Musicians Massively Withdraw from Barcelona's Sónar Electronic Music Event in Solidarity with Palestinians
Festival Chaos: A series of artists have dropped out from the Sonar festival, scheduled in Barcelona from June 12-14, due to accusations that the funding behind this electronic music event backs real estate projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"Sonar, managed by Superstruct Entertainment, majority-owned by financial titan KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts), aids in Israel's Gaza genocide", claim over sixty artists in a heated social media post.
Names on the list include Arca, Rone x (La Horde) with the Ballet National de Marseille, Asia, DJ Paquita Gordon, and Shaun J. Wright. These artists demand the festival to distance itself from KKR's controversial investments and abide by the rules of BDS, the global movement opposing Israel, dubbed as the "Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions" movement.
BDS blames American investment firm KKR for being complicit in Israeli genocide and its apartheid regime due to its significant share in the German media group Axel Springer. This media group, in turn, owns the Israeli classified site Yad2, which advertises real estate projects in Palestinian territories.
Festival's Stance
In response to the escalating controversy and daily cancelations, Sonar has set up a special Q&A section on their website. "Superstruct Entertainment, managing over 80 festivals worldwide, acquired Sonar in 2018. At that time, Providence Equity Partners was the main investor of Superstruct", Sonar reminisces.
"In October 2024, Providence exited and sold its stake to a consortium led by KKR and additional investors. This was a financial transaction with no control on our part", Sonar clarifies. The festival further denounces the genocide of the Palestinian people but assures it has never and will never give a penny to KKR.
Spanish Minister’s Concerns
Spanish far-left minister Ernest Urtasun expressed "concerns" on May 17 over KKR's infiltration into various Spanish festivals, as it reportedly conducts real estate activities in Israel-occupied Palestinian territories. "We don't want a fund that actively participates in the illegal occupation of Palestine by Israel to take part in our culture", he stated in a press conference.
The Spanish government, led by socialist Pedro Sánchez, recognized the State of Palestine in May 2024, alongside Ireland and Norway. Lately, it has been one of the EU's most critical voices against the Netanyahu government.
- The Spanish government, led by socialist Pedro Sánchez, who recently recognized the State of Palestine, has expressed concerns about KKR's involvement in Spanish festivals due to its reported real estate activities in Israel-occupied Palestinian territories.
- BDS, the global movement opposing Israel, accuses American investment firm KKR of being complicit in Israeli genocide and its apartheid regime because of its significant share in the German media group Axel Springer, which owns the Israeli classified site Yad2 advertising real estate projects in Palestinian territories.
- Sonar, managed by Superstruct Entertainment, majority-owned by KKR, has distanced itself from accusations of aiding Israel's Gaza genocide and maintains that it has never and will never give a penny to KKR, despite KKR's controversial investments being a point of contention for several artists who have dropped out of the festival.
