Boy George Announces Return to Israel for November Concert

British pop icon Boy George is set to perform in Israel on November 4th at the Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, as part of his international tour. "I will be with you to celebrate an evening of positivity, love, and good energy," George said in a video message to his Israeli audience.

Live Nation Israel, led by Guy Besser and Shay Mor Yosef, is organizing the concert, marking the first major international performance in Israel in three years. The show will be presented in a 360-degree format.

George, a prominent figure in 1980s British pop, first gained fame as the lead singer of Culture Club, known for hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" and "Karma Chameleon." The band received a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1984. George later launched a successful solo career and has also worked as a DJ.

This will not be George's first time performing in Israel. His previous visit in November 2017, with Culture Club, included a performance where he hosted Dana International for a rendition of "Karma Chameleon." During that visit, he also wore an outfit adorned with Star of David symbols, later stating "Israel is in my heart" in response to boycott calls. He has continued to express public support for Israel, notably releasing the song "We Will Dance Again" in July. The song, inspired by the October 7th Hamas attacks and the Nova festival massacre, includes Hebrew lyrics and criticizes musicians he claims ignore the events and "recite propaganda." He affirmed his solidarity with Jewish people and expressed hope for an end to the war, though the song drew criticism online.

George performed "We Will Dance Again" publicly for the first time in September at Temple Sholom in Vancouver. He revealed that Roger Waters had repeatedly tried to dissuade him from performing in Israel, but he chose to continue. George has remained active, releasing Culture Club's first album in two decades, "Life," in 2018, and continues to tour globally as a singer and DJ.

Ticket sales will begin on September 23rd at 12:00 PM via Ticketmaster, with prices ranging from 280 to 799 shekels.