So, as heartbreaking as it is, it’s no secret that Beyonce is banned from performing in Malaysia due to her performances being deemed too provocative. Hence, sadly, for many of her Malaysian fans, wanting to see her perform live means to drop bags of money to catch her quickly sold out shows abroad.
Considering this, there are also other artists who are either banned from performing in Malaysia or at this point, refuse to as they would rather not comply with the guidelines to cover up on stage.
Here are 2 other artists who you would need to fork up expenses to see them overseas for you’ll probably never be able to see them in Malaysia:
Kesha
Kesha was originally set to perform in Malaysia in October of 2013 but the show was ultimately cancelled last minute as the Malaysian authorities decided to refuse her show’s permit the day before her concert as her music “touches on religious sensitivities and cultural values of Malaysians”, Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications and Multimedia said in a statement.
When Kesha tried to negotiate for the show to happen by modifying her lyrics and having her stage outfits altered to fit the Malaysian guidelines, they allegedly threatened to have her arrested should she still perform.
to be clear. I did NOT cancel. I was not allowed to play. and then I was going to play anyways and was threatened with imprisonment.
— kesha (@KeshaRose) October 26, 2013
Rihanna
Rihanna Live in KL was part of her debut concert back in 2009 (yeaps, during her umbrella era-era eh eh eh) but was quickly met with major backlash from Pan-Malaysian Islamic party (PAS) who called for the authorities to not issue permits for the show.
Similar to the above mentioned performers, Rihanna’s revealing outfits and provocative dance moves was the reason that roused PAS’s objections, despite Rihanna agreeing to comply with Malaysia’s dress guidelines.
On top of that, PAS also linked attending her show as a form of support for Israel.
“Whether Rihanna realises it or not, we know that the taxes she paid also contributed to the war in Gaza,” shared PAS politician Kamaruzzaman Muhammad, adding that having her perform here was “akin to insulting Eastern culture”.
Her concert was ultimately postponed due to personal matters but never rescheduled.
What do you think of these cancelled shows? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: Fahmi Fadzil: Foreign Artists Performing in Malaysia Must Comply With Local Sensitivities
