The singer Feist has left the Arcade Fire tour over allegations of sexual misconduct against lead singer Win Butler.
Feist was booked as an opener and performed at two of the band’s first concerts on its European tour. She donated all of her merch sold to Women’s Aid Dublin, according to Pitchfork, who first reported the accusations involving at least four people.
Consequences of the allegations continue to plague the band, with radio stations throughout North America pulling Arcade Fire from the airwaves.
Feist released a statement a lengthy statement saying the decision was ” incredibly difficult for me” and that she wishes “healing for those involved.”
The conversation about the issue is “bigger than me,” she said, explaining that she felt she was locked in a no-win battle.
“To stay on tour would symbolize I was either defending or ignoring the harm caused by Win Butler and to leave would imply I was the judge and jury.”
She wasn’t on the tour, scheduled well before the allegations emerged, to defend the band, she said, but more to stand on her own feet as an artist and she said she can’t solve the issue by quitting or staying, but she can’t continue on the tour. Check out the whole statement below:
At a pub in Dublin, after rehearsing with my band, I read the same headline you did. We didn’t have any time to prepare for what was coming let alone a chance to decide not to fly across the ocean into the belly of this situation. This has been incredibly difficult for me and I can only imagine how much more difficult it’s been for the people who came forward. More than anything I wish healing to those involved.
This has ignited a conversation that is bigger than me, it’s bigger than my songs and it’s certainly bigger than any rock and roll tour. As I tried to get my bearings and figure out my responsibility in this situation, I received dozens of messages from the people around me, expressing sympathy for the dichotomy I have been pushed into. To stay on tour would symbolize I was either defending or ignoring the harm caused by Win Butler and to leave would imply I was the judge and jury.
I was never here to stand for or with Arcade Fire—I was here to stand on my own two feet on a stage, a place I’ve grown to feel I belong and I’ve earned as my own. I play for my band, my crew, their loved ones and all of our families, and the people who pay their hard-earned money to share space in the collective synergy that is a show. The ebb and flow of my successes, failures, and other decisions affect all of our livelihoods and I recognize how lucky I am to be able to travel the world singing songs about my life, my thoughts and experiences and have that be my career. I’ve never taken that for granted.
My experiences include the same experiences as the many people I have spoken to since the news broke on Saturday, and the many strangers whom I may only be able to reach with this letter, or not at all. We all have a story within a spectrum ranging from baseline toxic masculinity to pervasive misogyny to actually being physically, psychologically, emotionally or sexually assaulted. This situation touches each of our lives and speaks to us in a language unique to each of our processing. There isn’t a singular path to heal when you’ve endured any version of the above, nor a singular path to rehabilitate the perpetrators. It can be a lonely road to make sense of ill treatment. I can’t solve that by quitting, and I can’t solve it by staying. But I can’t continue.
Public shaming might cause action, but those actions are made from fear, and fear is not the place we find our best selves or make our best decisions. Fear doesn’t precipitate empathy nor healing nor open a safe space for these kinds of conversations to evolve, or for real accountability and remorse to be offered to the people who were harmed.
I’m imperfect and I will navigate this decision imperfectly, but what I’m sure of is the best way to take care of my band and crew and my family is to distance myself from this tour, not this conversation. The last two nights on stage, my songs made this decision for me. Hearing them through this lens was incongruous with what I’ve worked to clarify for myself through my whole career. I’ve always written songs to name my own subtle difficulties, aspire to my best self and claim responsibility when I need to. And I’m claiming my responsibility now and going home.
Leslie
The band responded to the statement and said it was disappointed to see Feist go.
“We are very sorry to see Leslie go home, but completely understand and respect her decision,” the band said.
Arcade Fire is currently on tour in Europe and is scheduled to play The O2 stadium on Sept. 8. The band has tour dates through December.