This is the reason why Jewel and Sarah McLachlan canceled their performance at the Lilith Fair documentary premiere

Singers Jewel and Sarah McLachlan canceled their planned performances at the “Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery” documentary premiere on Sunday, September 21, in protest of Disney suspending television host Jimmy Kimmel over comments he made about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

ABC News Studios, one of the documentary’s distributors, is owned by Disney. The premiere was held at The Ford in Los Angeles, where Jewel and McLachlan were scheduled to give a surprise live performance.

McLachlan explains decision on stage

While McLachlan did appear before the audience, it was only to explain why neither she nor Jewel would perform. She said the decision was made in support of free speech and admitted to feeling conflicted about attending the event at all.

“I know you’re expecting a performance tonight, and I’m so grateful to all of you for coming, and I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” McLachlan told the crowd.

Fears over erosion of rights

“The stark contraction to the many advances we’ve made, watching the insidious erosion of women’s rights, of trans and queer rights, the muzzling of free speech,” she continued. “I think we’re all fearful for what comes next, and none of us know, but what I do know is that I have to keep pushing forward as an artist, as a woman to find a way through… because I see music as a bridge to our shared humanity, to finding common ground.”

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Although McLachlan never directly mentioned Disney by name, the audience responded with loud cheers.

Roots of the Lilith Fair movement

The 57-year-old Canadian singer co-founded the Lilith Fair tour in the mid-1990s after becoming frustrated with how female musicians were consistently overlooked in favor of male acts on the festival circuit and by radio broadcasters.

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