Calvin Harris has been urged to pull out of playing a lucrative DJ set in Qatar during the World Cup by gay rights campaigners.
The Scots DJ, whose first chart hit in 2007 was Acceptable in the 80s, is the headline act at a Fifa Fan Festival on December 10 at Al Bidda Park in Doha. But he has come under pressure from LGBT groups who say he is putting cash before principles by performing in the Gulf state which has an abysmal human rights record and where same-sex relationships are banned.
Among those calling for him to back out is veteran gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
Tatchell, 70, called on Dumfries-born Harris, whose tracks We Found Love and Promises are gay anthems, to think again.
He said: “I’m a huge Calvin Harris fan so I feel incredibly disappointed that he’s performing in a country where women, LGBT+ people and migrant workers are treated as second-class citizens.
“He’s been bought by the Qataris like other big-name stars such as David Beckham and Robbie Williams.
“They’ve sold their souls and principles for million-pound deals, putting profits before principles.
“It’s a slap in the face to Qataris who suffer repression at the hands of the regime.
“I urge Harris and other stars to search their conscience, pull out from the Qatar deal and speak up for human rights.”
Last week, Tartan Army favourite Sir Rod Stewart revealed that he knocked back $1million (£840,000) to perform in Qatar because of its human rights record.
Harris, who has a photo of Hot Legs singer Stewart in his DJ booth, is not alone in playing in Qatar during the World Cup, which kicks off today.
In 2012 Harris made a pact with Australian DJ Filip Odzak about remixing a Spice Girls hit on the condition that same-sex marriage was legalised in his country.
Odzak then reached out to the Scots star with the song request when it became law in 2017.
Odzak, 35, said he wanted the DJ to reconsider playing in the Gulf state. He said: “I understand how a pay cheque from the Middle East is hard to refuse. If Calvin did pull out of the headline set would it have an effect on the political and lawful standing of Qatar?
“Probably not but it would show the world where he stands and which percentage of the human population he supports.”
Harris is one of the richest DJs in the world and is worth £220million.
His fee for the Qatar event has not been disclosed but he can command £1million for a DJ set in Las Vegas.
He has just put his home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, on the market for a second time and is asking $25million (£21million) for the 10-bedroom, 12-bathroom mansion.
That is $10million (£8.4million) more than he paid for it in 2014.
Singers Williams, Craig David and Tinie Tempah are also due to perform in Qatar during the World Cup.
Former Take That star Williams yesterday bizarrely defended his position by saying if he picked gigs on moral grounds he would not play in his own kitchen.
Williams, 48, said: “Of course I don’t condone any abuses of human rights. That said, if we’re not condoning human rights abuses anywhere it would be the shortest tour the world has ever known.
“I wouldn’t even be able to perform in my own kitchen.’’
He said it would be hypocritical not to go, adding: “Anybody leaving messages saying ‘no to Qatar’ are doing so on Chinese technology.”
Gay rights campaigner Dua Lipa, who released 2018 No1 One Kiss with Harris, denied reports she will perform in the country.
Qatar has made modest labour reforms but Amnesty International said: “Human rights abuses persist on a significant scale today.”
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The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), which is responsible for organising Qatar’s World Cup, declined to say how much Harris would be paid for the event.
Representatives for Harris did not respond to requests for comment.
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