00:01This is not usually how I would open the show, but before I play some songs tonight
00:05I hope it's okay if I say a few words about this last week
00:13I'm used to my music being criticized and I'm always happy to take that because I'm lucky a lot of
00:19you like my stuff
00:20I'm not surprised that other people don't you know, it's normal
00:23But this week the criticism was about something much more important and I've had to take and make
00:29Difficult decisions and I am making mistakes, and I'm so so sorry
00:34I don't want to disappoint fans and I've never wanted to be an activist musician
00:39But this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the
00:44most complex political issue on the planet
00:54My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone and that matters hugely to me
01:01Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am and that is why I'm here
01:08tonight on
01:08On my own and continuing my current tour
01:18But I am I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approved content of performers
01:24This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free
01:28world
01:34Now I want to address the question of where I stand in the situation in Israel and Palestine and whether
01:40my doing this concert here tonight implies where I stand
01:44I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music
01:49and shows to be about unity
01:51Not division about humanity not politics
01:57But this is a humanitarian issue and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore
02:04What happened in Israel and at the no music festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish
02:11pain?
02:12What is happening in Gaza is a catastrophic and
02:17Unjustifiable and disproportionate my heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians lives of
02:25children's lives
02:28And the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked. I
02:34Honestly, I'm so grateful that you're here tonight with me
02:47This this concert is still a place where everyone is welcome and everyone here can stand beside people that have
02:53opposing views and everyone here
02:55Can stand to buy people that they don't agree with on everything, but they can all agree on singing these
03:02songs
03:07And these songs are about love hope and unity
03:16I
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