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French singer Kendji Girac is encountering demands to cancel his upcoming performances in Casablanca and Rabat due to previous shows in Israel. The event organizer in Morocco denies the reasoning, stating that he has never expressed political views regarding the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Starting from Thursday, social media has been filled with demands to cancel the upcoming performances of French singer Kendji Girac, set to take place in Casablanca and Rabat. The initiative was launched by the Moroccan Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott (MACBI),citinghis “collaborations with Israeli artists, performances in Tel Aviv, and previous media comments” it states are consistent with “marketing initiatives for the nation.”

The musician is scheduled to perform in Rabat on April 29 and in Casablanca on May 2 as part of «The Unforgettable Show» tour. In response to the campaign, the show’s producer in Morocco, Kenza Cheddadi, stated she “strongly disputes” the reasons provided by MACBI.

Speaking on Friday, she stated that the singer “has never commented on political matters concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Shocked by the campaign, she mentioned that Kendji has “performed multiple times in Morocco,” such as at the TaghaMusic festival last July and at Mawazine, one of the biggest music events globally.

These performances are part of a strictly artistic and cultural approach, true to the spirit of openness and diversity that defines the Moroccan scene,” Cheddadi added. She also highlighted that keeping both dates reflects “a clear intention” to provide the audience with a moment of music and celebration, “free from any political manipulation.

Past campaigns

The dispute originated from the artist’s performance in Tel Aviv during the summer of 2022. Before the event, Kendjisaidin an interview with an Israeli channel, he stated that “the Gypsy people are very close to the Jewish people,” and added that “the Gypsies originate from Israel.”

At that time, his Tel Aviv performance was also subjected toBDS France, which, in an open letter, called on him to cancel the event. «This invitation makes you a tool of Israel’s propaganda strategy to portray itself as a normal, secure, modern, and accepting nation, thereby diverting attention from its crimes against the Palestinian people», the group stated.

This was not the final such dispute. Prior to his November 2025 performance in Beirut, comparable issues arose.callsarose, pushing for the cancellation of his performance in Lebanon, referencing his trips to Israel. The concert proceeded as planned.