Not only “Black Eyed PiS”. These foreign artists also stood up to the authorities at Polish concerts

After the resignation of Mel C, the title of the main foreign star during the Sylwester Marzeń broadcast on TVP2 went to the Black Eyed Peas group. The artists used airtime to deliver an anti-homophobic message. However, they were not the first to focus on activism during the concert in Poland.

“We are not Black Eyed PiS”

Although the musicians decided to accept the station’s invitation, they firmly distanced themselves from the values ​​it promoted, which were also not shared by the singer known from the Spice Girls.

We are the Black Eyed Peas. You can also say Black Eyed Peace. We are for peace, unity, harmony. We are not “Black Eyed PiS”.

bandleader Will.i.am stated in a short behind-the-scenes video. The band decided to wear rainbow armbands as a protest against homophobia. They also verbally supported other minorities and persecuted groups.

Thank you for having open hearts and minds. Jewish communities – we love you, people of African descent around the world – we love you, LGBT communities – we love you.

– spoke Will.i.am and dedicated the hit “Where’s The Love” to the persecuted groups. He also referred to it later, responding to the agitated MP Marcin Warchoł, who called the TVP party “Sylwestr Wynaturzeń”. However, not only the Black Eyed Peas decided to criticize Polish politics.

Rammstein

In 2019, during a concert in Chorzów, German metallers from Rammstein decided to hang a rainbow flag on stage, showing support for the LGBT community. This was not the only gesture of this kind – at the end of the song “Ausländer” the guitarists kissed.

We wanted to show that love is for everyone. I believe that each of us, regardless of gender, carries both masculine and feminine elements within us. To be happy in life, you have to balance it. […] Everyone has the same rights and can express the sexuality they want. I’m very liberal in that respect. Then there’s the fact that I grew up in East Germany where there was censorship and guilt about certain things, so I feel like the world shouldn’t be like that.

– Richard Krusp commented on the situation in an interview with “Teraz Rock” magazine, also referring to the kiss in Moscow, which was even more passionate and also shocked the local audience.

Maneskin

The performance of the Italians from Måneskin, the winners of the Eurovision Song Contest, who performed in our country as part of the Polsat SuperHit Festival in 2021, was also widely commented on. The musicians had already been actively involved in the fight for minority rights, and some of the band members openly spoke about their sexuality, admitting that they were bisexual. During the concert in Poland, singer Damiano David and guitarist Thomas Raggi kissed on stage, after which the frontman gave a short speech in front of the cameras.

We believe that everyone should have the right to do so without fear. We believe that everyone should have complete freedom to be who they really are. Thank you, Poland. Love is never a bad thing

he shouted. He also supplemented his statement in a post published on the band’s official Instagram profile, which was shared by the world’s media.

YUNGBLUD

On May 10, 2022 YUNGBLUD performed in Warsaw. The musician supporting the LGBT community, as promised a year ago to Polish fans in social media, decided to protest also on the streets of the capital. Near EXPO XXI in Warsaw, where he played a concert, he painted a rainbow flag as a protest. The recording capturing this moment became one of the most popular ones published on his TikTok.

Sting

The former frontman of The Police was to perform in Poland during the Wiktor awards gala broadcast on TVP. Initially, like Mel C, he decided to accept the invitation, but after numerous appeals he changed his mind. Among others, Mariusz Szczygieł tried to persuade him to do so. He was supported by other journalists and public figures, including Krzysztof Zyzik, Maciej Orłoś and Beata Czuma.

You probably do not know that by appearing at the Wiktory TVP Gala, you authorize and authenticate television, which has nothing to do with democratic free media.

– wrote the reporter. Sting actually quit the show. The official justification stated that the musician wanted to focus on the “My Songs” tour and the premiere of the charity single “Russians”, the proceeds of which were to be donated to support the Help Ukraine Center organization.

We explained to him that with his performance at the Wiktorów gala, he authenticated the regime’s television, which became the government’s propaganda mouthpiece. I made the decision myself.

– admitted Michał Englert in an interview with “Gazeta Wyborcza”.