Sharon Osbourne Calls for Kneecap’s Work Visa to Be Revoked After Coachella Set

Sharon Osbourne has called for the revocation of Irish rap trio Kneecap’s US work visa, following their politically charged sets at Coachella.

The Belfast group, known for merging rave beats with razor-sharp political commentary, projected slogans like “Fuck Israel, Free Palestine” behind them during their performances. Frontman Mo Chara also addressed the crowd directly during the set. There he drew comparisons between the Irish experience of colonial violence and the situation in Gaza.

Coachella organisers have since claimed they were “blindsided” by the group’s first performance. The Irish rap groups livestream was even abruptly cut during the first weekend. In response, Kneecap subsequently brought their own camera crew for the second weekend. They also had political commentator Hasan Piker stream their set on Twitch.

Osbourne, who has Ashkenazi Jewish heritage has since described the band’s performance as “hate speech” and said it compromised the festival’s “moral and spiritual integrity.” In a statement on X, she later wrote: “Music should serve as an escape, not a stage for political discourse.” She also criticised Green Day for referencing Palestine during their own Coachella set.

Kneecap have since not responded directly to Osbourne’s statement. Though it does seem slightly unusual that Kneecap would get flack for making a political stance when it has long been central to their identity. Their lyrics, visuals, and activism are quite literally steeped in Irish history. For the group, music is a tool. But not one that’s just about expression, but for confrontation as well.

Osbourne’s comments do however, tap into a wider debate: what exactly are festivals for? Are they meant to be a temporary escape? A bubble to forget the world for a while? Or should they reflect the very real tensions, grief and anger people carry through the gates?

It goes without saying, Osbourne’s view isn’t fringe. There’s plenty of people out there who want music to be an escape, full stop. Just as many see it as a stage for saying the things no one else will. In truth though, music has always been both.

It has never been one-size-fits-all. To some, it’s where you go to get lost. To others, it’s how you try to make sense of the mess. There’s no right or wrong answer here either. It’s art. It’s messy. And that’s all kind of the point, really.