Band disappointed after not making WOMADelaide line-up over Palestine stance

Musicians 47SOUL have been left disappointed after being dumped from WOMADelaide over their support of Palestine, but organisers say the call was made after “careful consideration”.

International band 47SOUL has lashed out after being cut from the line-up of WOMADelaide over their support of Palestine.

But event organisers say they have also turfed an Israeli act in favour of preventing protests at the festival.

The Palestinian-Jordanian electronic music group, which formed in Jordan in 2013, had been looking forward to returning to play the beloved festival, which starts on Friday.

However, the musical collective took to social media on Thursday to inform fans they were left devastated after being uninvited from WOMADelaide, claiming they were kicked off the line-up over their support of Palestine.

“Having initially accepted the invitation, we were later informed that WOMADelaide took the decision to rescind 47SOUL’s invite, citing doubts at being unable to present ‘a suitably safe environment’ for the artists and audiences at the festival due to community protests taking place in Australia,” 47SOUL stated.

47SOUL has been left disappointed they’re not going to be playing WOMADelaide. Picture: Supplied

“We find this line of reasoning deeply problematic and disheartening as it feeds into the narrative of Palestinians being an inherent source of danger to others.

“Given our long-standing relationship with WOMAD, and having performed at numerous events globally, including WOMADelaide, this decision has hit us hard.

“At this critical time, the message of multiculturalism that WOMAD seeks to espouse, and its specific relevance to the events we are witnessing, could not be of greater importance.

“Sadly, it seems that this message presently stops short of including Palestinians at a time when amplifying Palestinian voices could not be more critical, both for the survival of Palestinian life and culture.”

Organisers had in November invited 47SOUL to return to perform at WOMADelaide, eight years on from their last appearance as part of the final phase of 2024 festival programming.

However, a WOMADelaide spokeswoman told NCA NewsWire that event organisers opted to go in a different direction a week after offering 47SOUL a spot on the line-up “after careful consideration” about the associated risks of having acts with connections to both Palestine and Israel.

“WOMADelaide formed the view that the situation unfolding in the Middle East and the associated climate of community protests, division, and uncertainty surrounding the conflict at that time, presented a real concern for the safety of all artists and audiences,” she said.

47SOUL had agreed to play WOMADelaide after eight years since their last appearance at the festival. Picture: Supplied

“We advised via a phone call and email to their agent, of our concerns and very difficult decision to withdraw and no contract was entered into, nor announcement made, of 47SOUL performing at the festival.

“We expressed our support for the band and that we would look to present the group instead at the 2025 festival when we very much hoped – like everyone – for the situation to have significantly improved.”

The WOMADelaide spokeswoman said the decision wasn’t one “made lightly at the time”, explaining that this was the first time the festival had “felt the need to make such a decision”.

“Understandably, 47SOUL were disappointed by our decision,” she said.

“A few weeks ago, 47SOUL contacted WOMADelaide to ask us to reconsider and we reiterated our great respect for the band and the cause they support – one shared by many other artists on the festival line-up – and we advised that it was not a practical possibility at this late stage to present them at the 2024 festival.

“WOMADelaide has a proud history of supporting Palestinians voices and presenting Palestinian artists.”

The spokeswoman said the same decision was made regarding the artist from Israel.

It comes as protests continue across Australia and the world in the wake of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Originally published as Band disappointed after not making WOMADelaide line-up over Palestine stance