Karol G will make history as the first Latina artist to top the bill at Coachella, and she feels this moment marks the beginning of something important. She is keen to use her platform to address inequalities across the United States, such as the tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). According to Metro - Main, Karol G described feeling a huge weight on her when she received the call to headline, and she expressed a desire to represent her community. However, it remains unknown what specific actions or statements she plans to make at Coachella regarding ICE or other social issues.
Multiple reports indicate that Karol G has been warned about speaking out against injustice, as she could face major repercussions, though who specifically issued these warnings and what exact repercussions were threatened has not been disclosed. She has also been instructed to keep her performances neutral. According to Metro - Main, Karol G described being told it's better not to speak out because she might get a call threatening to take her visa away, and she described becoming bait for people who want to show their power.
People will say, 'It's better you don't... Because if you say the thing, maybe the next day you'll get a call, 'Hey, we are taking your visa away.'
Karol G is no stranger to speaking out, having previously vocalized her support for the LGBTQ+ community. She faced backlash in 2020 for a tweet during the Black Lives Matter movement, where she wrote, 'The perfect example of Black and White TOGETHER looking beautiful. #BlackLivesMatter.' According to Metro - Main, Karol G described loving people who can go out into the world and be fearless, and she feels blessed to be part of a generation trying to change the narrative and raise their voice for the community.
During her Coachella performance on Friday, CMAT spoke out against United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. She told the crowd before performing her hit 'I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!' at Coachella. According to The Independent - Main, CMAT described not letting people be convinced that deaths or family separations in the name of country or capital are anything other than an abhorrent waste of life. She also said, according to The Independent - Main, that we only get one go around and she doesn't want to waste it, calling for ICE out and free Palestine. The audience and organizers' reactions to CMAT's speech have not been confirmed, and the current status or impact of the 'ICE Out' movement mentioned in the sources remains unclear. According to Metro - Main, Karol G described not wanting to just say 'ICE Out' and have nothing come from it, and she said she's probably going to go a little harder than that, though she emphasized she would do it with her soul after understanding what it meant.
You become bait because some people want to show their power.
I don't want to just say 'ICE Out' and have nothing come from it.
I'm probably going to go a little harder than that.
I just want to represent my community.
I'm not saying that I'm not going to do it; what I'm saying is that I would do it and will do it with my soul. But I want to sit down and understand, in my head: Here's what that meant.
When I received the call, I felt like a huge weight fell on me.
I feel very blessed to be part of a generation that is trying to change the narrative and raise our voice for the community.
I love people who can go out into the world and be fearless.
The perfect example of Black and White TOGETHER looking beautiful. #BlackLivesMatter.
Please do not let them convince you that people dying or being ripped away from their family in the name of country or capital is anything other than an abhorrent waste of life.
We only get one go around. And I don't want us to waste it. ICE f***ing out, and free Palestine.