Singer Pink has addressed criticism she received after reposting a video that critiqued rapper Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian concert remarks. In an Instagram statement on September 11, Pink explained her actions and shared her views on the ongoing conflict.
Macklemore performed his song "Hind's Hall" at MetLife Stadium on September 4, opening for Ed Sheeran. During the performance, he chanted "Free Palestine" as images from the Gaza war were displayed. This led to backlash from some fans and organizations, including the Instagram page "Stop Antisemitism."
Pink initially reposted the critical video without explicit comment, which she stated sparked a new wave of criticism, with some interpreting her action as pro-Israel. She clarified that a repost does not always equate to an endorsement of the exact wording used.
"I was born a Jew," Pink stated. "I didn’t pick it, and I’ve never hidden it." She emphasized that she does not speak for any government but reiterated her stance from October 2023: "Hamas is a terrorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations. Protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere, and nobody should ever celebrate the death of a child. Anybody’s child."
She detailed her work with UNICEF, spending time with children on both sides of the conflict, and stated she would not litigate a complex war in an Instagram caption or recite slogans to regain followers.
Pink explained her reaction was prompted by Macklemore's behavior. She recalled a 2014 Grammy performance where Macklemore wore a "random costume" with "a hooked nose, a black beard and a bowl cut," which she, and "every Jew I know," recognized as antisemitic. She noted that Macklemore apologized for that incident, but his recent stadium performance, where he dedicated a song to the "Free Palestine" movement and stated it "wasn’t about" Jewish people in the audience, prompted her repost.
"You don’t get to decide that for us," Pink wrote. "That’s what prompted my repost. Not ‘Free Palestine,’ and not anyone’s right to say it. I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and I’m not asking now. I don’t need anyone fired, and I don’t need a refund. What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, ‘that scared me, and it scared people I love,’ without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told I’m somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?"
Pink drew parallels to her 2006 protest song "Dear Mr. President," written in response to the Iraq War, asserting she has always stood up for her beliefs, even when it incurs criticism.
"I have stood up for other people’s people my whole career, and I know exactly what it costs," she said. "And now I’m standing up for my own people, and I thought I knew going in how lonely that would be. And it’s lonelier than that. But I’m doing it anyway."
She observed a shift in public discourse, noting comments like "From the river to the sea" and "Zionist" being used as slurs. Pink believes many who use such rhetoric do not fully understand the complexities but have been fed a narrative where Jewish people are portrayed as villains.
Pink concluded by addressing those who are furious with her, stating they do not need to agree with her, but that fear and targeting of Jewish families at concerts are unacceptable, regardless of one's stance on the Israeli government. She expressed solidarity with those who are frightened, regardless of their background, and reiterated her commitment to speaking out.
Macklemore, in his own Instagram video, explained that he chose to tour with Sheeran to have a large platform to express "Free Palestine," adding that "Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial."