Lorde is using her success on her Ultrasound World Tour for good.
The New Zealand artist played two huge shows in Minneapolis in October last year, and now she’s donating her entire merch earnings to a cause close to many Minnesotan’s hearts right now.
“I’m donating our merch take in Minneapolis ($204k) to Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee + Immigrant Defense Network” she posted to Instagram this morning, along with a picture of “ICE out,” written on her hand.
Her chosen grassroots organisations are providing hotlines, legal aid, and safety resources to those affected by recent ICE activity.
Lorde joins a growing group of outspoken musicians who have recently expressed their outrage at the actions of ICE in Minnesota and all of the US. The Grammy Awards saw their most political ceremony yet this past Sunday, with artists such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Bon Iver repping ICE out pins on the carpet.
In her acceptance speech whilst winning song of the year for ‘Wildflower’ Eilish gave a profound and memorable statement – “no-one is illegal on stolen land…I feel like we just need to keep fighting and speaking up and protesting…our voices really do matter.”
Bad Bunny had the most celebrated win that night, as the first Latin artist to win album of the year, and also echoed this sentiment, saying “before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say ‘ICE out.”
Olivia Dean, whilst winning best new artist, honoured immigrants, saying “I’m up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant… I’m a product of bravery and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
Lorde has been booked and busy on the Ultrasound tour recently, and she is bringing it down to Australia and New Zealand next week, and is doing so whilst planting herself firmly on the right side of history.
