American singer has harsh words while dealing with backlash after confirming Israel concert
After posting a Facebook status asking her fans for their opinion on whether she should go ahead with two planned concerts in Tel Aviv, and later confirming she would in fact be performing, Macy Gray is now dealing with the backlash from her decision.
Gray confirmed that she and her band would be coming to Israel as planned on her Twitter account Wednesday night stating: "Dear Israel fans. Me and the band will be there in 20 days. Can't wait. See you then. Peace."
Soon after, she was forced to defend her decision from those claiming she was supporting apartheid, and even a Nazi-like regime.
One post asked her "would you play a show in Nazi Germany if you had fans there?" To which Gray responded with "think about that. I wouldn't have fans there".
The singer noted that she was overwhelmed by the response to her Facebook post and said "I wasn't expecting any of this. But I am listening and I don't support oppression."
It appeared that Gray was taken aback by the aggressive tone of some of the posts. In response to a poster claiming to be "passionately Palestinian" she wrote: "See I'm willing to listen - really listen - but some of you so called boycotters are just assholes."
Grey had earlier shared her concerns over performing in Israel on her Facebook page, following letters from activists "urging/begging me to boycott by NOT performing in protest of Apartheid against the Palestinians."
"What do you think? Stay or go?" she asked her fans.
The post, published three days ago, received hundreds of comments, some calling on her to call off the gigs and others, from Israeli fans, asking her not to. In agreeing to perform in Israel she has joined the ranks of Elton John, Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart who ignored calls to cancel their Israel gigs.
This will be Gray's fourth visit to Israel. The show's production company said in response that they were aware of the letters Gray had been receiving and that the first concert had already been sold out.
