Jonny Greenwood and Dudu Tassa have officially cancelled their upcoming UK concerts in Bristol and London due to credible safety threats, issuing a compelling joint statement decrying the silencing of artistic expression.
Their collaboration — blending Greenwood’s Radiohead legacy with Tassa’s deep Middle Eastern musical roots — had planned to showcase a pan-Arabic ensemble featuring artists from Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Iraq. But mounting pressure from activist groups, including the UK branch of the BDS movement, led to the shows’ abrupt cancellation.
Greenwood and Tassa argue that threats against venues and staff forced their hand. While the campaign behind the cancellations claims it is not censorship, the artists disagreed: “Denying musicians the chance to perform and listeners the chance to hear them is clearly a form of silencing.”
Their message sharply criticizes the idea that multicultural projects like theirs — one that intentionally merges diverse identities and traditions from across the Middle East — are somehow unethical. “Art that bridges borders should be encouraged, not condemned,” they state. “Artists should be free to express themselves regardless of citizenship or religion.”
Though caught between extremes of political opinion, the duo remained unwavering in their intent: to celebrate music as a shared human language. “If we play these songs again, it won’t be a win for any nation or cause. It’ll be a win for our shared love of music.”