City Council calls to reinstate Kehlani and Noname SummerStage performances
NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) — Multiple New York City Councilmembers are calling on the City Parks Foundation to reinstate SummerStage performances for singers Kehlani and Noname.
Council Members Tiffany Cabán and Dr. Nantasha Williams sent a joint letter to the City Parks Foundation on Tuesday urging leaders to reverse the cancellation and condemning New York City Mayor Eric Adams for what they're calling political pressure.
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'When political pressure leads to threats against a permit that could impact an entire season of public performances, it puts our civil liberties at risk. Free speech is not optional,' said Williams.
'It's a right and it must be protected, especially when the voices being targeted are the very ones most often pushed to the margins.'
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
R&B singer Kehlani was originally set to perform on June 26 in honor of Pride but was canceled due to 'concerns for security and safety' from the Mayor's Office, according to a social media post from SummerStage.
The cancellation came shortly after Kehlani was pulled from Cornell University's Slope Day festival for comments related to Gaza.
Noname, who has similarly been outspoken about Gaza, was scheduled to headline a Juneteenth show.
'These cancellations are not about safety, they're about silencing. Black and brown artists have always spoken honestly about the world as it is and as it should be. That's what Pride and Juneteenth demand of us: truth-telling, not retreat,' said Williams.
In a statement provided to PIX11 News, City Parks Foundation Executive Director Heather Lubov said:
'To clarify – City Parks Foundation SummerStage did not cancel the Juneteenth/Noname benefit concert. This cancellation is a matter between Live Nation, the producer of the concert, and the artist. A reason for cancellation was not provided to SummerStage.
City Parks Foundation made the difficult decision to cancel the Kehlani concert in response to the security concerns raised by City Hall. The concerns also suggested that our license to operate SummerStage would be in jeopardy if we let the concert go on. The Mayor's Office cited the controversy surrounding Cornell University's decision to cancel Kehlani's concert at the University, as well as security demands in Central Park and throughout the City for other Pride events during that same time period.
We strongly and emphatically believe in artistic expression of all kinds. However, the safety and security of our guests and artists is of the utmost importance and in light of these concerns, the concert has been cancelled.
SummerStage is proud to be a platform for artists from around the world to perform and make arts accessible for all New Yorkers in their neighborhood parks. While artists may choose to express their own opinions, their views may not necessarily be representative of the festival. SummerStage events are intended to bring together all sectors of the New York City community and we look forward to welcoming more guests throughout the summer.'
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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