British pop sensation Dua Lipa has made headlines after parting ways with her longtime European agent, David Levy, following his involvement in a controversial campaign to ban the Irish rap group Kneecap from the 2025 Glastonbury Festival. The split, reported by multiple outlets including The Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, and IrishCentral, underscores the deepening rifts within the music industry over the war in Gaza and the role of artists in political activism.
Levy, a prominent figure at the William Morris Endeavor (WME) talent agency, was the first among more than 30 music industry professionals to sign a private letter addressed to Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis and his daughter Emily. The letter, which was leaked to the public in June 2025, called for Kneecap to be removed from the festival’s lineup, citing the group’s outspoken pro-Palestinian activism and alleged expressions of support for Hezbollah and Hamas—organizations proscribed as terrorist groups in the United Kingdom. According to Press TV, the letter stated: "[Kneecap] continued to openly express support for two banned terrorist organisations in Hezbollah and Hamas, and whilst we all support free speech, we cannot accept it when it drifts into whipping up hateful rhetoric that is essentially denying Israel's right to exist..."
Dua Lipa, who has been forthright about her pro-Palestinian stance, responded decisively. As a source close to the singer told The Mail on Sunday, "Dua made sure through her people that David Levy wasn’t working on her music any more. She is very openly pro-Palestine and that doesn’t align with David. She views him as being a supporter of Israel’s war in Gaza, and the terrible treatment of the Palestinians and that was made very clear through the letter that he signed and sent to Michael Eavis." While Lipa remains with WME, she is now represented by a different agent within the company.
Lipa’s activism has been anything but subtle. In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, she called for a "humanitarian cease-fire" in Israel’s military campaign against Gaza, expressing sorrow for all lives lost, including those from the events of October 7, 2024. "At the moment, what we have to look at is how many lives have been lost in Gaza, and the innocent civilians, and the lives that are just being lost," she said. "There are just not enough world leaders that are taking a stand and speaking up about the humanitarian crisis that’s happening, the humanitarian cease-fire that has to happen." Following reports of attacks on Gaza displacement camps later that year, she reiterated on Instagram: "Burning children alive can never be justified. The whole world is mobilising to stop the Israeli genocide. Please show your solidarity with Gaza."
Meanwhile, Kneecap, the Irish rap trio at the center of the storm, performed their scheduled slot at Glastonbury on June 28, 2025, despite the campaign to have them banned. Their set, however, was not livestreamed by the BBC—a decision that drew criticism from supporters and added to the sense of controversy. The performance triggered a criminal investigation, but the case was quickly dropped. Kneecap has faced mounting backlash since making pro-Palestinian messaging a central theme of their 2025 Coachella performance, where they accused Israel of genocide and displayed the phrase "F--k Israel." Videos from past performances allegedly showing support for Hamas and Hezbollah also resurfaced, prompting further scrutiny from UK authorities.
The group has consistently denied any support for terrorist organizations. In a public statement, Kneecap insisted they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah." Still, the controversy deepened when member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, known as Mo Chara, was charged in May 2025 under UK terrorism laws for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag during a November 2024 concert. Chara’s case has been adjourned to the end of September 2025, with Judge Paul Goldspring expected to rule on whether it will proceed to trial. The band has also been accused of chanting "Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah" during the same event, allegations they vigorously dispute.
International repercussions have followed. In September 2025, Kneecap was banned from entering Canada ahead of their scheduled October tour, after Canadian officials accused the group of endorsing political violence and supporting groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. Vince Gasparro, a Liberal member of the Canadian parliament and parliamentary secretary for combating crime, was singled out by the band for making comments they described as "wholly untrue and deeply malicious." Kneecap threatened legal action against Gasparro, arguing that the ban amounted to censorship and a misrepresentation of their views.
The fallout has reverberated throughout the music industry, prompting broader calls for action. On September 19, over 400 musicians and record labels joined the "No Music for Genocide" initiative, pledging to remove their music from Israel in protest against its war in Gaza and what the initiative described as the "ethnic cleansing of the occupied West Bank." According to the initiative’s statement, "This tangible act is just one step toward honouring Palestinian demands to isolate and delegitimise Israel as it kills without consequence on the world stage." Notably, British band Massive Attack also dropped David Levy as their agent over his pro-Israel stance, further highlighting the industry’s internal divisions.
Glastonbury Festival itself has not been immune to the controversy. The letter signed by Levy and others was intended to be "private and confidential," but its leak in June 2025 turned it into a public flashpoint. While some industry figures supported the effort to bar Kneecap due to security and reputational concerns, others denounced it as an attempt to silence political expression. As reported by Al Jazeera, "Feelings [were] running high" over politics at Glastonbury this year, with UK police confirming that pro-Palestine performances were subject to investigation.
Despite the uproar, Dua Lipa has continued her "Radical Optimism Tour" across North America, receiving positive reviews for her recent shows in New York City. Kneecap, for their part, responded to the news of Levy’s dismissal with a single word on social media: "Sayōnara," a Japanese farewell and also the title of one of their songs—a wry nod to the ongoing saga.
As the music world grapples with the intersection of art, activism, and accountability, the rift between Dua Lipa and David Levy stands as a stark example of the personal and professional consequences that can follow when political convictions collide behind the scenes. With legal decisions and industry reckonings still to come, the story is far from over.
