Muso’s campaign for Pulp to drop Adelaide Festival as WOMAD backs its artists
Online lobbying of a beloved Britpop band scheduled to headline Adelaide Festival is mounting over the Writers’ Week controversy – while WOMAD faces its own campaign to have a Palestinian DJ dropped from its lineup.
Musicians for Palestine Kaurna Yarta has called on Britpop band Pulp to boycott Adelaide Festival in response to the board’s decision to drop Sydney-born Palestinian author Randa Abdel-Fattah from its Writers’ Week lineup last Thursday.
Pulp are scheduled to play a free outdoor concert in Adelaide’s Elder Park to open the world-renowned festival on February 27.
Musicians for Palestine – which formed last year in protest against an Israeli electronic duo performing in Adelaide – announced the social media campaign on Monday night, instructing followers to flood Pulp’s Instagram comment section with phrases “boycott Adelaide Festival” or “Solidarity with Randa”.
The group says it was targeting Pulp because the band “have historically been committed to using their influence as musicians to support Palestine”.
Pulp, led by frontman Jarvis Cocker, was one of 40 signatories to an open letter published by Heavenly Records in 2023, standing for freedom of expression in defence of hip-hop trio Kneecap.
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Kneecap has been widely criticised by supporters of Israel after denouncing the genocide in Gaza at concerts, including most recently, its 2025 Coachella performance.
“The question of agreeing with Kneecap’s political views is irrelevant: it is in the key interests of every artist that all creative expression be protected in a society that values culture, and that this interference campaign is condemned and ridiculed,” the 2023 letter read.
On Tuesday, more than 100 comments on a Pulp Instagram post urged the band to boycott Adelaide Festival.
An Adelaide Festival spokesperson said that Pulp were still on the Adelaide Festival program.
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The latest development comes as WOMADelaide has responded to letters requesting Palestinian DJ Sama Abdulhadi be removed from its 2026 lineup.
Although WOMAD is included under the Adelaide Festival online program, the two are separate organisations that function independently. WOMAD has its own board, executive leadership, governance structure and management.
InDaily understands state government ministers, including Arts Minister Andrea Michaels, some Adelaide City Councillors and WOMAD organisers have received emails from individuals and Jewish community groups calling for Abdulhadi’s removal.
The letter-writing campaign argues Abdulhadi’s invitation should be revoked “based on her documented history” of rhetoric and said the removal of Abdel-Fattah from Writers’ Week was a “responsible” decision.
“This decision recognised a crucial distinction: freedom of expression does not require cultural institutions to endorse or amplify voices that cross the line,” the letter read.
Abdel-Fattah has rejected claims that she is antisemitic and has engaged lawyers over the Adelaide Festival board’s removal of her from this year’s lineup.
A WOMADelaide spokesperson confirmed to InDaily that “there are no changes to the WOMADelaide schedule, and we look forward to Sama Abdulhadi’s performance” on Saturday, March 7.
In an email response to those campaigning for Abdulhadi’s removal, WOMAD said: “Artists are invited to perform on the basis of their musical achievements and contributions to global contemporary culture, not for their political views or affiliations.
“We are committed to remaining a space that fosters dialogue, understanding, and the free exchange of cultural expression through music and art. We do not endorse or promote the opinions of any artist who performs at the festival.
“Sama Abdulhadi is internationally recognised as a pioneering female electronic music artist and cultural innovator, and she performs at festivals and music events around the world. Her inclusion reflects WOMADelaide’s commitment to showcasing artists of exceptional talent from a diverse range of countries and genres.
“The festival maintains clear policies to ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all attendees, regardless of cultural, political, or religious background and will continue to uphold these principles as we celebrate the world’s music, arts and dance traditions, and contemporary voices.”
