Boy George will not take the stage at the London Palladium this month. Days after releasing a controversial pro-Israel song, the singer withdrew from the West End revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, his manager announced Thursday on social media.
"After careful consideration, I have decided, in my capacity as Boy George's manager, that he will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium," wrote manager Paul Kemsley. He said the decision was "made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company."
George had been set to play King Herod from August 3 through August 15. The production, which runs until September 5, has featured a rotating cast in major roles. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Simon Russell Beale and Richard Armitage have already appeared in the production. Layton Williams is scheduled for August 17 through 29, followed by Julian Clary from August 31 through September 5. As of the announcement, it was unclear who would fill George's now-vacant slot, according to Rolling Stone.
The withdrawal came shortly after George released an AI-assisted song titled We Will Dance Again, which shares its name with a 2024 documentary about the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack at the Nova Music festival in Israel. On Instagram Threads, George wrote, "The song was created using AI. I call it 'AI for good'. Truthfully, I would struggle to write this with a human!"
The song opens with the lyric: "You say genocide, I say war/When you're attacked, that's what the army's for." It also addresses artists who have spoken out in support of those suffering in Gaza, with lines stating that Israeli civilians were murdered "for the crime of dancing" and that "Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep/Propaganda fueled by the internet feels so weak." The song no longer appears to be available online.
Kemsley addressed George's history of taking strong positions. "George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that," he wrote. "Equally, I believe it is my responsibility to make decisions that are in the best interests of my artist while also showing respect to others. In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus, while ensuring everyone involved can move forward with mutual respect and goodwill."
Kemsley also offered an apology to fans who had planned to see George perform, expressing their "sincere apologies for the disappointment this decision may cause."
Jesus Christ Superstar is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The London Palladium production continues its run through September 5.
