Singer-songwriter Kehlani will no longer headline Cornell University’s annual campus concert amid rising backlash over her virulent anti-Zionist activism. 

“Unfortunately, although it was not the intention, the selection of Kehlani as this year’s headliner has injected division and discord into Slope Day,” Cornell’s president, Michael Kotlikoff, wrote in a school-wide email on Wednesday — just two weeks before her scheduled performance. He noted that many community members expressed “grave concerns” that Cornell “would feature a performer who has espoused antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments in performances, videos, and on social media.” 

The Grammy-nominated singer at the center of the controversy, Kehlani, has long voiced her hatred of the Jewish State and has a history of going on expletive-laden tirades against Israel on social media. Last May, the singer-songwriter shared a video on Instagram declaring that she had lost “any ounce of f***ing respect” for musicians who did not condemn Israel’s war in Gaza, tacking on for good measure: “It’s f*** Israel, it’s f*** Zionism, and it’s also f*** a lot of y’all too.” 

In another social media post she called out any “Zionists” who might follow her on Instagram, branding them “the scum of the earth.” She added: “Although I can’t imagine a Zionist would still be following me at this point. Go to hell.” 

Kehlani’s anti-Israel posture is evident in her music as well. Last spring she shared a music video that opens with the statement “Long live the intifada” — a slogan criticized by civil rights and Jewish advocacy groups for inciting violence against Israelis and Jews. 

The Slope Day lineup is determined by Cornell’s Slope Day Programming Board, a student-run organization that gauges students’ preferences via a series of surveys. Last year, the group was given a $350,000 budget — composed of mandatory student fees — to hire talent. 

The board’s decision to select Kehlani, announced on April 10, sparked outrage among Cornell’s Jewish community which quickly put together a petition to reverse the decision. “While we respect the right to free speech and expression, choosing a singer with Kehlani’s record for a school-wide annual event meant to build and celebrate community effectively communicates that Israel, Jewish, and Zionist students are not a welcome part of that community,” Cornell’s Israel advocacy club proclaimed. The petition reached more than 5,200 signatories in just four days. 

The effort to oust Kehlani from the lineup gained ground beyond Cornell’s campus. Prominent pro-Israel activists, antisemitism watchdog groups and even members of the Senate began to weigh in on the issue, urging Cornell to reconsider. A fundraiser organized by Cornell’s pro-Israel students to finance a new performer quickly raised more than $28,500. 

Cornell’s president initially responded to the backlash by criticizing the programming board’s decision but claimed that it was too late to find another Slope Day headliner. In Mr. Kotlikoff’s most recent statement, however, he told the Cornell community to “expect a new lineup for a great 2025 Slope Day to be announced shortly.” 

Mr. Kotlikoff further noted that to avoid future controversy, he would be working with the Cornell programming board to “revise the process for researching and selecting performers for this important annual event.” 

“I understand that my decision will be celebrated by some and criticized by others,” Mr. Kotlikoff wrote. “Cornell is an institution where ‘any person can find instruction in any study,’ and where every person should feel included at the signature social event of the year.”