Kanye West has addressed his Wireless Festival controversy with an open letter to the Jewish community

Amid mounting pressure from politicians, sponsors, and public figures, Kanye West has released a statement responding to the backlash against his scheduled headlining appearance at London's Wireless Festival.

The rapper, currently operating as Ye, was confirmed last week as the headline act across all three days of the Finsbury Park event this summer. The announcement prompted swift criticism owing to his history of antisemitic remarks and the release of the track 'Heil Hitler'.

In a statement shared through Festival Republic – the Live Nation subsidiary behind the event – Ye wrote, "I've been following the conversation around Wireless and want to address it directly. My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace, and love through my music."

He added, "I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the U.K. in person, to listen. I know words aren't enough – I'll have to show change through my actions. If you're open, I'm here."

The statement, titled 'To Those I've Hurt', follows an advert Ye previously placed in the Wall Street Journal. His earlier apology attributed the comments in part to his bipolar disorder diagnosis.

Corporate partners have distanced themselves from Wireless in the days since the booking was revealed. Pepsi pulled its sponsorship over the weekend, with Diageo and PayPal following suit shortly after. The Jewish Leadership Council criticised the decision, and London's Mayor stated that Ye's past remarks were "not reflective of London's values". Meanwhile The Board of Deputies of British Jews has responded to Ye’s statement, saying they are willing to meet, but only if he agrees not to perform at the festival this year.

At government level, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the booking as "deeply concerning". Reports suggest Ye's visa application remains under ministerial review, with several Labour MPs pushing for his entry to be refused entirely. Ye was previously barred from entering Australia.

Festival Republic managing director Melvin Benn has stood behind the decision, stating that Ye "is intended to come in and perform", and that they are "not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions".

Benn further remarked, "Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do."

Tickets for the festival go on sale this week.