Singer Kehlani is addressing fans after her scheduled performance at Cornell University was suddenly canceled by the school. The R&B artist had been slated to headline a spring concert on campus, but university officials abruptly pulled the plug amid controversy over Kehlani’s outspoken views on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The cancellation came after some groups accused the singer of making anti-Israel statements on social media. In response, Kehlani took to Instagram to set the record straight and express her frustration. She explained that Cornell “cancelled my show” due to what she believes is backlash to her pro-Palestine stance, not because she’d done anything truly wrong. Making her stance clear, Kehlani wrote, “If you want to cancel me from [an] opportunity, stand on it being because of your zionism. Don’t make it anti-Jew.” She emphasized that she is anti-war and anti-Zionism, not anti-Jewish, pushing back on the narrative that her criticism of the Israeli government equates to hostility toward Jewish people. The singer called the situation “a played out game” of misconstruing artists’ political statements, and she voiced both disappointment and defiance in the face of being barred from the show.
Fan reaction has been swift and strong. Kehlani’s supporters rallied behind her online, flooding her comments with messages of love and solidarity. Many fans expressed pride in the singer for standing by her principles and refusing to be silenced. “Cornell doesn’t deserve you anyway!” one commenter wrote, while others urged the university to reverse its decision or invited Kehlani to perform elsewhere nearby. On campus, the news of the concert’s cancellation sparked debate among students, but Kehlani’s fans overwhelmingly sided with her, praising her courage in speaking out. Though the Cornell show won’t go on, Kehlani reassured fans that she’ll find a way to connect with them soon. “My heart was set on performing for y’all,” she noted, vowing that this setback won’t stop her from sharing her music and message. For now, Kehlani is turning the page on the incident with her head held high — and her fanbase only more devoted in the aftermath.
