Lilith Fair stars pull their set at the Hulu premiere — McLachlan says the group will stand with Jimmy Kimmel and protest what they call a growing threat to free speech and rights.
Sarah McLachlan and fellow Lilith Fair artists pulled their scheduled performance at the ABC News premiere of the documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, choosing instead to use the evening as a show of solidarity and a statement about free expression.
According to Deadline, The trouble began after ABC News Studios canceled the red carpet for the film’s premiere. In her onstage remarks, McLachlan acknowledged the difficult moment: she spoke about feeling torn but said she couldn’t ignore what she called a growing “muzzling” of free speech alongside worrying reversals in rights for women, trans and queer people.
McLachlan framed music as a way to bridge differences and urged the audience to keep working toward kinder, more empathetic conversations.
McLachlan — who had been set to perform with Jewel — told the crowd she was grateful for everyone’s presence and apologized for the sudden change, but explained the artists had “collectively decided not to perform” and would instead stand united in support of free speech. She asked fans to take the documentary’s message about community and mutual support into their own lives.
The decision comes amid a wider controversy over ABC/Disney’s move to “preempt indefinitely” Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host’s pointed monologue on Sept. 15 about how some figures were reacting to the Sept. 10 shooting of activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel’s comments — and a subsequent FCC warning — prompted criticism that the suspension amounted to censorship. Supporters of Kimmel, and now the Lilith Fair artists, have cited free speech concerns in their reactions.
At the premiere, McLachlan emphasized Lilith Fair’s founding spirit: that artists lift one another up rather than tear each other down. She urged viewers to use the film as a spur to positive local action — to champion causes they believe in with kindness and to look for common ground.
For fans who came expecting a concert, the canceled performance was a disappointment — but McLachlan’s message aimed to reframethe moment as a reminder of music’s power to connect people across lines of disagreement.
Whether you agree with the choice to protest or wish the show had gone on, the episode has already sparked a fresh conversation about art, responsibility and the balance between critique and censorship.
What do you think — did McLachlan and the Lilith Fair artists make the right call? Share your thoughts.
