Halsey is not holding back when it comes to what they think about women’s rights. At her Sunday night (June 26) concert in Phoenix, the 27-year-old performer gave a few short remarks condemning the Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade — the nearly 50-year-old case that had previously guaranteed those with female reproductive organs the federal right to abortion — before leading the crowd in a fiery “My body, my choice” chant.
Walking back and forth on the Ak-Chin Pavilion stage, Halsey first urged fans to be politically active before getting real about what they think of you if you aren’t on the same page. “Here in Arizona, you guys got to promise me that you’re gonna do that work so that the person to the left of you and to the right of you has that right for the rest of their lives,” the “Without Me” singer said. “If you don’t like it, you can go home right now — I don’t care.”
“If you don’t like it, I don’t know why you came to a Halsey concert because I’ve never been shy that this is how I feel,” she continued, before starting an interactive chant with the audience. “My body!” she shouted, voice cracking slightly with emotion.
“My choice!” the fans screamed in return, everyone repeating the call and response several times.
Halsey was one of the first artists to speak out about the court’s ruling back in May, when the draft decision was leaked. “This is one of the most significant events we will witness in our lifetimes,” she tweeted at the time. “The effects of this decision will spiral into lethal situations for our entire country. Most seriously impacting people of color, rural areas and socioeconomically impacted communities. The time to take action is now.”
And when Roe was officially overturned in a 5-4 vote, the If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power artist returned once more to Twitter. “I have been advocating for abortion, reproductive rights, and bodily integrity for as long as I’ve had a platform and I’m running out of ways to word and frame the severity of the impact that fundamentalism has on our country,” they tweeted.
“I know some of you look to my page for information or guidance but I need a little bit of time to speak to some people with more authority and experience than me and gather my thoughts,” she added. “I don’t want to just contribute to antagonistic noise. I’m just defeated at the moment.”
Watch Halsey speak about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade below:
"…If you don't like it you can go home right now, I don't care, If you don't like it i don't know why you came to a Halsey concert…" #LoveandPowerTour #Phoenix
THE QUEEN HAS SPOKEN. 🎥:
jadessargent pic.twitter.com/gAH0mrn656— best of halsey (@haIseylq) June 27, 2022