Grammy-winning R&B singer The Weeknd canceled his appearance on Wednesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” after it became clear that Donald Trump was going to be on the show as well.
The Weeknd and Belly were set to perform their new single “Might Not.”
“I feel like the way I was raised was to be able to see through all the titles in this world — from religion to race,” Belly said in a statement. “I just didn’t want to feel like I was a part of a celebration for somebody who has beliefs that majority of us don’t agree with.”
The two are both from Canada, and Belly has co-written numerous hits by The Weeknd, including “Earned It” and “The Hills.”
Belly added that he was going to perform “on a campaign of positivity and love and to contribute what I can to music.”
“I create songs people go to sleep and wake up to, songs that they fall in love to. For me, being Muslim and being somebody that appreciates my access here in America, I love the fact that I’m able to be here. To play my part in this business is a privilege and a beautiful thing. The fact that I could lose that ability through the actions of someone such as Donald Trump isn’t right to me. At all,” his statement concluded.
Neither a Trump spokeswoman nor a Kimmel representative had a comment.
Belly’s comments allude to Trump’s comments on a variety of issues, such as when he called Mexican immigrants “rapists” and called for a ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S.
Trump, the presumed Republican nominee, did appear on the show.
