Zara Larsson has announced she will not perform at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 3, following social media pressure drawing attention to the United Arab Emirates’ alleged involvement in the civil war in Sudan, per nme.com.
Responding to a fan prompt urging her to review UAE ties to the conflict, the Swedish pop singer initially posted “I will not be going to Abu Dhabi” before deleting the comment. She later clarified that the decision aligns with her personal values “beyond politics”, indicating a more formal statement is expected.
Ticketmaster and official Yasalam event pages continued to list Larsson alongside Lewis Capaldi for the December 3 showcase on Yas Island at the time of reporting. The wider Grand Prix music line-up features Imagine Dragons, The Chainsmokers and The Script.
The United Nations classifies Sudan’s humanitarian crisis as the world’s worst, with 13 million displaced amid mass atrocities. Human Rights Watch has reported an Abu Dhabi-based security firm training paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), allegations strongly denied by the UAE government. Larsson previously lost a $3 million sponsorship deal over a TikTok joke.
•Featured image: Zara Larsson/Ryan Bakerink/Getty Images