Black Eyed Peas tease 'surprise guest' at Brighton Pride after major backlash

04 August 2023 , 22:09

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Black Eyed Peas tease 'surprise guest' at Brighton Pride after major backlash

Will.i.am has teased some special surprise guests will be joining him and his Black Eyed Peas bandmates when they take to the stage for Brighton Pride this weekend. The group – comprising of will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo – will headline on Saturday August 5, with Zara Larsson, Jax Jones and dylan performing too.

However, the Black Eyed Peas being announced headliners sparked major backlash earlier this year, thanks to the group's performance at the Qatar World Cup in November 2022. Many questioned why organisers would book the band after they performed in Qatar, known for its poor record of LGBTQ+ rights, with the choice described as "awful".

As Brighton Pride revealed in February that the group would be a headline act, many were quick to share their disappointment over the booking. In response to the announcement, one person said: "The same Black Eyed Peas that played the Qatar World Cup?? The same Qatar that openly discriminates against LGBTQ+ people, and they were happy to take their money?? REALLY????? Shameful & wrong."

Another tweeted: "How could you chose a headliner that played at the Qatar World Cup? Absolutely awful." A third upset Twitter user told their followers: "I have never been so happy I didn't buy a ticket. The most disappointing lineup I've ever seen for pride, and didn't they just play at Qatar World Cup?"

Fergie no longer performs with the Black Eyed Peas (Getty Images)

Brighton headliners in the past have included Christina Aguilera, who played last year, Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue in 2019. Mariah Carey took to the stage in 2020. Referencing previous performers, one critic wrote in February: "How have we gone from Britney, Kylie, Xtina to … Black Eyed Peas, WITHOUT Fergie??? Awful."

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Black Eyed Peas are known for their hits I've Gotta Feeling and Where is The Love, and have made more than 80 million record sales. Lead singer Fergie left in 2017, leaving Will.i.am, Apl.de.ap and Taboo to continue as a trio. In a 2020 interview with Billboard magazine, the remaining members of the group claimed Fergie left as she wanted to focus on being a mum to her son Axel.

Discussing his band's Brighton Pride performance last month, will.i.am - who recently collaborated with Britney Spears - teased some surprise guests could join him and his group on stage. He told the Metro: "It’s going to be an amazing show, to crank up the festival party atmosphere. Look for a mix of our top global hits, and some newer tracks from Translation and Evolution. Yes, we do love bringing on special guests, but if we told you then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?"

Zoe Delaney