After threatening to quit, Ellie Goulding’s NFL Thanksgiving performance will go on
Nathan JenkinsEllie Goulding’s performance at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game was thrown into question this week, but now it seems as though the gig will go on as planned.
The performance was meant to kick off the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign, which raises money during the holiday season to feed and shelter the homeless. But when fans pointed out that the charity organization has been criticized for alleged anti-LGBTQ behavior, Ellie threatened to pull out.
“Upon researching this, I have reached out to The Salvation Army and said that I would have no choice but to pull out unless they very quickly make a solid, committed pledge or donation to the LGBTQ community,” she wrote to a fan on Instagram.
She added, “I am a committed philanthropist as you probably know, and my heart has always been in helping the homeless, but supporting an anti-LGBTQ charity is clearly not something I would ever intentionally do. Thank you for drawing my attention to this x.”
In a statement to USA Today, the Salvation Army called the anti-gay allegations “misconceptions” and said the organization has a mission “to serve all, without discrimination.”
In fact, there’s a page on the Salvation Army website that details its commitment to the LGBTQ community.
As of Wednesday, Salvation Army representative Kurt Watkins told USA Today that Ellie has confirmed she’ll still perform.
The Dallas Cowboys’ annual Thanksgiving Day game, which this year finds them facing off against the Buffalo Bills, will take place at AT&T Stadium in Texas and air on CBS.
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