Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis ignited a wave of online discussion after making a bold political statement during her performance at the Hinterland Music Festival in Iowa over the weekend. The singer apparently wore a provocative outfit slamming the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. Ironically enough, the state hosting her concert is deeply Republican.
While addressing thousands of fans at the annual music festival, Uchis paused to share a message before revealing a rhinestone-covered corset emblazoned with the words “F[expletive] ICE,” referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Fan-recorded videos of the moment quickly spread across social media, drawing applause from supporters while prompting criticism from others.
“I don’t know if you saw my shirt,” Uchis told the crowd before brushing her hair aside to display the sparkling message across her chest. The audience responded with loud cheers as she smiled and continued her performance. Earlier, the singer also encouraged festivalgoers to leave the event feeling inspired.
The moment carried additional attention because it occurred in Iowa, a state widely viewed as politically conservative. One Facebook user celebrated the setting, writing, “In Iowa that is super republican. I love it!!!” Supporters praised the singer for using her platform to speak on immigration issues. “I never listened to her before. I will now,” one commenter wrote alongside a heart and rock-hand emoji. Another fan added, “A couple of my coworkers introduced me to her. I love her EVEN MORE.”
The Singer’s Message Wasn’t Well-Accepted by Others
Certain groups of people were less impressed. Some of them even questioned Uchis’ popularity, given how she appears to be less popular in the mainstream compared to other artists. “Who is that,” one user commented, while another wrote, “Who? And who cares.” A separate commenter simply posted, “Boo hoo.”
The conversation also extended to Reddit, where users debated both Uchis’ message and her personal history. It appears the singer has had a questionable past where she allegedly defended an abusive ex. One of the most upvoted comments read, “Love the message, but she defended her alleged r[expletive] ex-bf in court and then procreated with her alleged r[expletive] baby daddy, so it’s hard for me to take her seriously.”
That criticism sparked further discussion. One Reddit user responded, “Actually can we just be like ‘yea f[expletive] nazis,’ instead of watering down the message because the person who said it made bad decisions in an irrelevant situation?” Another commenter echoed the sentiment, writing, “Nobody is perfect… but if the message is ‘F[expletive] ICE,’ it’s ‘F[expletive] ICE.’ Let’s unify there.”
Additional users argued that a public figure’s personal life should not necessarily invalidate their political opinions. Uchis isn’t exactly alone in her advocacy against ICE, as several artists such as Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, and SZA have used their popularity as platforms for speaking against ICE, often with controversial results.
