Cornell University has canceled Kehlani’s upcoming performance, which the singer was slated to perform on campus at the university’s annual Slope Day on May 7.
According to The New York Times, Cornell president Michael I. Kotlikoff emailed students and faculty on Wednesday (April 23) to make his decision to cancel Kehlani’s performance official.
Kotlikoff cited that “the selection of Kehlani as this year’s headliner has injected division and discord” into Slope Day. “In the days since Kehlani was announced, I have heard grave concerns from our community that many are angry, hurt and confused that Slope Day would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos and on social media,” he wrote in the e-mail, according to NYT.
Billboard has reached out to Kehlani’s rep for comment.
The announcement from Cornell comes in the wake of the White House’s decision to freeze $1 billion in funding for the university as officials investigate the school for allegedly failing to combat antisemitism on its grounds, something the school denies, according to the Associated Press.
Kehlani has been outspoken in the past when it comes to their support for Palestine and criticism of Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. For example, in the singer’s 2024 “Next 2 U” visual, Kehlani wore kaffiyehs and had dancers waving Palestinian flags. The phrase “Long Live the Intifada” also appears in the video.
The musician also joined the coalition of musicians to sign the Artists Against Apartheid letter in October 2023, which called for a ceasefire.
Slope Day is slated for May 7 and is an annual tradition following the last day of classes at Cornell. A new lineup is expected to be announced in the coming days.
On the music side, Kehlani has laid low this year following a busy 2024, which saw the release of their Crash album, as well as the expanded version of her 2019 project, While We Wait 2.
