Pop star Dua Lipa has denied firing one of her agents after an “inflammatory” article from The Daily Mail. Previously, David Levy signed a letter calling for Irish group Kneecap’s removal from this year’s Glastonbury lineup. Lipa also condemned The Daily Mail for their false reporting, and music executives who use their position to censor artists.
Levy, employed by WME, signed a secret letter alongside 30 music executives urging Glastonbury Festival to drop Kneecap from its lineup back in June. The letter was subsequently leaked by DJ Toddla T. In response, more than 100 artists signed their own letter in support of Kneecap.
The divisive Belfast trio has caused a stir in the past year for their unyielding support of Palestinian freedom. They’ve been dropped from festival lineups, canceled shows, and gone to trial in London for alleged terrorism charges. Still, Kneecap has remained strong in their convictions.
Glastonbury Festival organizer responded to the backlash for keeping Kneecap in the lineup. Emily Eavis said, “Everyone is welcome here,” and Kneecap took the stage despite complaints.
Originally, The Daily Mail reported that Dua Lipa had parted ways with Levy for his involvement in the letter. Lipa and her team at WME have called the story “categorically false” and “deliberately inflammatory.” She said that The Daily Mail‘s goal was “to fuel online division.”
Dua Lipa Remains Devoted to Palestinian Freedom While Condemning “inflammatory” Reporting
“I do not condone the actions of David Levy or other music executives toward an artist speaking their truth,” Dua Lipa said in a statement on Instagram, per a report from the BBC.
She continued, “I also cannot ignore how this has been handled in the press. Not only was the story completely false but the language used by the Daily Mail has been deliberately inflammatory, crafted purely for clickbait, clearly designed to fuel online division.”
“It is always Free Palestine,” Lipa added, “but exploiting a global tragedy in order to sell newspapers is something I find deeply troubling.”
In a separate statement, WME clarified that David Levy had worked with Lipa mostly during her “early career.” The agency claimed that, “as is customary,” Levy “is credited both internally and in industry journals as being a member of the team. When he moved out of London in 2019, he transitioned into an advisory role and has not been involved in Dua’s day-to-day business since. Levy fully removed himself from the project among others earlier this year.”
The Daily Mail has since updated its original story reflecting this clarification. It also corrected a claim that Levy was Lipa’s manager. Her father, Dukagjin Lipa, has managed her career since 2022.
Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ABA
The post Dua Lipa Denies Firing Former Talent Agent and Condemns ‘Deliberately Inflammatory’ Reporting appeared first on VICE.
