Conducta: DJ pulls out of shows at Boiler Room Ibiza and UK festival Boardmasters due to KKR owner 'financial ties with Israel'
A DJ has pulled out of his shows at Boiler Room Ibiza and UK festival Boardmasters due to the owner of the two having “financial ties with Israel”.
Conducta said on X: “I will no longer be performing at Boardmasters or Boiler Room Ibiza due to both being owned by KKR - a firm with direct investments in weapons manufacturers and financial ties to the state of Israel. I stand with the people of Palestine and oppressed people everywhere.
“Following the boycott is, for me, the most effective way to show solidarity with freedom struggles, as I could not in good conscience play these shows”. Social media users reacted by applauding him.
One wrote: “What a brilliant gesture. Well done, and I hope others will follow suit.” Another said: “Great news. Encourage your peers to do the same. We're all with you”.
KKR, or Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., is a global investment firm with a significant presence in Israel, particularly through its Tech Growth strategy. This strategy focuses on high-growth technology companies in sectors like software, cybersecurity, and fintech within Europe and Israel. It has also faced scrutiny and calls for boycotts due to its ownership of Superstruct Entertainment, a festival conglomerate.
KKR's involvement in Israel has drawn criticism and calls for boycotts, primarily due to the company's investment in Axel Springer, which is perceived as indirectly supporting Israeli housing developments in occupied territories. Sónar, one of Europe’s leading electronic music festivals, was also previously under threat after dozens of musicians and DJs announced a boycott over the event’s parent company KKR’s alleged links to Israel.
More than 70 artists signed an open letter to the festival stating that “we oppose any affiliation between the cultural sector and entities complicit in war crimes”. Spain’s culture minister Ernest Urtasun said that KKR is “not welcome in Spain”, adding that “for many years it’s been policy that companies with economic interests in illegal settlements in Palestine cannot operate normally in the European Union”.
KKR declined to comment on the allegations of its links to Israel. However, Superstruct said in a statement that it is “horrified by the scale of suffering” in Gaza. It also said that it is “independently run and makes its own decisions based on what is in the best interests” of their “fans, artists, partners, and colleagues.”