mouth ever since.”
Pink then made clear what she was asking people for.
“You don't have to agree with one thing Israel's government does to not want the Jewish family two rows down from you to be scared or targeted at a concert. That's the only thing I'm asking anybody for.”
The 47-year-old ended her message by saying she sees anyone who is afraid, while also acknowledging the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and discussing how she planned to mark the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.
The controversy started after Macklemore spoke about Palestine at an Ed Sheeran concert
The situation began after Macklemore performed as an opening act for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5, as reported by Bored Panda.
During his set, the rapper repeatedly chanted “Free Palestine” and performed his protest song Hind’s Hall.
He also wore a keffiyeh while images connected to Gaza and pro-Palestinian demonstrations appeared behind him.
The performance angered the Israeli-American Council, which launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s tour.
The group argued that the issue was not Macklemore’s right to have political opinions, but his decision to use a major concert platform to promote what it called a “one-sided political agenda.”
Pink then shared a post supporting the demand.
The post described Macklemore’s appearance as turning a “mainstream event into a political nightmare” and said concertgoers were “owed apologies and refunds.”
That move quickly put Pink in the middle of the controversy.
Pink’s support was questioned by her fans, who asked why she was angry about political messages at concerts
Pink has spent much of her career speaking openly about social and political issues. After her recent stint, her fans immediately found her response difficult to understand.
“This is actually so heartbreaking to see from someone I used to look up to,” one person wrote, while another commented, “A lot of people’s true colors are coming out lately, huh?”
A third pointed to Pink’s own history of political music, writing, “The woman wrote Dear Mr. President and performed it for years. Now suddenly getting political during a show is a problem? Super disappointed in her.”
Another person made the comparison even more directly, saying, “So it’s okay if she is political, but if other musicians are, that’s bad. Got it.”
The backlash continued after Pink shared a series of Instagram Stories that appeared to address the criticism.
One read, “Being liked by everyone is a clown’s job.”
Another said, “I don’t just say wild things on social media. In real life, I say them with eye contact.”
She also posted, “‘What do you mean?’ Probably what I f**king said.”
And, “If they want to paint you as the villain, then post.”
Those posts sparked further backlash.
One critic wrote that the posts made Pink look bothered by the backlash, while another mocked her for what they called “tumbler a** quotes.”
Despite Pink criticizing Macklemore’s speech, the rapper stood by his decision to speak about Gaza
Macklemore shared a video of his concert speech and wrote, “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
The post received more than 5 million views, with thousands of people supporting the rapper.
Some people also questioned whether Sheeran could really have been unaware of Macklemore’s views.
Macklemore has spoken publicly about the Israel-Palestine conflict for years, and commenters pointed out that he and Sheeran are close friends.
“I can't imagine Ed ‘not knowing’ his beliefs, or Macklemore accepting the position thinking Ed wouldn't approve of this message,” one person wrote. “Calling for Ed to punish him for this is so silly.”
"A whole post without saying anything meaningful," wrote one netizen
