Country artist Martina McBride and rocker Bret Michaels have joined the roster of performers backing out of the “Freedom 250” concert slated for the National Mall in Washington, D.C., citing concerns about the event appearing partisan.
McBride announced her decision on social media on Thursday, expressing her desire to clarify the situation. “I want to clear the air,” she stated. “I won’t be performing at the Great American State Fair on June 25th. I thought I was participating in a bipartisan event, but it seems that was misleading.”
She mentioned that organizers had assured her the event would unite the country. “I viewed this as an expanded state fair experience, celebrating community and the spirit of each state. It sounded fun, perhaps even healthy. But things started to shift yesterday, and what we were told wasn’t really happening,” she shared.
While she didn’t specify the exact reasons for her concerns about partisanship, she ultimately felt it was best to step away.
McBride reflected on her career, stating, “I’ve dedicated my life to giving a voice to those who feel unheard. It pains me that fans who relate to my music might think I’m abandoning the essence of those songs. That’s definitely not my intention. I truly appreciate every fan who’s reached out, and I hope to return to D.C. soon.”
As noted by Variety, McBride was among several artists to withdraw from the concert series shortly after its announcement. Morris Day and Young MC both withdrew on Wednesday, and The Commodores also stepped back on Thursday, as did Michaels. By early Friday, it was reported that Michaels, frontman of the band Poison, had also decided to withdraw.
“What was billed as a celebration of our country has turned into something much more divisive than I initially agreed to,” Michaels explained to Variety. “There have been completely unfounded and unacceptable threats regarding the safety of my fans, my crew, my family, and myself. Consequently, I’ve made the tough choice to back out of this performance.”
Currently, the only performers still slated to appear are Vanilla Ice, C&C Music Factory—who expressed some hesitance—and Flo Rida.
