When music and politics collide: Several artists have canceled their performances at a major music festival due to the participation of Amir. What’s behind the controversy?

French-Israeli singer Amir Haddad, who represented France at Eurovision 2016 and has since become one of Europe’s leading artists, is slated to perform at Belgium’s “Francofolies de Spa 2025” festival. His participation in the festival’s lineup has triggered widespread artist cancellations and sparked a media storm, largely due to his vocal support for Israel. The annual event, which draws around 130,000 visitors each year, has turned into an arena for a Europe-wide moral and political crisis.

Protests and Performer Withdrawals

On July 15th, 2025, organizers of Belgium’s “Francofolies de Spa” festival announced that the performance by the French-Israeli singer would proceed as scheduled. From the day of this announcement, reactions have spiraled into protests and clarifications, thrusting the festival into a moral and political quandary.

• Yoa, the French-Swiss singer, surprised fans by withdrawing from the event, citing a “social, political, and humanist conviction” that prevents her from sharing a stage with an artist “who does not recognize the humanitarian disaster in Gaza”.

• Soon after, DJ RaQL and activist LibraRomea also canceled their appearances, explaining their unwillingness “to perform alongside anyone who supported military actions” by the IDF.

• At the same time, a group of artists – including Lovelace, Nicou, and Mado – signed an open letter to the organizers, calling to “remove Amir from the program” due to his past involvement with pro-IDF events and his visit to a yeshiva in Hebron in 2014.

Festival Organizers’ and Label’s Response

Festival organizers told RTBF that they “make space for pain and sadness regarding the tragedy in Gaza”, but emphasized they cannot judge Amir’s personal conscience or “turn the music stage into a courtroom for moral judgment”. Amir’s record label responded that the boycott calls amount to “antisemitic brutality” and voiced full support for the artist.

Events such as Amir’s participation highlight the complex dilemmas faced by Jewish artists on the international stage. On one hand, there is commercial success, devoted fans, and prestigious awards; on the other, they face protests, boycotts, and political pressures – sometimes from industry peers. Experience shows that a measured response, like Amir’s, tends to earn widespread respect – not only in Israel but also among European audiences seeking messages of reconciliation.

Social, Cultural, and Economic Impacts

This is not the first time that geopolitical conflicts have infiltrated music festivals. For example, the recent Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom saw protests over performances by acts such as Kneecap and Bob Vylan, which led to pressure on the BBC and changes in broadcasting policy. In the case of “Francofolies de Spa 2025”, the tension between freedom of expression and social responsibility reemerges, with fans questioning whether a public music platform should take a clear political stance.

The festival sells around 130,000 tickets annually and contributes substantial economic activity to the region through tourism, hospitality, and dining. The wave of artist cancellations could affect the festival’s reputation, while also possibly setting a precedent for other festivals to establish clearer ethical codes for performers.

Future Implications: Policy and Protocol

The situation surrounding Amir and similar cases across Europe indicate a growing trend: music stages are increasingly becoming sites for political and social debate.

Large European summer festivals now appear to be considering protocols that screen artists’ backgrounds and clarify demands to avoid controversial messaging. Is this an infringement on artistic freedom, or a necessary safeguard for broad audiences? The moral debate is certain to continue well beyond July 20th, as other festival organizers weigh the possibility of adopting similar policies.

Amir Haddad and the Eurovision Connection

Amir Haddad is a prominent example of an artist embodying Eurovision’s international spirit: born in France, he immigrated to Israel as a child, and today represents both countries in the music world. Known by his stage name “Amir”, he first gained recognition in Israel when he appeared on the fourth season of “Kochav Nolad”, and later achieved widespread international acclaim. He became especially famous in France after finishing third in the French version of “The Voice” in 2014, amassing a significant fan base.

In 2016, he was chosen to represent France at Eurovision, finishing in sixth place – the country’s highest achievement since 2002. The song was a commercial success in Europe, especially in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, where it entered the top charts. Many fans remember his emotional performance and his special connection to Israel – for example, during a performance in France wearing a shirt featuring the Bibas family symbols after their tragic loss.

The song “J’ai Cherché” became an international hit, selling hundreds of thousands of copies, and opened doors for Haddad in the French and European music industries. Over the years, Haddad has released five albums, with many songs achieving chart success in Europe. His notable hits include “On Dirait” and “Au cœur de moi”, both of which were highly successful in France and Europe. Haddad has won the “Songwriter of the Year” award in France three times and was named MTV France’s “Singer of the Year”. In 2023, he collaborated with pop star Jason Derulo on the song “Il y a”, which also achieved media and chart success.

France at Eurovision 2025

“maman” (in English: “Mom”) is the title of the song to be performed by the singer, Louane, who represented France at Eurovision 2025, in Basel, Switzerland. France finished seventh in the final with 230 points. France was ranked third by the judges, but the young singer received only 14th place from the public vote. The seventh place overall was considered low compared to France’s pre-contest odds, where it was ranked third.

This marks the second consecutive year that France has finished in the top 10 at the Eurovision final.

Eurovision 2025 was France’s 66th participation in Eurovision. France joined the competition in 1956 and has won it five times over the years. France’s last victory was in Eurovision 1977 with the song “L’Oiseau et l’Enfant” performed by singer Marie Myriam.