Brazilian popstar Anitta released a new videoclip for the song ‘Aceita’, where she celebrates her faith and connection with Candomblé, an African-based religion. However, what was supposed to be a moment of celebration and cultural expression turned into a wave of religious intolerance, with the artist facing harsh criticism by part of her audience.
Since announcing the new project, Anitta has shared photos and videos showing her relationship with Candomblé, revealing her initiation into the religion and active participation. However, in less than two hours after the first images were released, the singer lost more than 200,000 followers on her social networks, while receiving a barrage of prejudiced comments and hateful messages.
The release of the videoclip generated interest in the term “candomblé”, which skyrocketed in Google searches, becoming the 15th most searched subject last Monday (14). Faced with the escalation of virtual attacks, Anitta decided to speak out, highlighting the importance of religious freedom and repudiating any form of discrimination.
I’ve talked about my religion countless times, but it seems that leaving an artistic work in my catalog forever was too much for someone who doesn’t ACCEPT that others think differently. I believe that religions are rivers that flow into the same place: God, the supreme intelligence. I don’t believe in heaven and hell; I don’t believe in the devil… I believe that we all have the power to manifest the divine and the devilish within us. When I receive messages of religious rejection and intolerance, I don’t feel divine energy being emanated towards me, I feel the opposite energy. I have faith, I am not afraid”, said the artist.
In another, she said: “I’m still a little scared by the lack of evolution of human beings, right? Nowadays, it is still such a huge step backwards in this sense of accepting and respecting people’s paths. As time goes by, human beings are becoming more intolerant instead of accepting themselves more, respecting themselves more and the opposite is true.”
The singer also highlighted the importance of combating religious intolerance. “For all the people who stopped following or who commented on my photo in disgust, I think it’s important to keep it there so people can see that it exists, that it’s there, it needs to be fought. Fight it with love, not anger, nothing like that,” he stated.
The confrontation encouraged a broader debate on the topic, where cases of intolerance have been increasingly frequent.
Anitta may have lost followers, but she continues to make headlines in the main international newspapers.