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“Moving to Mars with Bowie” – UK Artists React to Brexit

Martin McConnell

It was an extremely sad day for those voting ‘remain’ in Britain’s recent referendum, with the nation instead voting to leave the European Union. With the Leavers winning by a mere 4% of votes (48% to 52%), the result has left many Britons shocked and furious.

Overall this is just a huge blow to those born and raised within the United Kingdom and united European Union. Yet it’s not just the voiceless youth who find this result so deeply saddening. After the votes were added, countless artists took to Twitter to voice their pain and their frustration. This is a mere summation of the many posts about the result from the popular music world on social media:

https://twitter.com/disclosure/status/746199264812896256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/djqmusic/status/746242460276432896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/lvis1990/status/746225993505873920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/TheLuluLife/status/746196204208291840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Despite Prime Minister David Cameron standing down and Britain’s younger generation largely feeling as though their future has been snatched out from under them, there still may be some hope. A recent government petition which pleads for a 2nd referendum under new rules has just reached over 3.5 million signatures, an amazing feat proving that an enormous segment of the country really does care about the Union…. although it’s probably a bit too late.

If Brexit does go ahead, it is also possible that the United Kingdom itself will see a split. With Scotland voting ‘remain’ in all 32 counties and its leader doing all in her power to stay with the European Union, it’s highly likely that the country will once again go for independence under these new terms.

In the end, these posts may not amount to anything more than a bunch of pissed off Tweets that won’t change the final decision one iota, but it’s nonetheless incredibly satisfying in a way to see so many popular artists using their hugely influential platform to express their anger and sorrow at a decision that was reached because its proponents used their own platform to so heavily prey upon public paranoia and xenophobia.

Image: BBC