Blackout Tuesday: Demi Lovato says delete black square posts, confused fans say 'nothing's good enough for you'
The death of George Floyd has led to massive protests across the country and celebrities have joined the movement to raise their voice against systemic racism. The music industry went silent with the hashtag #BlackoutTuesday to stop posting about any new music releases in protest against the injustice in America. Demi Lovato took to Instagram to share her opinion and wrote, "Y'all stop posting the blackout squares. Do not post them with the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter. Y'll are literally censoring the hashtag and people need it to access info and updates. Delete your black square posts." It further read, "IDK who started it but the only way police brutality gets attention is through posting on social media. We should be saying people's names and plastering their faces everywhere more than ever!" Her caption read, "Blackout is over. #BLACKLIVESMATTER!"
No sooner did she post it on social media, her fans were confused and wondered what to do. "First people wanted us to post it now they don’t. Nothing is ever good enough for you people," one said and another wrote, "They squawk because you don’t support and then they squawk because you’re not supporting in the 'right way'."
Doling out a solution, one fan said, "I get this argument but the blackout was a way to peacefully protest. If the issue is access to news, go to literally any other social media platform or news source for 1 day," and another Instagram fan went on to say, "BLACK LIVES MATTER. show that through something besides just a black screen. stand up and do more." One fan thanked her, "Thank you for using your platform to raise awareness to such an important issue," and another wrote, "You a real one, Demi. Thanks for saying this as an artist in the industry." One thought the hashtag was a good way to protest: "It's making the conversation only about this one thing. So I think it's working in a good way." A few hours before this post, Demi took to her Instagram stories to slam the President. "Donald Trump — be the f***ing leader we need you to be," she wrote, adding, "I'm actually begging you because we're stuck with you until November, then you will have to pay for your silence, lack of leadership & action."
Two Atlantic Records executives — Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas — sparked the movement with a fervent plea that #TheShowMustBePaused after the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and "other black citizens at the hands of police". The duo said that the billion-dollar music companies must "protect and empower black communities" that have enormously contributed to them financially, calling it not "just a 24-hour initiative".