MUNA Covers Chappell Roan, Leads ‘Free Palestine’ Chant at All Things Go Fest

Roan wasn’t the only one MUNA dedicated a song to. Prior to “Kind of Girl” from their self-titled 2022 album, Gavin said, “We’re gonna dedicate this song to all the trans cuties that are here with us tonight.” Nor was it their only cover, with MUNA leading the Forest Hills Stadium in a sing-along to Vanessa Carlton’s 2002 smash “A Thousand Miles.”

Near the end of their set, MUNA got explicitly political, with Gavin reading a pre-written statement.

“We are staunchly against the American far-right, and we’re terrified of the way that an anti-queer and anti-trans attitude has manifested itself in our current political climate,” Gavin said. “On top of this, we want abolition. We want the wellbeing of people and animals and land to be prioritized over the wellbeing of the global market. And we want total disarmament and world peace now. And there should be nothing f–king controversial about saying that.”

As her bandmates nodded and the crowd cheered, Gavin continued. “We want to say ‘f—k fascism’ and very importantly we continue to say, ‘Free free Palestine.’” Gavin then started a brief “free free Palestine” chant that some of the crowd participated in.

Gavin’s comments dovetail with what Roan said in a TikTok video that posted on Wednesday (Sept. 25). “Obviously, f–k the policies of the right — but also, f–k some of the policies on the left. That’s why I can’t endorse. There is no way I can stand behind some of the left’s completely transphobic and completely genocidal views,” Roan said. “F–k Trump, for f–king real, but f–k some of the s–t that has gone down in the Democratic Party that has failed people like me and you, and more so Palestine, and more so every marginalized community in the world.”

MUNA’s comments arrive almost a year after a terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023, including around 360 people killed at the Nova Music Festival, according to officials. During the attack, more than 250 people were taken hostage by Hamas, with around 117 of them being returned and eight freed by Israeli troops since then. The bodies of 37 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by Israeli troops. Israel’s retaliatory military strikes in Gaza have killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, including more than 10,000 children, according to health officials in the territory. More than one million people have been displaced, leading to widespread famine and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Elsewhere in New York City on Saturday night, Doja Cat also addressed the ongoing wars from the stage at Global Citizen Festival in Manhattan’s Central Park. “Right now, millions of men, women and children in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, the Congo and all across the world are suffering. In times like this, it is important to remember that together we have the power to bring change, love, light and hope to those that need it most,” the rapper said. “Please keep using your voice to help those fleeing violence get the food, shelter and education they need and deserve.”