Xenia Rubinos is scheduled to perform tonight at the Berlin music festival Pop-Kultur, but she’s not happy about it. According to a note posted on Instagram, after departing the US for her European tour, she learned Pop-Kultur has financial ties to the state of Israel; the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement has previously called for boycotts of the event in protest of the government’s treatment of Palestinians, and earlier this week artists including Lafawndah have dropped out in protest.

In her message, Rubinos says it would be financially ruinous for her to cancel the performance at this phase of her tour, so she’ll go through with it “with a heavy heart.” She adds, “I want to make it clear that I stand with the activists, artists and people of Palestine. I urge Pop Kultur Fest to amplify the voices of the activists in your own community and join me in condemning the human rights violations and systemic oppression being carried out by the state of Israel against the Palestinians.”

Here’s Rubinos’ full message:

It has just recently been brought to my attention that Pop Kultur Fest has financial ties to the state of Israel. I am horrified to learn that the festival has resumed this partnership, despite years of calls from artists, activists and the people of Palestine to divest from it. I was completely unaware of this situation until I was on my flight to begin this tour. At this juncture, canceling my performance would leave me in a financial debt I cannot handle so it is with a heavy heart I will take the stage to perform tonight.

I want to make it clear that I stand with the activists, artists and people of Palestine. I urge Pop Kultur Fest to amplify the voices of the activists in your own community and join me in condemning the human rights violations and systemic oppression being carried out by the state of Israel against the Palestinians.

With a heavy heart,
Xenia