Feist is leaving Arcade Fire‘s European tour.
The outing kicked off this week with two shows in Dublin, Ireland, just days after Pitchfork reported Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler was accused of sexual misconduct by four people.
In an Instagram post, Feist explains that she and her band were in Dublin rehearsing for the tour when she “read the same headline you did.”
“We didn’t have any time to prepare for what was coming let alone a chance to decide not to fly across the ocean into the belly of this situation,” Feist writes. “This has been incredibly difficult for me and I can only imagine how much more difficult it’s been for the people who came forward. More than anything I wish healing to those involved.”
Feist still played the Dublin shows, and, as reported by Billboard, is donating money from merch sales to Women’s Aid Dublin.
“The last two nights on stage, my songs made this decision for me,” Feist shares. “Hearing them through this lens was incongruous with what I’ve worked to clarify for myself through my whole career.”
“I’ve always written songs to name my own subtle difficulties, aspire to my best self and claim responsibility when I need to,” she adds. “And I’m claiming my responsibility now and going home.”
The allegations against Butler range from sending unwanted sexually explicit photos and demanding such photos and videos from women to sexual assault.
In a statement to Pitchfork, Butler maintained that his encounters with all four accusers were “mutual and always between consenting adults.”
Arcade Fire’s European tour is scheduled through October and will be followed by a U.S. run. Beck, who’s opening for the U.S. dates, has not yet publicly commented on the situation.
If you are affected by abuse and needing support, or know someone who is, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also chat online at thehotline.org or online.rainn.org, respectively.
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