Dua Lipa denies firing agent David Levy for pro-’Israel’ views
Pop superstar Dua Lipa denied a widely circulated tabloid report that she fired her longtime agent, David Levy, for attempting to ban the Irish rap group Kneecap from the Glastonbury Festival.
Read more: 'Speaking out on Gaza is for the greater good': Dua Lipa
The story, published by the Daily Mail and quickly spread by other news outlets, claimed that Lipa had cut ties with Levy because his pro-‘Israel’ stance clashed with her pro-Palestinian views.
The report cited an anonymous industry insider who alleged that Lipa "made sure through her people that David Levy wasn't working on her music any more".
However, in an Instagram story, Dua Lipa slammed the report as "completely false" and condemned the Daily Mail for its handling of the issue.
"I do not condone the actions of David Levy or other music executives toward an artist speaking their truth," she wrote.
"I also cannot ignore how this has been handled in the press. Not only was the story completely false but the language used by the Daily Mail has been deliberately inflammatory, crafted purely for clickbait, clearly designed to fuel online division".
Lipa, a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, maintained her support for a free Palestine but expressed her concern over the false report.
"It is always Free Palestine but exploiting a global tragedy in order to sell newspapers is something I find deeply troubling," she stated.
The claims in the report were further dismantled by Lipa's management company, William Morris Endeavor (WME).
According to a statement from the agency, the professional relationship between Lipa and Levy had been a matter of history for years.
WME clarified that Levy "played a role in Dua's early career (2016-2019)" but had not been involved in her "day-to-day business" since 2019, when he moved out of London and took on an "advisory role".
The statement further noted that Levy had "fully removed himself from the project among others earlier this year," months before the letter controversy erupted.
The rumor originated from a leaked "private and confidential" letter sent to Glastonbury organizers, including co-founder Michael Eavis. David Levy was confirmed as the first signatory on the letter, which sought to pressure the festival to remove the Irish rap trio Kneecap from the lineup due to their outspoken pro-Palestinian stance.
The letter accused Kneecap of "whipping up hateful rhetoric" and expressing support for "banned terrorist organisations," claims the band has consistently denied.
Kneecap, whose name is a wordplay on the term for a form of punishment used by Northern Irish paramilitaries, has a history of political statements.
The group's vocal pro-Palestine activism at festivals like Coachella led to a police investigation and formal charges against a band member for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a London show.
Despite political pressure from figures like UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called their presence "inappropriate," Glastonbury allowed Kneecap to perform. The BBC, however, opted not to live-stream the set, citing concerns about impartiality.
