Martina McBride has joined the growing list of artists who have decided to back out of the upcoming “Freedom 250” concert.
Earlier this week, details were announced for Freedom 250 Presents: The Great American State Fair, a celebration marking America’s 250th birthday.
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The event is backed by Freedom 250, an organization founded by President Donald Trump. It is going to be a 16-day festival held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., from June 25 through July 10. A long list of performers was also announced for the event.
But just one day after the news was revealed, several artists have already decided to pull out.
Martina McBride + Five Other Acts Drop Out Of The “Freedom 250” Concert
One of the latest artists to change course was Martina McBride. The country star shared a statement on social media on Thursday, May 28, explaining her decision to no longer participate in the festival.
According to the “Independence Day” singer, the festival was originally presented to her as a patriotic, nonpartisan celebration. However, she said the event was not what she originally believed it would be when she agreed to perform.
“I would like to talk to you and clear the air,” McBride’s statement begins. “I will not be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th. I was presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading. I asked lots of questions and was assured that this was a nonpartisan event that was meant to celebrate ALL 50 states. In my mind I thought this was a great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can. I saw it as just a bigger version of so many state fairs I have performed at over the years, celebrating community and what makes each state special. Sounds fun, right? Wholesome, even. Yesterday, things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”
Her post continued, “I’ve spent my entire career singing songs about real people with real voices. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a voice for those who have felt like they didn’t have one. It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs. I assure you, that is not the case. I appreciate every single fan who has reached out. I hope to get back to the D.C. area very soon.”
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A few of McBride’s fellow country singers showed their support in the comments section of her Instagram post.
“Amen,” Ashley McBryde said.
“WHEW,” wrote Jason Isbell.
Sheryl Crow commented, “Martina, you are a beautiful artist, mother, citizen, American. You have always been exactly as you are in this moment… authentic and real. So moved by you and proud to know you.”
McBride isn’t the only performer who feels the event was presented differently than expected. Five other acts have also dropped out after feeling the festival carries an agenda.
Morris Day, Young MC, Milli Vanilli, The Commodores, and Bret Michaels have shared that they will no longer take part in the festival.
“The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” Young MC wrote in a Facebook post. “And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed. I hope to perform in D.C. in the near future at an event that is not so politically charged.”
As of right now, there are only three performers still on the lineup: C+C Music Factory, Vanilla Ice, and Flo Rida. It’s unclear whether replacement performers will be added for the artists who have dropped out.
