Turkish singer Sıla’s concerts canceled after democracy rally remarks

“[…] There are also artists who describe the fight of our people claiming our country as a show and mock that honorable stance and will. Therefore, the planned Sept. 21 and 22 concerts of one of those artists, Sıla Gençoğlu, in Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theater have been canceled by our municipality,” the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality said in a statement.

Sıla had previously said she did not want to attend the rally, calling it a “show.”

“I am absolutely against the coup but I do not prefer to be inside such a show,” Sıla said, while stressing that she stood by her words.

“I do not want to comment on this issue. Of course those who wanted to take it wrong did so but I stand by my words. Do not we say democracy? Well, I expressed my opinion and said what I thought,” she said.

In addition to concert cancelations in Istanbul, Sıla’s Aug. 11 concert in the capital Ankara, Sept. 28 concert in the northwestern province of Bursa and her upcoming concert in the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri were also canceled due to her remarks.

Meanwhile, the hashtag #SılaYalnızDeğildir (Sıla is not alone) hit the worldwide Twitter trending topic list after the cancelations.

Millions of people, including a number of celebrities and artists, gathered on Aug. 7 at a meeting venue in Istanbul’s Yenikapı district for a massive joint democracy rally to protest the July 15 failed coup attempt.