Following a rush of support to stand with Gaza, Kehlani adds her name to the increasing list of celebrities standing with Palestinians.
The American singer’s latest release “Next 2 U” is far from a subliminal signal of support. Kehlani isn’t wearing a brooch, or subtly displaying the colours of the Palestinian flag through clothing; the artist has gone all out.
In the music video, she decorates the backdrop with the flag of Palestine, sporting a suit designed with a keffiyeh pattern.
A reason to speak up
In a Twitter post, she remarked that the role of an artist is more than producing art; it is to “make the revolution irresistible”.
In a post published to Instagram, the singer explained why it is important to speak out and how it can affect change:
“I remembered my favorite revolutionary poets, singers, filmmakers. I remembered how much impact we have,”…“I thought about my favorite James Baldwin quotes about the role of an artist in society. I listened to this song enough to recognize a love song IS a protectors song IS revolution.”
Celebrities fail to make impact
In the past, celebrities have been reluctant to show their support for Palestine. One notable withdrawal came from Rhianna who, in 2014 tweeted, “#FreePalestine” before subsequently deleting it, as did Dwight Howard.
Howard later released a statement that read: “previous tweet was a mistake. I have never commented on international politics and never will.
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) July 12, 2014
I apologize if I offended anyone with my previous tweet, it was a mistake!
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward)
July 12, 2014 ”
Through a demonstration of strong support, as Macklemore did, there is hope that more artists will use their platform to provide context and historical perspectives regarding the devastating situation in both the West Bank and Gaza. More than 35,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed by the Israeli Occupation Forces.
As the video ends, the names of all those who have been killed begin to scroll across the screen.
Stanisland Magazine 
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