CHVRCHES have reportedly been forced to ramp up security following death threats from outraged Chris Brown fans. There’s now police at their shows and advance security when they step outside.
The hip hop/pop singer’s following went absolutely berserk after the band spoke out against Marshmello‘s decision to collaborate with him and Tyga. Internet banter shifted into DM’d insults, and shifted into serious threats of rape and harm, aimed right at lead singer Lauren Mayberry.
The entire situation has been a circus act ever since, but there’s a very real conversation to be had — whether or not music should hold individuals to a moral standard. Is it okay to regard art separately from the artist’s character — or, in this case, criminal offenses?
Here’s what Mayberry has to say:
“…we weren’t just deciding to pick on Chris Brown for the sake of it. I was like, ‘I don’t know, maybe domestic abuse might be wrong. Now I’m gonna have to invest in some fucking bulletproof tutus, because apparently that does not go down well with the Breezy fans.”
“We were like, ‘maybe don’t promote serial convicted violence to kids, to young people,’ and then they were like ‘you know what we’re gonna do? We’re gonna rape you and shoot you.’ You kind of proved the point.”
She has a very compelling argument. No matter which side you’re on, violence and threats shouldn’t be brought into the conversation under any circumstances. As Mayberry says, that’s proving the point. The safety of everyone involved is absolutely vital.
This comes after Marshmello and CHVRCHES released their collab together, “Here With Me.”
See more below.
CHVRCHES Speaks Out
— CHVRCHES (@CHVRCHES) April 25, 2019
I am not staying in my own home when we finish tour because the threats we have received have reached such a scale. We have to have the police at our shows now. If that’s what I deserve for saying mainstream music should be more morally conscious, then so be it. You’re right.
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 29, 2019
And again, it is not you who is having to have police presence at shows and advance security in their actual own real life outside of a band persona.
— Lauren Mayberry (@laurenevemay) April 29, 2019
H/T: Tone Deaf