December 15, 2025, 5:30 am Supply: dpa Baden-Wurttemberg
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Xavier Naidoo returns to the massive live performance phases. (Archive symbol) © Aleksandra Vei/Keystone/dpa
Xavier Naidoo’s well-known music is known as “Where do you want to go?” Most of the soul singer’s fanatics lately replied the query very emphatically with the phrase “Cologne” – because the 54-year-old needs to go back there on Tuesday (December 16) after a six-year hiatus. After 15,000 tickets had been briefly bought out, the organizers straight away introduced an extra efficiency for December 17. There was once clearly numerous hobby – as was once the query of ways this go back must be assessed.
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Something can also be mentioned: After all, it’s not a live performance like some other. As a result of Naidoo, who has long past silent, is thought of as very arguable. For a very long time, he attracted consideration with statements accusing him of anti-Semitism and racism. He later distanced himself – however no longer everybody concurs that Naidoo’s distancing is sufficient.
An artist with a arguable previous
To know the placement, you need to have a look at Naidoo’s previous. The person from Mannheim rose to popularity within the overdue 90s and loved nice good fortune. All through the soccer “Summer Fairy Tale” in 2006, his music “Ovuda” was once performed within the dressing room of the nationwide staff. Naidoo changed into some of the vital German song and TV stars of his time.
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Over time, alternatively, the talk has greater. Naidoo gave the impression earlier than the so-called electorate of the Reich and unfold theories concerning the Kanon conspiracy ideology, consistent with which blood is allegedly extracted from youngsters in satanic rituals. He unfold anti-Jewish words and polarized other folks with statements concerning the corona pandemic. In 2020, RTL got rid of him from the jury of “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” (DSDS) – earlier than a video gave the impression wherein he can also be observed making a song a racist music.
In 2022, Naidoo after all launched a three-minute video explaining that he had made errors. In it he mentioned that “nationalism, racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism” aren’t suitable together with his values - he condemned them. He was once “blinded” via conspiracy tales, didn’t examine them sufficient and allowed himself to be “partially used”. “I opened up to theories, perspectives, and sometimes to groups from which I distance myself without any “ifs” and “buts,” the singer defined.
The organizer maintains a distance “without doubt”
Whether or not you’ll be able to put an finish in your previous is precisely the query that many of us are nonetheless debating. Critics complained that the remark was once too imprecise. Two sedition instances towards Naidoo are nonetheless pending on the Mannheim Regional Courtroom. In step with the Public Prosecutor’s Workplace, it’s about content material that denies the Holocaust and is of an anti-Semitic persona that was once disbursed during the Telegram channel. It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not the primary complaints might be opened. Naidoo’s legal professionals deny the allegations and take care of that the musician is blameless.
The Values Initiative, which claims to be dedicated to Jewish problems in Germany’s majority society, known as for his or her cancellation after the live shows in Cologne changed into recognized over the summer season. “After his violent anti-Semitic outbursts, it would be necessary for Naidoo to back up his supposed change of heart not just with empty words and half-apologies, but with a real change of behavior (eg commitment to Jewish life),” President Elio Adler mentioned when requested. The verdict to as soon as once more permit him to perpetrate trivial Jew-hatred.
Organizer Marek Liberberg sees it otherwise. Naidoo “undoubtedly” distanced himself, he instructed dpa. “His clear public admission and reasoned apology show the seriousness of his self-criticism,” Lieberberg mentioned. He considers it “absurd and cynical” the accusation that Naidoo didn’t again up the apology with movements. “An apology is an apology – and unfortunately that is by no means the norm in the current heated social discourse.”
Najdu himself with courtesy declines the requests – his staff says he’s concerned with arrangements for the excursion, which is able to take him to Cologne, together with Munich, Hamburg, Leipzig, Berlin and Mannheim. After all, Naidoo has “clearly and clearly positioned himself on several occasions” in regards to the previous allegations, it additional mentioned.
Between fan loyalty and an issue of sense of right and wrong
In step with Marcus S. Kleiner, professor of media and verbal exchange research on the College of Implemented Sciences SRH in Berlin, the singer’s go back was once just a topic of time. “The German music industry has only a few really big drivers,” he tells dpa. And Naidoo may fill huge halls.
Then again, in his opinion, it is onerous to argue with excellent song itself when purchasing a price tag. “After everything Naidoo has represented publicly, you can’t just say, ‘I’m not interested in politics, I just like the voice.’ “It makes it too simple for you,” says Kleiner. Naidoo’s anti-Semitic codes were not a side note – they could be interpreted as an expression of an attitude. “Any person who listens to his song or on the very least must ask themselves what’s paying attention to his song. normalization.”
Kleiner believes that it’s transparent that there’s nonetheless numerous call for. “Loyalty of many fans is so closely tied to their identity that problematic views are ignored. You stay true to the artist,” he says. “Similar to how you stay loyal to your friends, even when they take difficult paths.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251215-930-424285/1
