By Tenzin Dharpo
DHARAMSHALA, April 20: American pop artist Selena Gomez’s China tour has allegedly been scrapped due to her picture with the exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama which she posted online back in 2014.
The singer posted a picture of herself with the Tibetan leader on her instagram two years ago. Gomez wrote, “words of wisdom, #speechless” That picture taken in Vancouver during a youth empowerment project event has been removed from the singer’s personal instagram page currently.
Last week on April 16, the singer announced that she will be playing two concerts in China as part of her tour beginning May in the U.S. However, her concerts in Guangzhou and Shanghai on 6 and 8 August this year have been removed from her website.
Both Gomez’s PR team and China has not released any details on the issue although many leading papers including UK’s Daily Mirror have pointed allegedly to the artist’s association with the Tibetan leader.
The American artist’s tour cancellation seems likely due to political reasons considering China’s record of marking international celebrities with ties with either Dalai Lama or the Tibetan struggle on their banned list. Maroon 5 band member Jesse Carmichael’s birthday wish to the Dalai Lama resulted in the band cancelling its tour in China earlier.
Hollywood actors such as Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sharon Stone and renowned director Martin Scorsese, among others, are prohibited from going to China while singers such as Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Bjork and Katy Perry have found themselves on the infamous list.
