Country duo Dan + Shay returned to social media after a two-month break to urge others to join them in fighting racism following the death of George Floyd, the unarmed Minneapolis resident killed by a police officer who kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.
On Saturday afternoon (May 30) — after spending the last few months social distancing and quietly working on new music, with their last public update posted on March 13 — Dan + Shay broke their silence with a call to action for their one million followers.
“It has been quite difficult to remove ourselves from social media for the last few months, and we intended to stay inactive for a little bit longer, as we put the finishing touches on what we think is our best work yet, but this past week’s events in Minneapolis changed that,” the “10,000 Hours” singers wrote. “When the news story began to break, so did our hearts. In fact, they shattered. For the family of George Floyd, and for the black community as a whole. This is not the first time this has happened, but by God, please let it be the last.”
“It is truly devastating to think that someone could carry so much hate. We, as humans, MUST come together to make a change. Racism and discrimination because of someone’s skin color is simply just WRONG. Politics and all other bullshit aside, we all have a giant responsibility to eliminate this issue, which has plagued our country for far too long,” Dan + Shay said.
They continued: “At the end of the day, we can type novels, share stories, and promote activism on the internet, but this starts at home. We must educate our children, and instill values of love and equality. We are all born innocent, and racism is something that is learned. Let’s work together, NOW, to make a change. Please use your voice.”
Read their full message below.
