Saint Levant's Gaza tribute: Palestine's voice echoes at Coachella

Report by Rita Khoury, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

At the heart of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Palestine was present.

The event featured the rapper of Palestinian origins, Marwan Abdelhamid, known as Saint Levant, who chose to dedicate his performance to Gaza.

Coachella is not just a festival; it is among the most prominent global festivals, annually featuring international stars.

After his performance, Saint Levant stated: "I was born in Jerusalem and raised in Gaza. I hope all of you are aware, that the people of Gaza have been undergoing a brutal, brutal genocide for the past six months. And the people of Palestine have been undergoing a brutal occupation for the past 75 years."

He said that he was about to drop a new project soon called "Deira."

"Deira is the hotel that my dad built in Gaza that was recently bombed three months ago. All of my childhood memories are there. We Palestinians only know resistance. We will return," he expressed.

This artist, who currently resides in Los Angeles, has been championing the Palestinian cause through his songs.

He not only conveyed the ongoing tragedy happening in Gaza to the audience at Coachella but also featured a performance by the Palestinian  Sol Band.

At Coachella, American singer Victoria Monét got involved in politics by advocating for an end to war, although she did not mention Gaza specifically. She is recognized, along with many other celebrities, for supporting a ceasefire during the Gaza conflict in October 2023.

American singer Victoria Monét said: "Stop the wars, stop the hate, stop the genocides."

Voices against wars emerged from the heart of the United States, attempting to reach what politics and diplomacy failed to achieve.