Nick Jonas will replace Iggy Azalea at Pittsburgh’s Pride in the Street concert this Saturday, as announced on the Delta Foundation of Pittsburgh’s Facebook page.
“We’re thrilled to announce that multi-platinum-selling recording artist and actor Nick Jonas is the new headliner for Pride in the Street on Saturday, June 13 on Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh!” the Foundation said on Wednesday.
Azalea was slated as the event’s original headliner, but backed out on Monday amid backlash by several LGBT community supporters. Azalea made anti-gay comments in the past, the critics said, and should not be allowed to perform at the pride event.
“When I heard about the difficult position Pittsburgh Pride was in just days before their event, I knew I had to find a way to help,” Nick Jonas said in a statement. “I’m excited to do what I can to support the LGBT community in Pittsburgh, and I look forward to seeing you this Saturday as we celebrate together.”
The Foundation has also expressed remorse for its decision to book Azalea.
On its Facebook page, it posted the following statement:
We are happy to see the largely positive response to Nick Jonas joining us for Pittsburgh Pride, however it’s important that we acknowledge that there is a part of our community that is still very hurt. This past Tuesday we met with some of these folks to have a conversation that was hard to have and hard to hear. We heard things we’ve never heard before. We are sorry that we have caused some pain in our community and the Board of the Foundation is committed to learning more about how the Delta Foundation can work together to create a more inclusive Pride.
Ironically, the former Jonas Brother was scheduled to go on tour with Azalea. He pulled out when she delayed her tour’s start date. She later canceled the tour altogether, citing a “creative change of heart.”