Boy George Walks from Record Label Over Refusal to Release Pro-Israel 'We Will Dance Again'
Singer Boy George has parted ways with his record label manager Tony Pontius after Pontius refused to release the pro-Israel reggae track "We Will Dance Again." George vows to release the song despite professional fallout.
Culture Club frontman Boy George has split with his record label manager Tony Pontius, calling him "gutless" for refusing to release the musician's Israel solidarity song "We Will Dance Again." In a statement on social media Friday night, George expressed his determination to release the song, saying "In Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence. Due to my decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life."
According to George, Pontius, who has managed his record label BGP Records for several years, was unequivocal in his refusal: "I wanted to release 'We Will Dance Again' but he was unequivocal and said 'I want nothing to do with this song' and I responded 'ok, we are done'." George added: "When someone is gutless it really does not hurt to say goodbye. My faith in humanity will not diminish and the truth will always win. I will release it!"
The song addresses the Hamas massacre of partygoers at the Nova Musical Festival on October 7, 2023, and voices support for Israel's war in Gaza. The track's opening lyrics are: "You say genocide, I saw war / When you're attacked, that's what the army's for / Does it get ugly? You bet it does / When I know you wanna kill every last one of us." The track's title is an expression Israelis have repeatedly used to express their hopes for the future following the massacre, with lyrics including a line saying festival goers were "murder[ed] … for the crime of dancing".
The musician's pro-Israel stance has drawn criticism from pro-Palestine activists who have branded him a "genocide denier." In response, George has pushed back on criticism that he lacks compassion for Palestinians, stressing: "The suggestion that I feel no compassion for Palestinians is both untrue and absurd. I have read members of the press calling me a 'genocide denier' yet those who deny the suffering of Israelis are given a free pass."
The split marks an escalation in professional and personal consequences for the 65-year-old performer's pro-Israel stance. George, who is not Jewish, has championed Jewish causes in recent years, saying his position has resulted in him "losing a few people from my life" and insisting artists should be free to express their views even when they are unpopular. Pontius has not yet responded to George's public statement.