Boy George has responded to criticism of his pro-Israel song ‘We Will Dance Again’, insisting that he “comes from a place of peace”.
The Culture Club singer had been due to play King Herod in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium for a two-week run from Monday (August 3), but his manager Paul Kemsley announced yesterday (July 30) that he had withdrawn from the production.
Kemsley did not give an explicit reason for the decision, but said that George had “never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions” and that he believed stepping aside was in the “best interests” of the singer and the show.
The announcement came days after George released ‘We Will Dance Again’, a controversial song that appeared to reject descriptions of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza as genocide, as well as criticising musicians who have publicly supported Palestine.
George has now addressed the response to the song in a public statement, saying it was inspired by his visit to the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in London and meetings with people affected by the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
BREAKING: the manager of @BoyGeorge Paul Kemsley says the singer is being pulled out of his performance in Jesus Christ Superstar.
His message alludes to George’s ‘personal convictions’.
It doesn’t say but it appears this may be connected to George’s pro Jewish song that he… pic.twitter.com/nfsDzy8UnN— Nicole Lampert (@nicolelampert) July 30, 2026
“Sometimes, I realise that being an air sign I expect the world to understand me without having to explain myself,” he began.
“The suggestion that I feel no compassion for Palestinians is both untrue and absurd. I am devastated for the loss of the innocent lives on both sides of this war and I call for peace.”
“I have read members of the press calling me a ‘genocide denier’, yet those who deny the suffering of Israelis are given a free pass.”
George continued: “My song is pro-peace and about the emotions I felt after visiting the Nova Exhibition and talking to Michael and Lisa Marlowe, who had their son Jake taken from them. Murdered trying [to] help others.”
“The Nova Festival is a mirror of my world as a DJ and I have played many such festivals, including in Israel, so it resonated with me and I felt compelled to write something. I could have been there, and we know that there were people from more than 40 countries who were. I felt these deep emotions and I wrote this song for them.”
BREAKING:
Singer @BoyGeorge has released a public statement about the horrendous attacks he has had since daring to write a song that humanises Israelis.
He says he was inspired to write it after going to the Nova Festival exhibition in London and meeting Mike and Lisa Marlowe… pic.twitter.com/M6yejy008e— Nicole Lampert (@nicolelampert) July 31, 2026
George also defended his rejection of the term genocide in the song, which opens with the lyric: “You say genocide, I say war.”
“My personal opinion is that this is sadly a war, but not an attempt to wipe out Palestine,” he said. “But I respect that everyone has their own opinions and believe we should all be allowed to have that right.”
He then questioned why more musicians had not publicly supported Jewish communities, adding that speaking up for his Jewish friends did not mean that he supported the war or opposed Palestinians.
“I understand that it is uncomfortable to defend your friends when a war like this is raging, but the woman who sells me bagels is not to blame, neither is my doctor or publicist, manager, ex-boyfriend or my thousands of Jewish friends,” he wrote. “This song is for them.
“I come from a place of peace. I am a Jew-loving, trans-hugging queer hippy and my mother would be proud of me.”
Boy George later confirmed that he had used artificial intelligence to create the track, describing it as “AI for good” and admitting that he would “struggle to write this with a human”.
The song was condemned by Heaven 17 and The Human League co-founder Martyn Ware as an “overtly pro-genocide, anti-Palestinian piece of musical propaganda”. Actor Patrick Clanton, who previously appeared alongside George in the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge!, also said that he was “embarrassed” to have worked with him.
A United Nations-appointed Commission of Inquiry concluded in September 2025 that Israel had committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Amnesty International has reached the same conclusion.
Israel has repeatedly denied committing genocide or war crimes, maintaining that its military campaign followed the Hamas-led attacks of October 7 and was an act of self-defence. It rejected the UN Commission’s findings as “distorted and false” and a “libellous sham”.
George has voiced support for Jewish communities on several occasions in recent years. In May, he shared a message of solidarity at an anti-Semitism march in London.
Culture Club are currently due to return to the stage for ‘The Singles’ UK arena tour with ABC and Haircut 100 this December.
