The Jezabels respond to lead singer Hayley Mary’s MAGA cap protest

The Jezabels have released a statement after the Aussie band’s lead singer donned a MAGA cap to protest the Albanese government’s Misinformation Bill.

Australian band The Jezabels have posted a response to the “free speech” controversy surrounding their lead singer Hayley Mary.

In a statement posted on Instagram, band members Sam Lockwood, Heather Shannon and Nik Kaloper did not directly cite Mary or the fallout from her wearing a pro-Trump MAGA cap.

Instead, the statement noted the group “was a democratic quartet of disparate individuals” which abhorred “the language of the far right” and saw through its “grotesque attempts to moralise on free speech”.

Mary wore the red pro-Trump baseball cap in a social media post to protest the Albanese government’s proposed Misinformation Bill which opponents say could threaten free speech.

Hayley Mary’s MAGA cap protest. Picture: Instagram

“From the start, The Jezabels was a democratic quartet of disparate individuals,” the band said in a statement posted overnight Wednesday.

“We were young uni students who brought inspiration to the rehearsal room from our studies, and our grievances with the status quo. Sam remembers being inspired by Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands, for example, when contributing to our early music. The differences between us somehow became a unifying force.

“The Jezabels aspired to create moments of hope and beauty – music that might offer some respite in facing their day to day challenges in this challenging world,” it added.

“For this reason our most satisfying moments were hearing from fans – and particularly queer fans – that our music did in fact help them through tough periods.

“We were, are still, and always will be inspired by those in the struggle, people who quietly and tirelessly work to improve the conditions of the less well-off, or those looking to assert their identity in response to prejudice.

“We abhor the language of the far right and see through their grotesque attempts to moralise on free speech.

“The struggle continues. With love and despair, but hope, Heather, Nik and Sam.”

Mary, second from right, with her Jezabels bandmates.

Hayley Mary has faced a music industry backlash since wearing a red pro-Trump baseball cap in a social media post.

She has had a show cancelled, has had friends turn their back on her and lost key people from her team.

She said the post was a stunt to draw attention to the controversial bill.

She said: “The MAGA hat was for shock value,” adding: “The fallout was everything you could imagine,” Mary said.

“I probably no longer have a music career in the way that I knew it.”